RINGGOLD, Ga. | Oct. 1, 2026 | NSBNsports.com — Two unbeaten teams, nearly identical statistical profiles and major region implications will converge Friday night when Ringgold hosts LaFayette at Don Patterson Stadium.
Ringgold and LaFayette enter the matchup with 5-0 records, setting up one of the most significant games of the season for both programs.
LaFayette High at Ringgold High
Date: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Don Patterson Stadium
Records: LaFayette 5-0, Ringgold 5-0
How to Watch: Live on the Southeast Sports Network
How to Listen: WQCH 93.7 FM and AM 1590
Broadcast Talent: Gabriel Schray
Broadcast Analyst: Michael Shawn Green
The similarities extend well beyond the records.
Both teams are averaging 34 points per game offensively. Ringgold has allowed an average of 13 points per game, while LaFayette is surrendering 14 points per contest.
The matchup could also have a major impact on the region championship race. The winner will strengthen its position alongside Rockmart among the leading contenders for the region title.
For Ringgold, the unbeaten start has placed the Tigers in rare company in the program’s history.
According to GHSA archives, this is only the fourth time in 92 years of Ringgold football that the Tigers have opened a season 5-0. The previous 5-0 starts came in 1967, 1989 and 2021.
LaFayette is pursuing some history of its own. This is the first time since 1986 that LaFayette has started 5-0. With a victory Friday, the Ramblers would also reach six wins, giving the program more victories than it has recorded in any season over the past 14 years.
Both teams have also earned recognition in statewide rankings.
LaFayette is No. 7 and Ringgold is No. 10 in the GHSA Class 3A power ratings. MaxPreps ranks Ringgold No. 23 and LaFayette No. 28 among Class 3A teams in Georgia.
The matchup carries an additional storyline on the sidelines.
First-year LaFayette head coach Lee Bohannon spent the past several seasons as a member of the Ringgold coaching staff before joining the Ramblers. Friday will mark his return to Don Patterson Stadium, this time leading one of Ringgold’s region rivals.
The game also coincides with Ringgold’s homecoming festivities, adding another element to an already significant night.
With two undefeated teams, major implications in the region race, a historically strong start for both programs and connections between the coaching staffs, Friday’s matchup figures to be one of the most anticipated games of the season for Ringgold and LaFayette.
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