Three different players for Andalusia scored a touchdown apiece to help lead the Bulldogs to a 24-12 end-of-the-regular-season win over Opp on Friday night at Channel-Lee Stadium.

This win was significant for Andalusia coach Brian Seymore, because his birthday was Friday and his team wanted to win the game as a “present” for their coach.

“I appreciate my guys doing this for me,” Seymore said. “They’ve been loyal to me. They’ve done everything I’ve asked them to do.

“We’re one big family,” he said. “I lean on these guys more than they lean on me. They’re a big part of my life. We’re looking forward to next week.”

Andalusia’s T.K. Bullard led his team rushing with 124 yards on 24 carries and one touchdown.

At the start of the first quarter, Bullard drove the ball down the field with 10 carries to help his team set up the first touchdown.

During Andalusia’s first drive, penalties plagued the offense, dragging the Bulldogs back essential yards, keeping them from the end zone.

Facing fourth-and-2, the Bulldogs called a timeout, and on the next play they managed to draw Opp offsides.

That call led to a 1-yard touchdown run from Andalusia quarterback Deion Akins with 3:22 left in the first quarter.

Andalusia made a two-point conversion when Derrick King connected with senior wide receiver O’Brien Curry from 3 yards out.

In the Bobcats’ first possession of the half, senior quarterback Gavin Free connected with Britt Wilson for a 25-yard touchdown to close out the first quarter, but the extra point failed.

On Opp’s next possession, Andalusia held the Bobcats to three-and-out late in the first half.

Bullard scored his only touchdown with 3:25 left in the first half, when he scored from 18 yards out, bobbing and weaving through Opp’s defenders.

O’Brien Curry completed the drive by catching his second two-point conversion from 8 yards out from Akins.

Andalusia (6-4, 4-3 in Class 4A, Region 1) shattered any last-minute first-half hopes for Opp when Free threw his first interception of the night to senior Kenneth Chambers.

The Bulldogs had a 16-6 lead going into halftime.

Andalusia came out blazing in the second half, holding Opp (6-4, 5-2 in Class 4A, Region 2) to a three-and-out and forcing a punt on the Bobcats’ first possession.

Andalusia’s Marcus Jones scored the final touchdown for his team on a 31-yard carry with 4:25 left in the third.

Bullard finished the drive with a two-point conversion run.

Opp’s Gavin Free threw his second interception of the night on his team’s next possession. On a third-and-8 play on the Andalusia 19-yard line, Andalusia’s Rafeal Sims read the pass and made the grab with 44.3 seconds left in the third quarter.

With 3:26 left in the contest, Opp recovered a fumble from Andalusia on its own 35-yard line and took advantage when Josh Scarbrough rushed from 37 yards out for the score.

Seymore said that he knows there are only four more quarters that really matter next week and that there are still some areas that need “improving.”

“You’re playing these guys eight quarters,” he said. “We played them four quarters and they won that last one right there. I think that there are areas we can improve on. We had way too many mental mistakes (Friday night).”

Andalusia’s O’Brien Curry led in receiving with five receptions for 86 yards; Marcus Jones rushed 73 yards on 17 carries and had one touchdown; Deion Akins was 5-for-7 for 86 passing yards and rushed 13 yards on seven carries and had one touchdown; and Johnny Jones rushed for 30 yards on six carries.

Opp’s Richard Davis had 64 yards on 16 carries; Josh Scarbrough had 66 yards on seven carries and one touchdown; Britt Wilson had two receptions for 39 yards and one touchdown; and Gavin Free was 2-for-7 for 31 passing yards and one touchdown.

“This was a big game for us,” Seymore said. “Coming off a disappointing 2-8 season, I want our kids to get a winning record and we’re guaranteed one now. That’s a big stride.”

Opp coach Jack Whigham said his team needs to have a good week at practice to get ready for next week.

“It’s Andalusia and it’s the playoffs and that’s how we’ll pick ourselves up,” Whigham said. “We’ll pick ourselves up.

“We need to block them better,” he said. “I coach the offensive line and that was my responsibility. I congratulate them on the win. We’ve got another game next Friday night and I’ll be really disappointed if we don’t have a good week at practice.”

Opp will host Andalusia next Friday night for the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs. Kickoff in Opp is at 7.