2023 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN: Madison County looks to bounce back with tough schedule on deck

MADISON COUNTY COWBOYS

Region: 1R-2

2023 SCHEDULE

* – Game at Glynn County Stadium, Brunswick, Ga.

MILEAGE BREAKDOWN

The Cowboys will take five road trips this season, resulting in some mileage being put on the buses used to get them to games, along with mileage of parents and fans who are loyal followers of the team. The longest road trip will be to Brunswick in September when the Cowboys take on Fitzgerald in the Border War Classic at Glynn County Stadium. That trip will be 183 miles one way for the game, which also comes with a kickoff time outside the usual 7:30 PM kickoff that the Cowboys are typically used to. The shortest road trip to neighboring Jefferson County will clock in at 27.9 miles one way. Overall, the mileage round trip will add up to a whopping 834.8 miles for the five games on the road this season, meaning that Madison County will see much scenery this fall.

To Godby: 58.7 miles
To Fitzgerald (Glynn County Stadium): 183 miles
To Jefferson County: 27.9 miles
To Chiefland: 91 miles
To Rickards: 56.8 miles

One-Way: 417.4 miles
Round-Trip:  834.8 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.

Looking at the Cowboys’ strength of schedule, some notable things that stand out include games with Fitzgerald, Georgia, who finished as the Class 2A state runner-up last season, and Florida High, which ended the 2022 season with the Class 2S state runner-up trophy. These two programs give the Cowboys a considerable boost in strength of schedule. Another program that boosts the schedule is Columbia which is coming off a run to the state semifinals in Class 3S.

Other teams that grace the schedule include Carrollwood Day, Suwannee, Chiefland, and Rickards. These four programs reached the regional playoffs last season and are quality opponents that give Madison County measuring sticks to show them where they are as a program. Of those programs, Suwannee reached the regional finals last year, while Chiefland is just two seasons removed from a run to the state semifinals.

Overall, as we look at our weighted strength of schedule formula, the formula gives Madison County a strength of schedule of .743 coming into the 2023 season. A tough strength of schedule is nothing new for the Cowboys program, and head coach Price Harris has undoubtedly kept that tradition since taking over as head coach last season. Even if the Cowboys were to finish slightly below .500 like last year in the regular season, the strength of schedule is one thing they can count on to help them reach the postseason again in 2023.

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

KEY GAME NO. 1

9/8 – Fitzgerald, GA: As one of several games that are a part of the Border War Classic in Week 3, this game will test the Cowboys as Fitzgerald is coming off a GHSA Class 2A state runner-up finish. The nice thing about this game is that it is at a neutral site, and thus the home-field advantage impact will not be present. However, depending on the talent on the roster for Madison County this season will determine what kind of game plan will be needed to get a victory over the Purple Hurricanes.

KEY GAME NO. 2

9/22 – Florida High: This is another game that is just as key as the Fitzgerald game, as Florida High is coming off a historic season that finished 14-1 with a Class 2S state runner-up finish. This will be a very tough game that the Cowboys would like to win at home at Boot Hill when the Seminoles come to visit. As with any game at Boot Hill, the fans will be packed in, ready to support their team; that is Madison County’s pride.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

As most football fans in Florida know, Madison County plays a very tough football schedule year in and year out, and this year’s schedule is no different with the teams that are a part of the schedule. Teams like Fitzgerald, Columbia, Florida High, and others like Suwannee and Chiefland are also on the schedule. The question that looms will be if the Cowboys can achieve more than four wins in the season, which marked the lowest win total for the Cowboys in decades last season. We will get answers to that question when the season starts. Overall, Madison County will be a team not to take lightly and will be one that head coach Price Harris will have ready come the start of the season.