Five Georgia teams to appear on ESPN channels this month

Five Georgia teams will be nationally televised over 10 days this month during ESPN’s 15th High School Football Kickoff series of six games, the network announced Thursday. The teams are Carrollton, Woodward Academy, Grayson, Milton and Rabun Gap-Nacoochee.

ESPN2 will televise Carrollton’s game at Woodward Academy on Aug. 16. Carrollton quarterback Julian Lewis, a five-star prospect committed to Southern Cal, is the state’s most high-profile high school player.

Woodward Academy, Georgia’s Class 6A runner-up last season, is compelling because of three sons of former NFL players. They are Jerome Bettis Jr. (son of Bettis Sr.), R.J. Harrison (son of Rodney Harrison) and Amarri Irvin (son of Sedrick Irvin).

ESPN2 will cover Grayson’s game at Thompson of Alabama on Aug. 22. Thompson has been Alabama’s state champion in the highest class four of the past five seasons. Grayson made Georgia’s Class 7A semifinals last season.

Milton’s game at American Heritage of Florida will be on ESPN on Aug. 23. Both teams have several top-20 national rankings. Milton won Class 7A last season and returns 18 of 22 starters.

Rabun Gap, a Rabun County boarding school that plays in a North Carolina private league, is playing Baylor of Tennessee in Chattanooga on Aug. 25. ESPN will televise. Five Rabun Gap seniors, including Georgia Tech pledge Justin Hasenhuetl, are committed to major Division I teams.