The state of Texas has nothing on Phillip Beard Stadium at Dexter Wood Field in Buford, Georgia.
Much has been written about the high school football palaces in the Lone Star State through the years. Allen Eagle Stadium is often mentioned as one of the nation's best high school facilities, and in recent years, new stadiums like Cy-Fair FCU Stadium, Tomball ISD Stadium, and McKinney ISD Stadium have turned heads with their exorbitant amenities (not to mention price tags).
But make no mistake about it, Buford High School's new $62 million high school football stadium would be right at home alongside any of those facilities. Named for Buford Board of Education chairman Phillip Beard and senior athletics advisor Dexter Wood, the sparkling new facility will host its first game Thursday night when the mighty Milton Eagles make the roughly 25-mile jaunt around the northern fringe of the Atlanta suburbs to pay a visit.
MORE GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Milton's 25-game win streak on the line tonight at Buford's new stadium in game of the week
In the Trenches: Several of Georgia's top offensive and defensive line units will square off in 2025
Georgia's top 20 receivers heading into 2025 include four future Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia's top high school football running backs in 2025 led by Georgia, Notre Dame commits
Grayson star tops list of Georgia high school football's best quarterbacks in 2025
Milton is a two-time defending state champion, with a GHSA Class 7A title in 2023 and a Class 5A title last year. Georgia reorganized its prep ranks across six divisions prior to the 2024 season, so Milton currently plays in the Peach State's second-highest classification.
As their new facility might indicate, the Buford Wolves play in Georgia's top classification – the brutal Class 6A ranks where the Grayson (Loganville) Rams currently hold sway. The Wolves visited Milton last year, and in a game delayed for more than two hours due to weather, came away with a crushing 13-10 defeat in a defensive battle. They'll be out to avenge that loss on Saturday, but no matter the result, both teams figure to make deep runs in their respective classifications yet again.
Milton (GA) Eagles at Buford (GA) Wolves
LAST WEEK'S GAME OF THE WEEK Saint Louis (HI) shuts out Kahuku (HI), 20-0
Thursday, August 14
Phillip Beard Stadium at Dexter Wood Field | 7 p.m. local (EST)
TV: ESPN2 | Radio: Sports Radio 680 The Fan
Local Media Coverage: Gwinnett Daily Post Newspaper | Georgia High School Football Daily | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
School Social Media: Buford Wolves on X.com @buford_football | Milton Eagles on X.com @MiltonEagles_FB
Maybe it was the weather and the two-hour delay that killed the energy on a night when the game eventually ended after midnight on early Saturday morning.
Or maybe it was just two heavyweights feeling each other out, waiting for the other to provide an opening that never really came.
Whatever it was, last year's game between the Buford Wolves and Milton Eagles was not a showcase for the game's offensive stars, even though there were plenty of candidates on that side of the ball. Both quarterbacks were major college prospects with Milton's Luke Nickel eventually signing with the Miami (FL) Hurricanes on December 4 before enrolling at the south Florida campus in January.
Committed! Go Canes 🟠🟢🙌🏼@Hayesfawcett3 @coach_cristobal pic.twitter.com/jcnDLuYpZc
— Luke Nickel (@LukeNickel5) August 11, 2023
Buford's Dayton Raiola, meanwhile, was just a junior but was already considered a lock to commit to Nebraska. He made it official barely a month after the game, pledging to the Cornhuskers on September 22, 2024, where his older brother, Dylan, is already the starting quarterback.
Milton also had wide receiver CJ Wiley and tight end Ethan Barbour, both of them seniors and now on the Georgia Bulldogs' roster. Buford countered with senior stars in running back Justin Baker (Tennessee), wide receiver Jordan Allen (Georgia Tech), and tight end Hayden Bradley (Ole Miss).
But looking back at the 2024 editions of these two squads, maybe it was just a night for the defenses. Raiola managed just 96 yards passing and never did find the end zone on a night when running back Ethan Ervin scored the Wolves' only touchdown on a 12-yard blast. That came only after the Wolves' defense provided an opportunity when Chris Garland intercepted the ball deep in Milton territory.
Until then, Buford had been kept out of the end zone with – here we go again – the Wolves' defense outscoring the team's offense with a third-quarter safety to trail the Eagles, 13-2. Milton's Nickel, meanwhile, fared better than Raiola but still only managed two scoring drives against the stout Buford defense. He would ultimately finish the game with 167 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-20 passing – solid numbers but nothing spectacular.
Yes, come to think about it, both defenses were in fine form on a night when the offensive stars weren't aligned. All of those seniors have moved on, of course, but Raiola is still the man under center for Buford. He's one of nine Buford seniors ranked on the latest 247sports.com player rankings compared to only two for Milton. Those numbers suggest that maybe the scales have tipped in Buford's favor on a night when they will show off their new home with the biggest housewarming party in Georgia.
Top Recruits
- Milton had 10 seniors last year that signed with FBS programs, led by offensive tackle Brayden Jacobs (Clemson) and Wiley (Georgia). They don't have the same embarrassment of riches they had a year ago with only two seniors on the 2025 edition of the Eagles having received star ratings – three-star prospects Billy Weivoda at linebacker and Tristan Lester at safety.
- Buford lost a lot of their 2024 stars, too, but they've got one of the best in the entire country in five-star defensive lineman Bryce Perry-White. Tyriq Green is a three-star prospect committed to Georgia as an athlete, and of course, Raiola, another three-star, is back to lead the offense.
When Milton has the ball ...
Nickel is gone, but Milton got a boost after the season when sophomore Derrick Baker, a rising four-star prospect in the Class of 2028, transferred in from Florida's St. Thomas Aquinas. But he's only attempted 14 passes in his prep career so a lot of questions still have to be answered if he's ultimately the starter at Milton. With the Eagles' top wide receiver (Wiley) and tight end (Barbour) departing as well, he may spend a fair amount of time handing off the ball to senior running back Walker Davis who also had limited reps (21 carries for 87 yards) in an offense that had nine seniors log multiple rushing attempts.
It won't help Milton's cause going up against a defensive line that is ranked as the No. 2 unit in the state of Georgia. One of them is five-star Texas A&M commit Perry-Wright, the No. 32 player in the country at any position in the 247sports.com's Class of 2026. His linemate is future Clemson Tiger Dre Quinn, a 3-star prospect on the edge.
When Buford has the ball ...
Quarterback Raiola is the key. The senior Nebraska commit has to take care of the ball and let his big offensive line – ranked as the No. 4 unit in the state – lead the way. If the Wolves can minimize any self-inflicted errors, then opportunities will come their way, and it's Raiola's responsibility as the quarterback to make sure the offense isn't pressing too hard. If they come out trying to force the action and make a big play on their new home ground, it could end up backfiring and leading to opportunities for Milton instead.
Keys to the game
Milton wins if Buford, indeed, comes out pressing too hard, anxious to perform in front of a national audience in their new facility. The Eagles are a two-time defending state champion, after all, and talent runs deep in programs like Milton even if it is unproven on the field. If they can capitalize on any unforced errors that Buford might make, then they might be able to build a cushion that sustains them deeper into the game when the energy, inevitably, slows down for both teams.
Buford wins if their highly-rated offensive and defensive line units are dominating Milton in the trenches. It could get even worse if the Wolves feed off the momentum of a frenzied crowd, playing in a new stadium on ESPN like they've got nothing to lose in an early season non-conference game. If they go up a couple of scores early, then the young Milton quarterback might have to take to the airways, and that could play into Buford's hands with an inexperienced Eagles' receiving corps that was hammered hard by graduation.
Looking Ahead
The two teams play in different classifications and different regions so the outcome won't affect either team's ability to get on a run and make some noise later in the postseason. A loss would end any hopes, however, of making a run at any kind of national glory.
Buford has a tough trip in Week 2 to Savannah to take on a talented Class 4A Benedictine squad. The Wolves escaped the Cadets at home a year ago, 29-28, after the loss to Milton, and certainly, Buford would like to avoid a repeat of that scenario.
Milton, on the other hand, is slated to travel to Orlando, to face The First Academy Royals, who are currently on probation for rules violations in Florida's FHSAA ranks. They have one of the toughest schedules in the country, and they were competitive in big games a year ago including a 49-42 loss to Georgia independent power Rabun Gap-Nacoochee. It doesn't figure to be any easier than Buford's path through Savannah.
Series history
Buford has won 14 state championships in Georgia, dating back to its first title in 1978. They were one of the Peach State's dominant programs in the 2010s, winning titles at the Class 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A levels in a span of 10 years. Their most recent title came in 2021 at the Class 6A tier, so Buford is a proven winner at any level.
Milton's emergence as a powerhouse has been more recent with their first state title coming in 2018. It was their only title until their consecutive championships the past two years.
The two teams meeting last year was only their second in the past 20 years, following a 2019 meeting where Buford escaped with a 26-23 win.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HEADLINES
The Sporting News 2025 National High School Football Top 25 — Week One: August 12
Iowa High School Preseason Top 10 Class 3A Football Rankings
Iowa High School Preseason Top 10 Class 4A Football Rankings
Iowa High School Preseason Top 10 Class 5A Football Rankings
Top 10 tight ends in California high school football entering 2025