Truett’s Chick-fil-A Sports

Click the above image to apply. New restaurant opens Dec. 13.

Mount Berry Mall, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Riverside Parkway, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech’s football coach for 11 years, retiring. Paul Johnson, a three-time Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year and Georgia Tech’s winningest football coach in more than five decades, has elected to step down as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach, he announced on Wednesday. He’ll coach Tech’s bowl game before leaving. Tech

On radio: Charlie Schroeder, among Northwest Georgia’s top Georgia Tech fans, joins us to talk about the retirement of 11-year head football coach Paul Johnson. 8:40 a.m., Hometown Headlines Radio Edition, WRGA 98.7 FM.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

John McClellan’s high school football semifinal picks: Rome over Warner Robins in 5A rematch from last year; Calhoun to fall in its 3A repeat from 2017. Cartersville wins by two; Rockmart advances with six-point victory. McClellan

Ware Mechanical kickoff forecast for Friday night:

Northwest Georgia games: 55 degrees at 7:30 p.m. with a 7-mph breeze, slight chance of rain.

Warner Robins (Rome game): 57 degrees, 5-mph breeze, no rain.

Semifinals for high school football this Friday:

Class 2A: Rockmart will host Callaway.

Class 3A: Calhoun will host Peach County (rematch of last year’s controversial 3A title game won by Calhoun).

Class 4A: Cartersville will host Marist.

Class 5A: Rome will travel to Warner Robins (rematch of last year’s 5A championship game). Tickets: $15. Pre-sale at Barron Stadium today from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Or online or at Warner Robins on the day of the game. RHS students may purchase tickets are school.

COLLEGES/football

Georgia Bulldogs: SEC Championship vs. Alabama, 4 p.m. Saturday, CBS.

Georgia Tech: Next: Bowl game to be decided.

COLLEGES/basketball

Berry College: Men’s schedule / women’s schedule

Shorter University: Men’s schedule / women’s schedule

Georgia Highlands: Men’s schedule / women’s schedule

Georgia Northwestern: Men’s schedule / women’s schedule

NFL

Atlanta Falcons, 4-7. Next: Sunday at home vs Baltimore, 1 p.m., CBS. Already eliminated from playoffs. Schedule

BASEBALL

From the Rome Braves: 2019 schedule: Rome opens on the road April 4 in Kannapolis. Schedule / Mills Fitzner’s photo gallery

COMMUNITY

Dec. 8: Registration is under way for the annual #JamieStrong Rome Half Marathon to be held at State Mutual Stadium. In addition to the 13.1-mile Half Marathon, the event that is presented by GoGo Running includes a Half Marathon Relay and a 5- kilometer race. The Rome Half will once again benefit area middle and high school running programs with some of the proceeds benefiting the family of Rome teen runner Jamie Hughes (JamieStrong). All of the races start and end at State Mutual Stadium, with the 5k starting at 8 a.m. and the Half Marathon and Relay starting at 8:05. Half Marathon, Relay, and 5k Finishers receive long sleeve tech T’s, and will enjoy a post-race pancake breakfast provided by the Rome Braves. The area’s high school teams and athletes will be honored the night before at the 2018 GoGo Running All-Area Cross Country Banquet that will be held Friday, Dec. 7. For more: www.romehalf.com or contact GoGo Running at The Shoe Box at 706-291-0752.

Former Model High and Berry College standout Michelle Abernathy Lane will be the guest speaker the 2018 GoGo Running All-Area Cross Country Banquet to be held Thursday, Dec. 6, at 6 p.m., in the Krannert Ballroom at Berry College.