Warner Robins returns from back-to-back bye weeks looking to defend lead in Region 2-5A

As important as every game is, Warner Robins’ real season starts on Friday.

Region games aren’t nearly as consequential as they used to be, but the Demons will find out who they really are against their last three opponents, starting with Ola.

Warner Robins currently holds the lead in Region 2-5A with a 5-2 overall record and 3-0 region record with victories against Eagle’s Landing, Union Grove and Locust Grove.

Perry’s 45-20 win over Jones County put the Demons in complete control of their region destiny; now there’s three teams with one loss, and Warner Robins has yet to play any of them.

Ola lost to Jones County 17-14 in overtime in Week 6. In that game quarterback Caden Worley only threw 10 times for 72 yards and an interception, and senior running back Caden Waye was the leading rusher with 71 yards and a touchdown.

Warner Robins and Ola have only played twice before in 2022 and 2023 as region opponents. The Demons won both 38-0 and 28-27 finals respectively.

While briefly in different regions, the Mustangs have improved significantly with the addition of head coach Dustin Adkins.

In 2024 they won the Region 2-4A championship and went 11-1, their first loss in the second round to Benedictine, 34-14. That team only allowed 114 total points for an average of 9.5.

In 2025, Ola was 9-2 and lost to Cambridge in the first round. That team’s defense wasn’t quite as good, but they allowed a total of 152 points for an average of 13.8 per game.

The 2026 squad is on pace to (statistically) eclipse the 2024 team as the best defense in program history with 95 (currently 76) total points allowed and an average of 9.5 allowed per game.

While it is possible, it’s also unlikely the Mustangs will hold a talented Demons offense to that total.

Since their rough two-game stretch against Northside and Newton, Warner Robins has outscored their opponents 162-29, and they have two shutouts to their name against Eagle’s Landing and Locust Grove.

Granted those three opponents have a combined record of 3-19 and have allowed a total of 979 points this season. But led by four-star quarterback Chandler Dyson along with receiver X’Zavier Cannon, running back A.J. Alexander and other weapons, Warner Robins is an extremely threatening offense on paper.

Have the Demons completely worked out their early-season inconsistencies between their first three region games and two bye weeks?

Kickoff is scheduled for Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.