Countdown to kickoff: Dr. Phillips football schedule analysis

With just 63 days remaining until the 2014 high school football season begins, we couldn’t stand the wait any longer and felt the need to get the ball rolling on our gridiron coverage.

Starting with this week’s edition, we will be taking a look at each team from the coverage area’s schedule on a week-to-week basis, starting with the Dr. Phillips Panthers this week.

Good draw

Of the Panthers’ 10 opponents on the schedule for the 2014 regular season, only three had winning records in 2013. This bodes well for a team that went undefeated in the regular season before falling in the second round of the playoffs and finishing 11-1.

District dominance

Dr. Phillips has dominated Class 8A, District 5 in past years and the numbers from a season ago suggest no reason for that to change. The combined winning percentage of the Panthers’ four district opponents (Boone, Colonial, Cypress Creek and Freedom) from a season ago was .323.

Key stretch

A pivotal stretch of three home games in mid-September through the first week of October will be crucial for Dr. Phillips. The Panthers will host Colonial on September 19, a district opponent; University on September 26; and Boone on October 3, a district contest that will also serve as Dr. Phillips’ Homecoming game.

2014 Dr. Phillips Varsity Football Schedule

8/22 — vs. Ocoee (pre-season), 7:30 p.m.

8/29 — vs. Timber Creek, 7:30 p.m.

9/5 — @ Olympia, 7:30 p.m.

9/12 — @ Seminole, 7:30 p.m.

9/19 — vs. Colonial (district), 7:30 p.m.

9/26 — vs. University, 7:30 p.m.

10/3 — vs. Boone (district), 7:30 p.m.

10/10 — Bye week

10/17 — @ Cypress Creek (district), 7:30 p.m.

10/24 — vs. Evans, 7:30 p.m.

10/31 — @ Freedom (district), 7:30 p.m.

11/7 — @ Winter Park, 7:30 p.m.

Next week’s schedule breakdown: Ocoee