2023 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN: Freeport looks for another playoff appearance with favorable schedule

FREEPORT BULLDOGS

Region: 1R-1

2023 SCHEDULE

MILEAGE BREAKDOWN

Like for any rural Panhandle team, traveling for games is a way of life as many schools are spread out throughout the geography of the landscape, including programs that are like-minded and in the same classification. As such, the shortest road trip for Freeport is going to come in at 38.4 miles one-way to Vernon during the midway point of the season. The most extended road trip of the season will come on Week 11 when the Bulldogs hop on the bus and head to Sneads,  a 90-mile road trip just one-way. Overall, round trip miles for the season for Freeport checks in just a bit short of 600 miles total.

To Liberty County: 76.1 miles
To Vernon: 38.4 miles
To Holmes County: 39.9 miles
To Baker: 48.7 miles
To Sneads: 90 miles

One-Way: 293.1 miles
Round-Trip: 586.2 miles

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

FloridaHSFootball.com has developed a weighted strength of schedule formula that weighs a team’s strength of schedule using data trends from the previous five seasons to measure a team’s overall strength of schedule. This includes all team records for all opponents and other weighted factors given about the teams on a schedule.

For Freeport, their schedule is weaker compared to some other Class 1R programs in the Panhandle region, and that makes it easier to gain victories. Still, it makes it more challenging for the Bulldogs to make a postseason run, as they might be unprepared for the more challenging programs. That will be the case once again for the Bulldogs in 2023.

When looking thoroughly at the schedule, the best teams on the schedule for the Bulldogs are Baker and Sneads, both teams that have made considerable playoff runs over the last few years. The only other teams coming off a playoff season from last fall are Cottondale, Bozeman, and Holmes County, which add a little bit of strength to the schedule for the Bulldogs. Outside of the four playoff teams from last season, the teams on the schedule for Freeport have been struggling outside of the reasonably new Destin program.

As such, looking at this schedule, our weighted strength of schedule gives Freeport a strength of schedule of .470 entering the 2023 season. With that strength of schedule, the Bulldogs should be able to win anywhere from six to eight games this season. They likely will qualify for the playoffs most likely anywhere from a No. 4 to No. 6 region in Class 1R unless some of the teams on the schedule show some significant improvements during the 2023 season.

MORE: Find all the links to all the schedule breakdowns published here

KEY GAME NO. 1

11/3 – Sneads: This is probably the biggest game of the season for the Bulldogs, and it comes at the end of the season on the road. With Sneads being one of the solid teams in the Panhandle region over the last five years, scoring an upset victory here on the road would go a long way toward the playoff rankings when it matters most.

KEY GAME NO. 2

10/19 – Baker: Baker is now three years removed from winning a state championship but still has been one of the most consistent programs in rural football, which makes this game the second-best game on the schedule for Freeport and a key game as well. With Baker taking a slight slide back last season, if the Bulldogs are improved, they could make some waves with a win in this game.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Freeport has been a decent team, but their schedule has been something that has held the Bulldogs back over the years and will likely continue to hold them back as long as the schedule does not add a team from the rural classification that is stronger than one of their other opponents currently on the schedule would help greatly. The schedule for Freeport should help them reach the playoffs but no more than a mid-seed at best, but likely a lower seed depending on how things shake out in the region as there are no districts in Class 1R.