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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It’s been more than three decades since the Troup High football team won a region championship.

The Tigers can remedy that on Saturday in Columbus.

Troup (6-3 overall) brings a 6-1 Region 2-AAAA record into its showdown with an unbeaten Carver team, and the winner of the game will be the region champion.

If Troup loses, it will fall all the way to fourth in the region and will be on the road for its first-round matchup.

It’ll be a big-time challenge against a Carver team that’s been rolling this season, but Troup is confident.

Since losing its first three games of the season, including its region opener to Hardaway, Troup has won six in a row, all against region opponents.

Troup captured a critical 14-7 win over LaGrange last Saturday, and it followed that up with a 49-0 victory over Jordan on Tuesday.

“Carver is Carver. They’re really good, so we’ll see,” said Troup head coach Tanner Glisson. “We’ve put ourselves in a good situation. I really think we’re the second-best team in the region right now. I feel like if we played Hardaway now we’d be in really good shape, but let’s go out and see if we can get after Carver.”

Saturday’s game will be the culmination of a hectic stretch for Troup, which is set to play its third game in eight days.

“Right now, it’s kind of a mental and a physical battle, playing three games in a short amount of time,” Glisson said. “We’re just happy we’re in this position.”

Troup began the season with losses to Harris County and Callaway before falling to Hardaway 28-26 in its region opener. Troup beat Spencer 42-0 for its first win, and that was the start of a six-game winning streak that included the key 14-7 victory over LaGrange.

“We started off 0-3 with a 14-year-old quarterback (Taeo Todd) not really knowing what we wanted to do, and now we’ve kind of settled into who we are,” Glisson said. “No matter what happens tomorrow, I think we’ll be a tough out in the playoffs.”

Todd has started all 10 games this season, and he has run for more than 1,200 yards, putting him among the top freshman quarterbacks in the country in that category.

Todd is surrounded by play-makers on offense, including running backs Anthony Ferguson, AJ Tucker and Navontae Moss, as well as wide receivers Marquavious Kelley, Navelle Dean and Buddy Wortham.

Defensively, Troup hasn’t given up more than 14 points in any of its region games, and that includes shutouts against Kendrick and Jordan.

Carver, which has only played region games this season, brings a 7-0 record into Saturday’s showdown.

Carver hasn’t been tested much, although it did have to hold off a late Hardaway rally to win 34-21 and win its seventh straight game.

Carver was also in a tight game against LaGrange in the second half before pulling away late for a 36-14 win.

Carver quarterback Devin Riles has thrown for 1,140 yards with seven touchdowns, and he also has 303 rushing yards with nine touchdowns.

Jaiden Credle leads a balanced Carver rushing attack with 665 yards on 74 attempts with 11 touchdowns.

TROUP VS. CARVER

WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.

WHERE: Kinnett Stadium

RECORDS: Troup (6-3 overall, 6-1 in Region 2-AAAA); Carver (7-0 overall, 7-0 in Region 2-AAAA)

ON THE LINE: The winner will be the Region 2-AAAA champion