Final Football Rankings

In Class 6A, top-ranked Buford defeated Carrollton 28-21 to clinch its 15th all-time state title and finish the year 15-0 and No. 1 in the poll. The Trojans finish at No. 2 after falling in the championship for the second-straight season and Grayson finished No. 3 after its 34-14 loss to Carrollton in the quarterfinals and 12-1 campaign. North Gwinnett, Valdosta, Douglas County, Colquitt County, Lowndes, West Forsyth and McEachern also made the final poll and West Forsyth was the lone team that entered the playoffs unranked and finished in the top 10.

In 5A, Thomas County Central spent every week at No. 1 in the rankings, dominating its way to the team's second title in three years. Roswell finished second in the rankings, ahead of No. 3 Gainesville, due to head-to-head and a common opponent in TCC, even though Gainesville made the state finals. Other big movers in the class from the pre-playoff rankings include Milton falling from No. 5 to No. 10 and Rome moving up from No. 10 to No. 5.

Class 4A No. 1 Creekside was one of the six teams that achieved a perfect 15-0 record this season and the Seminoles went undefeated while setting a new state-record with 845 total points scored. State runner-up Benedictine finished the year at No. 2 after falling short 42-39 in the finals.  In Class 3A, Sandy Creek won the title, dominating the playoffs and regular season to finish 15-0. State runner-up Jefferson. Finished second, moving up from No. 5. Other notable risers in the rankings include Stephenson, who rose from No. 9 to No. 5, and Cairo, which rose from No. 10 to No. 6.

Class 2A No. 1 ranked Carver-Columbus won its second-straight state title and will carry a 27-game win-streak into the 2026 season. Class A-Division I saw Worth County win its first championship since 1987 and finish No. 1 in the rankings. There was not much change from the pre-playoff rankings, with only Gordon Lee and Pepperell making their debut in the rankings.

Class A-Division II saw Bowdon win its fourth straight and bring its playoff winning streak up to 20. Lincoln County, the No. 1 team since the first rankings, finished No. 2. The only major change in the rankings was Johnson County, which fell from No. 3 to No. 10.

Finally, Class A-Private No. 1 ranked Hebron Christian joins Carver-Columbus, Thomas County Central and Bowdon as teams that defended their state crowns this season and the Golden Lions finish at the top of the poll after securing a hard-fought 28-21 victory over Calvary Day in the championship. The Cavs finish No. 2 ahead of semifinalists Fellowship Christian and Greater Atlanta Christian.

Class 6A

1. Buford

2. Carrollton

3. Grayson

4. North Gwinnett

5. Valdosta

6. Douglas County

7. Colquitt County

8. Lowndes

9. West Forsyth

10. McEachern

Class 5A

1. Thomas County Central

2. Roswell

3. Gainesville

4. Hughes

5. Rome

6. Sequoyah

7. Jackson County

8. Houston County

9. Lee County

10. Milton

Class 4A

1. Creekside

2. Benedictine

3. Marist

4. Kell

5. Cartersville

6. Central-Carroll

7. North Oconee

8. Cambridge

9. Blessed Trinity

10. Southwest DeKalb

Class 3A

1. Sandy Creek

2. Jefferson

3. LaGrange

4. West Laurens

5. Stephenson

6. Cairo

7. Jenkins

8. North Hall

9. Douglass

10. Calhoun

Class 2A

1. Carver-Columbus

2. Hapeville Charter

3. Sumter County

4. Burke County

5. Carver-Atlanta

6. Morgan County

7. Rockmart

8. Thomson

9. Callaway

10. North Murray

Class A-Div. I

1. Worth County

2. Toombs County

3. Heard Country

4. Fitzgerald

5. Pepperell

6. Northeast-Macon

7. Gordon Lee

8. Bleckley County

9. Rabun County

10. Thomasville

Class A-Div. II

1. Bowdon

2. Lincoln County

3. Clinch County

4. Early County

5. Screven County

6. Wheeler County

7. Brooks County

8. Jenkins

9. ECI

10. Johnson County

Class A-3A Private

1. Hebron Christian

2. Calvary Day

3. Fellowship Christian

4. Greater Atlanta Christian

5. Athens Academy

6. Savannah Christian

7. Prince Avenue

8. Holy Innocents’

9. Whitefield Academy

10. Aquinas

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