Rivalry week arrives
Ads, Dawgs set for 68th meeting
This Friday, Sept. 25, Farragut and Bearden will meet for the 68th time in a feud that dates back more than five decades.
The teams have played every single year since 1974, as Farragut owns a 43-24 record in that span, per FHS SID Jack Tate.
More recently, the Admirals gutted out a 25-21 win in the Dawgs’ house last year, part of a 2-2 stretch in this game the last four years.
In that time, both programs have undergone plenty of changes.
Farragut is in its third year under 2006 graduate Geoff Courtney, who took over for his father, TSSAA Hall of Famer Eddie Courtney, in 2024.
Meanwhile, 1994 Bearden graduate Brad Taylor leads the Dawgs in the second year of his second stint at his alma mater.
Both teams stand at 0-5 this season, making each group even hungrier for a Region 2-6A rivalry win that will mean plenty to either side.
“Always a tough game, a four-quarter war down to the end,” Courtney said. “The team that usually makes the fewest mistakes will win — less penalties, less turnovers, makes a few more plays. It’s been that kind of rivalry.”
“They’re playing a few guys both ways and are in a similar situation we’re in, playing a similar strength of schedule,” Courtney continued. “Their combined opponents are 19-5 and ours are, too, so they’re right there in being challenged. So I’m sure they’ll show up and play their best game Friday.”
“It makes it a little more special,” Bearden coach Brad Taylor added. “Both schools have gone through trials and tribulations. For us, it hit us last year, and I hate it, but it hit Farragut this offseason. We’re still trying to rebuild and rebound, and it does make this game a little more special.“
Previous years have included pranks between the schools, though there have not been reports of anything so far.
On the field, the teams present different looks.
Bearden features quarterback Aidan Thacker and tailback Drew Parrott in a shotgun look, while Farragut has shifted to the flex bone with a bit of shotgun still sprinkled in at times. Defensively, Zach Nicaud will play a big role, along with two-way standout Connor Gilbreath.
“I think it’s important for us to stop big plays from happening defensively, making them snap it again, and understand we’ll have to be good defending the run,” Taylor said of his team. “Offensively, we’ll have to be able to run the ball ourselves, too.”
Meanwhile, Courtney will look to quarterback Hayes Sharp and tailbacks Brenton Haag and Carter Collier to lead the offense with defenders such as Thatcher Cherry and Mason Swor ready to keep the Bulldogs at bay.
“They’re big up front, and Parrott is tough to contend with as a big back,” Courtney said. “Runs hard. They’ve got skill players on the outside, and the Gilbreath kid is a good player.“
On Friday night, all those elements will clash as the Farragut-Bearden rivalry takes center stage once again.
And no matter what the record of each team is, one thing is clear: this one matters.
“It enhances the meaning of this game,” Taylor said. “We’ve both suffered hard times, but this game is important. Both these programs, they see it as, ‘Let’s go get a win this week.’”
