MEADVILLE — Franklin County head coach Ricky O’Quinn knows his team is better than its 3-5 record indicates.

Now the Bulldogs have to get out on the field and prove it, starting Friday night.

Franklin County will travel to face Amite County in a crucial Region 7-3A game. The Bulldogs sit at 1-1 in the region after last week’s 32-17 loss to Hazlehurst, and can’t afford a loss to the Trojans.

“We’re 1-1 in the division,” O’Quinn said. “This thing is not over. We’re still in the thick of it. We’re on the road Friday and our last two games are at home. We’ve still got a lot to play for. The only loss that counts of those five is the one to Hazlehurst. We’re trying to get our kids to understand that.”

Franklin County already has more losses through eight games than it had all of last year, but O’Quinn said the team is not far from being very good.

“I feel like the game (against Hazlehurst) could have been better than what it was,” O’Quinn said. “We had a bunch of penalties, had four turnovers and two or three touchdowns called back because of penalties. I feel like without the turnovers and touchdowns being called back, it would have been a different game.”

And minimizing mistakes is crucial for the Bulldogs if they want to make a run at the region title and playoffs.

“I told the kids we can’t lose the game before we win it,” O’Quinn said. “We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot a bunch, and that’s what we did on Friday.”

Even though Amite County is in last place in the region with an 0-2 record and is only 2-5 overall, O’Quinn knows the Trojans can’t be taken lightly.

“I know what their record shows, but look at our record,” O’Quinn said. “We’re 3-5 and when you look at us, you can say we’re not very good, but that’s not true. We’re a good team. It’s the same with Amite County. They’re a good football team.”

And getting off to a good start will be key on Friday, O’Quinn said.

“They play hard, especially early in the game,” he said. “We’ve got to get off to a good start, because if (Amite County) is in the game at the half, it’s going to be a dog fight.”