By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

There’s nothing but state playoff action this week all across South Mississippi, and it’s time for our 12th installment of “A Look Ahead” here at SouthMiss6 Sports.

“A Look Ahead” has been a part of the journalistic fabric of prep football across the “Southern Six” for most of the past three decades. Each week of the season on SouthMiss6 Sports take a look at the action set to kickoff in that particular week all across this region.

Here are seven games in the “Southern Six’ to keep an eye on this week:

Here are “7 games in the Southern 6” to keep an eye on this week:

1. George County at Picayune — George County travels to Picayune for the third straight year in the Class 6A South State playoffs as well as for the fourth time in the past 24 months, as these two former Region 4-6A foes square off once more at Lee-Triplett Stadium to open the postseason. The Maroon Tide is the top seed in Region 4-6A while the Rebels are the fourth seed in Region 3-6A. This marks the 22nd all-time meeting on the football field between the two teams and Picayune has doubled up its advantage at 15-6 after another win last year. Picayune has also won eight straight in this series dating back to a 2002 playoff encounter, which was a close 20-19 decision for GCHS at home in Lucedale. The last win for the Rebels in Picayune came 27 years ago also in the state playoffs with a 38-35 win in 1999.
2. Columbia at Pass Christian (Game of the Week) — For the first time-ever, Pass Christian sits at 11-0 in a season. But now, the Pirates will have to do something else they’ve never done before, and that’s beat Columbia on the football field. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 5-0, including a 41-6 thumping of PCHS last year in the Class 4A South State playoffs during Columbia’s 15-0 march to the Class 4A state title. This will mark the fifth meeting between the two teams in the past 19 years, in a series that dates back to 1977. The Pirates are the top seed in Region 8-4A, and are coming off a 62-33 win over visiting Forest last week. The Wildcats, the third seed from Region 7-4A, beat Newton County 21-7 on the road last week and are now 7-4 overall.
3. Petal at D’Iberville — The 12th all-time meeting on the football field is set between the Warriors and Panthers is also a first round rematch from last year, but this time in Harrison County. Petal is the third seed in Region 3-7A while DHS is the second seed from Region 4-7A. The all-time series is extremely close, with the Panthers up 6-5 after a close 14-3 win last year . The series dates back to 1988, and all but three meetings have taken place in the postseason.
4. Biloxi at Oak Grove — This marks the sixth time in the past seven seasons that Biloxi has traveled to Oak Grove to open the postseason. The Indians have lost all seven previous meetings to the Warriors, including the past five consecutive seasons to kick off the state playoffs.The closest contest of the previous seven outings with a 14-point win, 34-20, by Oak Grove two years ago. The Warriors beat Biloxi 52-20 last year, 55-13 three years ago and 54-34 in 2020. The only regular season meetings between the two teams came in 2012 and 2013, with OGHS winning 49-14 and 59-35, respectively.
5. Brandon at Gulfport — Once again, a rematch from last year in the state playoffs as the Bulldogs head south for the second straight season to open the Class 7A South State playoffs. This marks just the 13th all-time meeting between the two teams on the football field, but it will be the fourth straight season they have faced off of the football field. The Admirals snapped a six game losing streak in the series last season, with a resounding 40-7 win at home in the Class 7A South State championship game. Gulfport went on to win the state title the next week. Brandon is the fourth seed in Region 3-7A, with a record of 7-3. The Admirals, who won Region 4-7A for the second straight season, sit an impressive 9-1 overall.
6. Morton at Poplarville — The 10-0 Hornets host the pesky Panthers in the second round of the Class 4A South State playoffs. These two teams have never met before on the football field. The Hornets hammered Northeast Lauderdale easily 56-0 last week, and at the same time Morton was getting past visiting Forrest County AHS 49-42. The Panthers come into the second round of the playoffs at 8-2.
7. Laurel at Stone — The Tomcats the Golden Tornadoes to open the Class 5A South State playoffs in a historic outing, as it will mark the first-ever postseason game in their new on-campus stadium. And yes, it’s yet another rematch from the playoffs last year as well. These two teams were Region 4-5A foes for the two seasons until last year, when Laurel moved back up north into Region 3-5A. Last year, in the Class 5A South State semifinal round, Laurel nipped home-standing Stone 24-2 in the final seconds of the game. Laurel leads the all-time series 8-1.