The Putnam County football team will have a tough schedule in 2025.
The War Eagles finished 5-6 last season with a first-round playoff exit and will face the same teams during the regular season this year.
Putnam County head coach Joel Harvin believes that this season will be different than last year.
“It will be a challenge,” Harvin said. “I think we’re ready for it, though.”
The first four games of the season are non-region contests.
The War Eagles begin their 2025 campaign by hosting rival Greene County on Aug. 15 at home. The Tigers won last season’s contest 28-20 at Tiger Stadium; however, they face several questions heading into this year.
Greene County has a new coach in Darius Robinson, a former assistant at Valdosta.
Harvin admitted that he doesn’t know much about Greene County heading into the fall.
“We start with Greene, which has a new coach, and we don’t really know what to expect from them,” he said. “Trying to find film of what they may have done in the past is always a challenge. It’s a brand-new coaching staff over there, and they’re full of athletes, man, so I’m not really sure what to expect come that first game. So we’ve got to do a good job of going in and making adjustments during that game.”
Putnam County will then face another rival – Morgan County – in Madison on Aug. 22. The Dogs went 11-2 overall last season under head coach Clint Jenkins, and also won last year’s game 42-28 at Al Reaves Field.
Morgan County is also primed to have another strong season in Class AA this year.
Harvin admitted that the two-game stretch might be the toughest of the season.
“The next week (after Greene) we’ll face Morgan, and (Coach Jenkins) has done a good job of developing that program,” Harvin said. “He’s got a lot of good guys coming back, and they went deep into the playoffs. The first two games will be tough, and they’re our rivals, so you want to win. So we expect a good challenge."
Putnam County’s third game comes against Laney at home on Aug. 29. The Wildcats knocked off the War Eagles 34-25 in last year’s contest for a 0-3 start.
Harvin hopes for a better result against Laney, which returns a strong, young core under coach Ronnie Baker.
“Laney is a good Augusta school. They’re good year-in-year-out, man,” Harvin said. “They always have fast athletes and big kids, too, as far as linemen. They’re always going to be a tough challenge.”
Last season, Putnam County’s first win was against Haralson County, which it will face again in the fourth game of 2025 on Sept. 5 on the road in Tallapoosa. The War Eagles dominated the Rebels 28-3 at home last year.
Haralson County is still rebuilding under second-year coach Randy Crutchfield, following a 1-9 season in 2025.
Harvin hopes for a better result in the team’s non-region slate this year.
“The biggest thing is trying to get non-region wins so you get the points for the playoffs because that’s important,” he said. “Your first-round matchup is important, and where you’re seeded in the bracket matters as well, too, so you’ve got to try and get as many points as you can—not just region points but also non-region ones.”
Putnam County will then have a bye week before starting a rigorous region schedule. The War Eagles will begin region play by facing McNair, a team they defeated 45-37 last season, on Sept. 19.
Harvin’s squad will next face rival Social Circle, which won last year’s contest 29-22, on Sept. 26, on the road.
Putnam County then begins the next month with a matchup against the Utopian Academy of the Arts at home on Oct. 3. The War Eagles easily won last year’s game 69-0 and are primed to repeat the same result in 2025.
Putnam County’s final three games will be challenging – Towers (Oct. 10), Lamar County (Oct. 17), and Jasper County (Oct. 24). The War Eagles’ chance to win a region title depends on their last three games of the season.
Putnam County defeated Towers 48-14, lost to Lamar County 24-3, and beat Jasper County 21-14 in 2024.
Harvin thinks any team could win Region 4-A Division I this upcoming season.
“When we get into the region, it’s a toss-up,” Harvin said. “You don’t really know what to expect from anybody yet. It’s still early, and you’ve heard different things about various teams, maybe changing offenses, changing head coaches, or whatever. So many things are still uncertain. So you hate to try and plan for what’s going to happen because with coaching turnover, you don’t know what to expect until you get film.”