August 29 will not only mark the opening of another season of Commerce Tiger football, but it will represent another piece of Tiger history.
For the first time, Commerce will open its season by playing host to its in-county rivals, the Jefferson Dragons.
It marks the first time for each team that they’ve opened against the other since the series started back in 1947.
Normally, the teams face each other later in the year, in late October or early November.
Commerce’s Tyler Austin (72) reaches for Jefferson’s carrier during last year’s Tigers-Dragons meeting. Photos by Allen Luton
Tigers To Face Dragons In Historic Football Opener
The earliest the teams have faced off in the year, according to Tiger historian Jeff Prickett, was the second game of the year.
That occurred four times for Commerce. In 1996 and 1997, both teams faced each other in their second scheduled game.
In 1986 and 1987, they met in what was Commerce’s second game of the season, and Jefferson’s third.
Scheduling was the issue when it came to the decision to play the Dragons in the first game of the season, according to Tigers coach Steve Savage.
“They went to a new classification,” he said. “They went to AA, and playing a nine-game region schedule. That’s the only time we had to play.”
Savage said there’s no real difference to playing them early.
“You’ve got to play them sometime,” he said. “We might as well play them then. I don’t think either team will have any problems getting ready to play.”
The history books show Commerce with an advantage in those few early season games in the series. In all four early meetings, the Tigers have been victorious.
Savage says it doesn’t matter who they open the season against.
“It’s going to be another game for us. Hopefully, we’d like to win it. But we’ve got to find out where our football team is. Certainly the first game is not going to make or break us.”
He said the rivalry won’t play into how he and his team approach the season opener.
“We play about six or seven rivals anyway,” he said. “We try not to get too hyped up over it. My guess is they’ll get a little hyped up, but we’re going to play it just like it is.”
Savage also didn’t see any real advantage for the team in opening the season on its home turf.
“It doesn’t matter either way,” he said. “We’ve got to play sometime.”
The Commerce-Jefferson rivalry has a long and storied history, leading back to the two teams’ first meeting in 1947.
In that year, the teams faced each other twice, once in Commerce, and once in Jefferson. Commerce won both times.
In fact, Commerce has the clear advantage when it comes to facing the Dragons. The Tigers have recorded 41 victories, 16 losses, and five ties. The ties do not include their 2004 meeting, where Commerce won by a field goal in overtime.
Until this year, Commerce had a solid lock on the win column in the series winning 12 times in a row dating back to 1995, but Jefferson broke the streak in a big way last year, crushing the Tigers 42-7 in Jefferson.
Regardless of history, Savage and his team are working hard during the summer months to prepare for the fall, regardless of who they open against. Commerce will host the Northeast Georgia Offensive camp July 22-24.
Savage says his team is starting to crank things back up this week after coming off of a dead week. He says they’ve been working on their strength, agility and endurance as they look towards the beginning of the season.
No matter how the opener goes, it will still be a significant moment for Commerce football. According to Prickett, this year marks the 100th year of Commerce football. The first team was formed in 1909, and, except for a layoff between 1928 and 1940 due to the Great Depression, football has been going strong here ever since.
The Tigers hope to write more history starting in late August, preferably with a win over the Dragons.
That occurred four times for Commerce. In 1996 and 1997, both teams faced each other in their second scheduled game.
In 1986 and 1987, they met in what was Commerce’s second game of the season, and Jefferson’s third.
Scheduling was the issue when it came to the decision to play the Dragons in the first game of the season, according to Tigers coach Steve Savage.
“They went to a new classification,” he said. “They went to AA, and playing a nine-game region schedule. That’s the only time we had to play.”
Savage said there’s no real difference to playing them early.
“You’ve got to play them sometime,” he said. “We might as well play them then. I don’t think either team will have any problems getting ready to play.”
Reuben Haynes (14) looks for an opening against Jefferson during the 2007 game.
Savage says it doesn’t matter who they open the season against.
“It’s going to be another game for us. Hopefully, we’d like to win it. But we’ve got to find out where our football team is. Certainly the first game is not going to make or break us.”
He said the rivalry won’t play into how he and his team approach the season opener.
“We play about six or seven rivals anyway,” he said. “We try not to get too hyped up over it. My guess is they’ll get a little hyped up, but we’re going to play it just like it is.”
Savage also didn’t see any real advantage for the team in opening the season on its home turf.
“It doesn’t matter either way,” he said. “We’ve got to play sometime.”
The Commerce-Jefferson rivalry has a long and storied history, leading back to the two teams’ first meeting in 1947.
In that year, the teams faced each other twice, once in Commerce, and once in Jefferson. Commerce won both times.
In fact, Commerce has the clear advantage when it comes to facing the Dragons. The Tigers have recorded 41 victories, 16 losses, and five ties. The ties do not include their 2004 meeting, where Commerce won by a field goal in overtime.
Until this year, Commerce had a solid lock on the win column in the series winning 12 times in a row dating back to 1995, but Jefferson broke the streak in a big way last year, crushing the Tigers 42-7 in Jefferson.
Regardless of history, Savage and his team are working hard during the summer months to prepare for the fall, regardless of who they open against. Commerce will host the Northeast Georgia Offensive camp July 22-24.
Savage says his team is starting to crank things back up this week after coming off of a dead week. He says they’ve been working on their strength, agility and endurance as they look towards the beginning of the season.
No matter how the opener goes, it will still be a significant moment for Commerce football. According to Prickett, this year marks the 100th year of Commerce football. The first team was formed in 1909, and, except for a layoff between 1928 and 1940 due to the Great Depression, football has been going strong here ever since.
The Tigers hope to write more history starting in late August, preferably with a win over the Dragons.
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