Another 2023 heavy high school football battle has been announced. On Wednesday, Prep Gridiron Logistics and its sister company NationalHSFB.com announced that Maryland’s St. Frances Academy will travel to Georgia to play Buford on August 18.
Both teams were in the 2022 High School Football America’s national championship chase. SFA finished No. 7 in the High School Football America 300 national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football. Buford was ranked as high as No. 2 in our national rankings before losing to Walton in the second round of the Georgia 7A playoffs. The Wolves finished the year at No. 31.
Related: 2022 HSFA 300
St. Frances played one of the toughest schedules in America last year. The Panthers beat four state champs in ’22 — DeSoto (Texas 6A Division II champ), Dutch Fork (South Carolina 5A champ), East. St. Louis (Illinois 6A champ) and Kahuku (Hawaii Open Division champ).
SFA only loss was to IMG Academy (Florida) in their annual season finale.
Related: 2022 HSFA 300
Buford’s drive for its first-ever 7A title came to a surprise ending when it lost 42-35 to Walton in the second round of the postseason. The Wolves, who own fourteen state championships, were trying become the only team to win a state championship in every Georgia classification.
Like SFA, Buford also had a couple wins against ’22 state champs on its resume. The Wolves opened the season with an impressive 38-7 win over Alabama’s Thompson, which went on to win a fourth straight Alabama 7A title.
During the regular season, Buford beat Mill Creek in regional play. Mill Creek rebounded from that loss to go on to the 7A championship.
This will be the second time that St. Frances Academy will play a team from Georgia. In 2018, The Panthers beat then two-time defending champ Lee County in the GEICO State Championship Bowl Series.
The Buford/SFA game will air LIVE on FloFootball. Since 2021, Prep Gridiron Logistics has been producing high-profile high school football games on the streaming network.
