Bremen has made the three-hour trip east to play Lincoln County in the state playoffs twice in the past decade. Neither game against one of the most successful high school football programs in Georgia produced a win for Bremen.

When the Blue Devils and Red Devils meet at 7 p.m. in the second round of the state playoffs Friday, the venue will be different. Lincoln County will be making the cross-state drive to the Bremen Athletic Field and Bremen coach Ricky Tolleson is glad his team will be playing host to the Red Devils this time.

“It’s big having them come to our house and to play on our field,” Tolleson said. “It’s an honor for that to happen, plus it’s a big, big challenge for us.”

It’ll be a challenge for Bremen (9-2) because although it’s the No. 1 seed out of Region 6-A, Lincoln County (10-1) has a better record and is the two-time defending Class A state champions. The Red Devils (10-1), the No. 3 seed out of Region 7-A, suffered their only loss of the year during Week 9 of the regular season at region rival Twiggs County, 12-7.

Playing under 36-year head coach Larry Campbell, the Red Devils haven’t had a losing season since 1972, his first year on the job. Lincoln County, ranked No. 1 in the AP Class A poll, has lost only eight games over the past five seasons.

Its 111 playoff victories ranks second in Georgia, two behind Valdosta. Two of those wins have come against Bremen — 39-15 in the first round in 2002 and 35-7 in the second round in 2000.

Seven of the 10 teams Bremen played in the regular season finished with a record above .500, but Lincoln County is on a different level.

“They’re the best team we’ve seen all year,” Tolleson said. “I think without a doubt they’re the best physical team we’ve seen and they’ve got the most speed we’ve seen.”

Lincoln County’s offense is wing-T oriented and has used sophomore running back A.G. Middlebrooks to do most of its damage on the ground. Middlebrooks has rushed for 1,150 yards on 16 carries for an average of nearly 10 yards per carry. He rushed for a season-high 220 yards last week in the Red Devils’ 36-15 first-round playoff win at Landmark Christian.

Left-handed senior quarterback Austin Goldman has thrown for 773 yards and six touchdowns, with junior Wilkes Goolsby (410 receiving yards) being his usual target.

While the Red Devils usually keep their offense on the ground, Tolleson said they’re fast on the edges and have the potential to spread everybody out and throw the ball around.

“They may come out against us and try to throw it all over the place,” Tolleson said. “I hope they do.”

Defensively, Lincoln County is allowing just under eight points against per game and has registered four shutouts this season. Tolleson said the Red Devils have played a four-man front for much of the season, but with the Blue Devils running the wishbone he expects them to use some form of a 50-front.

“They’ve got three big defensive linemen that are athletic and two edge players that are athletic,” Tolleson said. “Their linebackers, one runs real well and the secondary, they play a lot of three deep coverage with a strong safety.”

Lincoln County has advanced to the quarterfinals in nine of the last 10 years. The only year it lost in the second round was 2001, when it fell at Bowdon, 14-6.

Bremen, meanwhile, is trying to get back to the quarterfinal round for the third time in the past four years. The Blue Devils were knocked out in the second round at home last year by Commerce, 17-3.

The Blue Devils haven’t lost at home since then and they’re hoping that home-field advantage will be a difference-maker against Lincoln County.