VALDOSTA—Lowndes football announced the 2020 schedule and it features seven new opponents and eight scheduled home games. 

Coming off a 14-1 season that saw the Vikings come short of the first state championship since 2007, the Region 1-7A champions will start their campaign with a new coach at the helm for the first time in 18 years. 

Long-time head coach Randy McPherson announced his retirement in the offseason and Jamey DuBose was named the head coach of the Vikings in January. 

DuBose’s first season at Lowndes will kickoff with a preseason scrimmage at home against Bainbridge on Aug. 14, before the Vikings start the regular season against Hoover (AL.) as apart of the Corky Kell Classic. 

Lowndes and Hoover will meet at the Mercedes Benz Dome in Atlanta on Aug. 22. It marks the first time the two teams will face each other and the first time that a non-Georgia team will compete in the series. 

From there the Vikings will return to Martin Stadium for a four-game home stand where they’ll face Griffin (Aug. 28), Oakleaf (Sept. 4), Lee County (Sept. 11) and New Hampstead (Sept. 18). 

That sets up a trip to face crosstown rival, Valdosta, in one of the biggest games in high school football. 

The Vikings and Wildcats will compete in the Winnersville Classic on Sept. 25 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. Lowndes has a won the last three meetings against Valdosta including a 24-0 shutout last season at Martin Stadium. 

After Winnersville, Lowndes will return home for a homecoming matchup against Alcovy on Oct. 2, which will lead into an open week before region play begins. 

Region play will start on Oct. 16 with a home matchup against Tift County before the Vikings travel to Mack Tharpe Stadium to face Colquitt County on Oct. 23. 

Lowndes will end the regular season on Oct. 30 against Camden County and another open week before the 7A playoffs begin on Nov. 13.