If you like points, the Central Lions are your team. Through six games of the 2026 season, Carrollton’s Central High School has put up 291 of them — the second-most of any Lions squad at this stage in recent memory — and ridden a three-game winning streak to a 4-2 record as region play takes center stage.
The Lions (4-2 overall, 2-0 in region) have been must-watch football all fall: a 139-point overtime thriller, a one-point shootout loss, and back-to-back region wins that have Central positioned for a strong postseason seed. With 203 points allowed, the defense has had its shaky nights — but the offense keeps answering.
Game-by-Game: The 2026 Schedule
Aug. 21 — at Heard County: L 28-50. A rough opener on the road. The Braves poured in 50 points, and Central’s season began with a stumble.
Aug. 28 — vs. Jonesboro: W 56-7. The response was emphatic. The Lions hung 56 on the Cardinals at home, the offense firing on all cylinders for the first time.
Sept. 4 — at East Paulding: L 49-56. Heartbreak in a shootout. Central scored 49 and still lost, falling to 1-2 in one of the wildest games of the Georgia season.
Sept. 11 — vs. Houston County: W 73-66 (OT). One of the great games of the fall. The Lions outlasted the Bears 73-66 in overtime — 139 combined points — in a Friday night instant classic at home.
Sept. 25 — at Harris County: W 40-10. Region play began, and so did the statement wins. Central went on the road and dominated the Tigers 40-10 to open 1-0 in region.
Oct. 2 — at Starr’s Mill: W 45-14. Another road region win, another 40-plus-point outburst. The Lions moved to 2-0 in region and extended their winning streak to three.
Oct. 9 — vs. LaGrange, 7:30 p.m. A home date with the Grangers, who come in at 4-2 — a genuine test for the Lions’ defense.
Oct. 16 — at Whitewater, 7:30 p.m. Central travels to face the 3-1 Wildcats in a region matchup that could shape the final standings.
Oct. 30 — vs. Lithia Springs, 7:30 p.m. A home region game the Lions will be expected to win big.
Nov. 6 — vs. Griffin, 7:30 p.m. The regular-season finale at home against the Bears — a chance to close the season with momentum before the playoffs.
Season Notes
The Lions are averaging 48.5 points per game — video-game numbers for high school football. The overtime classic against Houston County and the shootout loss to East Paulding showed both the ceiling and the floor: when Central’s offense is on, few teams in the classification can keep pace; when the defense bends, the Lions need every point they can get. Two straight road region wins, though, suggest this group is learning to win in different ways.
What’s Next
Region play is the whole story now. At 2-0 in region, Central controls its path — beat LaGrange at home on Oct. 9, and the Lions set up a potentially decisive trip to Whitewater. Finish the region slate strong and Central could host a first-round playoff game, a reward this offense has earned. The defense’s job is simple: give the offense one more stop than the other guys. So far this fall, that’s been enough.
