With half of the top 10 teams in Class AA losing in Week 1, a rankings makeover was anticipated.
Luckily for the teams that lost, they keep their top 10 status. While a few teams fell back in the rankings, no new teams broke in. And the top three of Benedictine, Fitzgerald and Greater Atlanta Christian remain in tact.
The belief here is the GAC Spartans' performance against Benedictine in Savannah warranted a move into the No. 2 spot. They played hours from home and pushed the state's top team into double overtime. Had the Spartans won, they'd likely be sitting in the top spot.
That's not to take anything away from No. 2 Fitzgerald - the Purple Hurricanes took care of business at home against Worth County and had no control over their opponent being unranked - it's just that the Spartans stepped up in a big way.
Speaking of stepping up, Pace Academy has joined the conversation as a legitimate state title contender. Pollsters agree, moving the Knights up five spots - the largest rankings jump for any team - from No. 10 after their 24-0 win over No. 7 Lovett. The Lions dropped to No. 9 with the loss.
In fact, the four teams that round out the top 10 - Lamar County, Brooks County, Lovett and Rabun County - share an 0-1 record.
Macon County is the only ranked team that didn't play in Week 1. The Bulldogs benefited from the bye, moving up two spots to No. 4.
Follow Adam Krohn on Twitter.
About the Author
