No high school team in the state has made more playoff appearances in the Georgia Dome than Lincoln County, but earning a 10th trip this year would be only a fraction of the battle for the Class A powerhouse Red Devils.

With the GHSA beginning play at the neutral dome with the championship games, instead of the semifinals, only half the teams will have that opportunity this year. In Class A, that chance is essentially cut in half again, as most experts already have inked in defending champion Emanuel County Institute to one spot in the final bracket.

"I think everybody in the state of Georgia realizes that if no injuries take place at ECI, it's just a matter of who plays them," Lincoln County coach Larry Campbell said. "Everybody's giving them the state championship. They are without a doubt the No. 1 team in the state of Georgia."

Lincoln County is used to being in that preseason position. Owner of 11 Class A championships under Campbell, including 2005 and '06, the Red Devils are always a threat to win it all in the state's smallest classification.

Expectations don't ever diminish in Lincolnton, Ga.

"Not if you're talking to the fans," said Campbell, the state's all-time winningest coach.

Despite losing 20 seniors off of last year's 11-2 team that lost in the state quarterfinals, the squad is again ranked among the top four in the state by various publications. This despite no returning starter at quarterback and only one starting offensive lineman back (center Garrett Matthews).

"As usual at Lincoln County, our defense is gonna hold us in games, we hope, early," Campbell said of the defensive unit that returns seven starters.

While last year's top two running backs, A.G. Middlebrooks (1,350 yards and 17 TDs) and Jamareon Green (564 yards), as well as top receiver Wilkes Goolsby (27 receptions, 428 yards) return, they will perform in a newly installed spread offense, led by inexperienced senior quarterback Bo Reed and sophomore backup Franklin Sherman.

"It's too early to tell just how good we'll be," Campbell said. "It depends on the play of our quarterbacks, and we're pleased with their efforts."

Campbell promises it will be pass-oriented to take advantage of Reed's strengths.

"We don't have an option quarterback, so pretty much pass oriented," Campbell said. "But when you spread out to throw the football a lot, you've got to have a good running game, too."

The non-region schedule includes Region 4-AA favorite Greene County in Friday's home opener, Region 8-A favorite Commerce and a road visit to Class AAAA Hephzibah.

But it is the Region 7-A games -- which again will include neighboring rival Washington-Wilkes -- that ultimately determine postseason fate. And Campbell doesn't want a repeat of last year, when a loss to Twiggs County made for a tough road as a No. 3 seed.

"We really killed ourselves with the bracket we went into," Campbell said.