By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It’s time for the showdown.

When the schedules for the 2018 high-school football season were released, one of the games that stood out was a September showdown between Callaway and Troup.

That game will become a reality this week.

On Friday night at what will likely be a packed house at Callaway Stadium, Callaway and Troup will square off at 7:30 p.m.

It’ll be a matchup between two unbeaten teams who are both ranked high in their respective classifications.

In the Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll that was released on Sunday, Callaway remained second in Class AA, while Troup moved up to sixth in Class AAAA.

Both teams had blowout wins last week to improve to 3-0.

Troup overwhelmed Harris County 53-6 to win its third straight game in convincing fashion.

Troup has outscored Ridgeland, Columbus and Harris County by a combined score of 132-20.

Callaway opened the seasons with competitive games against Opelika and LaGrange before thumping Cross Keys 50-0 last week.

Callaway pulled away in the second half to beat Opelika 35-21 in the season opener, and it blanked LaGrange 14-0.

This will be the first regular-season meeting between the two teams since 2015 when Callaway won 42-14.

The two teams did play in the spring game last year.

After this week, Callaway and Troup will turn their attention to the all-important region schedule that begins no Sept. 21.

Callaway opens Region 5-AA play at Temple, and Troup hosts Chapel Hill for its Region 5-AAAA opener.

That’ll be the first of two straight challenging region games for Troup, which visits Sandy creek on Sept 21.

“You have to be careful, because it’s not the end all, win or lose,” Troup head coach Tanner Glisson said of the Callaway game. “The very next week we’re playing an undefeated Chapel Hill team to open region play, and then we’ll have to turn around the next week to prepare for an undefeated Sandy Creek team.”

LaGrange, coming off its breakthrough win over Hampton, is off this week before opening Region 5-AAAA play on Sept. 21 at Central-Carroll.

LaGrange ended a 17-game losing streak with an 8-6 road win over Hampton last week.

In private-school football, Lafayette Christian will look to end a two-game losing streak when it visits Central Christian on Friday.

Lafayette Christian (2-2) lost to Cherokee Christian 52-10 last week.

Unity Preparatory Academy of West Georgia, meanwhile, will host East Atlanta after thumping the Paulding Knights 58-0.

THIS WEEK’S GAMES

FRIDAY

Callaway at Troup, 7:30 p.m.

Lafayette Christian at Central Christian, 7:30 p.m.

East Atlanta at Unity Prep, 7:30 p.m.