Blue Devils vs. Eagles — TSSAA Region 1-1A
Thursday, October 29, 2026 — 7:00 PM
Cosby High School, Cosby, Tennessee
Jellico (9-0) at Cosby (8-1)
Jellico head coach: Brent Peel | Cosby head coach: Levi Cooper
Why This Game Matters
Undefeated Jellico puts the best season in school history on the line against 8-1 Cosby, in a Region 1-1A Thursday-night showdown. The Blue Devils are 9-0. The Eagles just took the region driver's seat with a 46-30 shootout win over Hampton. The region race runs through Cosby's home field.
For Jellico, this is the program-defining game. A win keeps the perfect season alive and stamps this team as the best Jellico has ever fielded. For Cosby, it is a chance to defend home turf, avenge nothing — the Eagles won last year's meeting 21-7 — and make their own statement: the road to the Region 1-1A title still goes through Cosby.
Last Week
• Jellico 55, Hancock County 6. The Blue Devils moved to 9-0 with another blowout, their ninth straight win.
• Cosby 46, Hampton 30. A shootout win that put the Eagles in command of the Region 1-1A race.
Players to Watch
• Owen Morgan, Jellico QB. A Class 1A Mr. Football candidate who beats teams two ways: 943 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, plus 636 rushing yards and 12 more scores, through eight games — 27 total touchdowns. Against Hampton he threw for 155 yards and four scores and ran for 157 more.
• Julian “Jules” Jones, Jellico #70. 73 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, three forced fumbles and two recoveries through eight games — plus 23 pancake blocks on offense.
• David Baker, Cosby RB/OLB. The senior averages 91.3 rushing yards per game and has scored 14 total touchdowns.
• Spencer Moore, Cosby QB/SS. 20 passing touchdowns on the season, plus 62.0 rushing yards per game — a dual threat to match Morgan.
• Cornelius Carr, Cosby WR/CB. 58.9 receiving yards per game, seven receiving touchdowns, and four interceptions on defense.
• Bo Cutshaw, Cosby MLB/DE. Just a sophomore, already averaging 10.5 tackles per game with 5.0 sacks.
Keys to the Game
• Can anyone slow Owen Morgan? Twenty-seven touchdowns in eight games, with his arm and his legs. Cosby's defense — led by Cutshaw in the middle and Carr on the back end — has to contain both. If Morgan runs free, Jellico controls the game.
• The line of scrimmage. Jones (9 sacks, 20 tackles for loss) against a Cosby offense built on Baker's running and Moore's play-action. Whichever front wins the trenches wins Thursday night.
• Cosby's balance vs. Jellico's discipline. Cosby can beat you on the ground (Baker), through the air (Moore's 20 touchdown passes), or on a turnover (Carr's four picks). Jellico's formula all season has been disciplined, mistake-free football — the team that wins the turnover battle likely wins the region race.
• Thursday-night road test. Jellico has already won big road games this season — 36-22 at Hampton, a goal-line stand to survive Cloudland 26-22. Cosby's home field, on a Thursday, with the region race on the line, is the toughest stop yet.
The Bigger Picture
Jellico's season has already made history: 9-0, the best start the program has ever had, with a Mr. Football candidate at quarterback and a two-way star wearing No. 70. But history does not hand out region titles. To finish the job, the Blue Devils have to win in Cosby, against an 8-1 team that beat them 21-7 a year ago and just knocked off Hampton in a shootout.
Cosby's case is just as strong. The Eagles own the region driver's seat, they own the home field, and they own last year's result. A win Thursday night would not just protect their spot at the top of Region 1-1A — it would announce that the road to the region title still runs through Cosby.
Records, results and stats verified from MaxPreps team pages, Week 10 scoreboards and the Week 11 schedule. Jellico individual totals are through eight games; Cosby individual stats are from the MaxPreps 2026-27 team page. Kickoff listed at the standard Thursday 7:00 PM slot; the published schedule lists no separate time.