' What about a Tupelo maybe?? '

Any little blue berries left on the branches?

eta: leaves opposite or alternate? I can't say for sure on the pictures.

I can't really reach the leaves, but I'll try to get a closer look at the leaf arrangement on our next dog walk.

Someone that sees these trees everyday can probably tell you. ;-)

Leaf arrangement is alternate.

If the leaf margins is smooth than it's not prunus pennsylvanica, which gets red like that. You're probably a bit too far south for that one anyways.

Tupelo seems very likely. The alternate leaves, leaf size, some serration at the tip and that intense fall color would all support that. Check out the photos in the NC extension link......the fall color ones are dead on! https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/nyssa-sylvatica/

Not all trees will have a strong berry presence and possibly none at all.

Yup, tupelo/black gum.

wonder where tupelo honey comes from?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGkQ4mPiyoU&ab_channel=VanMorrison-Topic

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=tupelo+honey+album+version&t=ftsa&iar=videos&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoCuQTmAQ-Ec