Milton shines in Florida; Gwinnett teams score big wins

Buford, still ranked No. 1 in Class 6A despite the loss, feared falling to 0-2 for the first time this century, but rallied to beat Benedictine, the No. 5 team in Class 4A, 29-28. Buford trailed 28-21 at home with a minute left.

In the Atlanta area games, the Gwinnett trio of Collins Hill, Mill Creek and Hebron Christian stood out.

Collins Hill, the No. 10 team in Class 6A, beat No. 7 Woodward Academy in Class 5A, 21-14. Collins Hill opened the season with a win over then-No. 3 Grayson of 6A.

No. 6 Mill Creek defeated Norcross 21-10 in 6A. These traditionally strong teams entered the game 1-0.

In a private Class 3A-A game, No. 3 Hebron Christian beat No. 4 Fellowship Christian 38-18.

Most of the rest of the state's most interesting results occurred further away.

In the mountains, Fannin County beat No. 4 Rabun County 28-7 in a Class A Division I game. It was Fannin's first win over a top-10 team since 1995 and his second overall, ending a 32-game losing streak in those games.

In Jackson County, East Jackson beat No. 6 Commerce of Class A Division II, 14-13. It was East Jackson's first top-10 win in the history of a school that opened in 2007. East Jackson had previously gone 0-25 against higher-ranked opponents.

According to the Maxwell Ratings computer program, Fannin and East Jackson were 14 points behind.

In the top game outside Atlanta, reigning Class 5A champion Coffee beat Class 4A No. 4 team Ware County 20-16.

Only a few games involving top 10 teams can be called real surprises. Two of them took place in Class A Division I.

ECI beat No. 9 Swainsboro 24-21. Swainsboro is the two-time runner-up in the class but is 0-2. Unranked Dodge County beat No. 7 Bleckley County 19-16. Bleckley was a 15-point favorite.