It's interesting to think that a classification that loses Calhoun, Lovett, Pace Academy, Benedictine and Jefferson – programs that have won eight state championships in the past 10 years – might be stronger in the upcoming season.
The addition of Sandy Creek and Burke County, both state championship winners in the past decade from higher classes, with an historically strong Mary Persons program, has helped.
Former long-time AJC writer Todd Holcomb of Georgia High School Football Daily, who has authored the AJC's football weekly rankings since the early 2000's, said he thinks that may be the case.
"If you look at the Maxwell computer ratings from 2019," Holcomb said, "they say that Sandy Creek was better than Jefferson; Rockmart was better than Calhoun; Oconee County was better than Lovett; Burke County was better than (and actually beat) Benedictine, and Thomson was better than Pace."
Not to mention, last season was an off year for typical playoff regulars Mary Persons and Westminster. But, as Holcomb said, those two programs will regroup.
When looking at classes around the state, most notably AAAA where a majority of programs migrated from after the last reclassification cycle, the Maxwell ratings reveal a few interesting tidbits.
"Another thing about the Maxwell ratings," Holcomb said. "The average top-25 team in the new AAA is actually slightly stronger than the average team in AAAA, based on 2019 results. I think AAA might've been a tad overrated the past four seasons because the top three or four teams were so good. I believe the top 10 will be stronger in 2020."
At this point in the season, projecting a spring-season top-10 is difficult, but way-too-early top 10s seem to be in vogue.
"As far as preseason rankings, I haven't looked closely at who's returning," Holcomb said. "But Cedar Grove, Peach County, Sandy Creek, Oconee County and Crisp were probably the best five teams from last year. Then maybe Pierce, Greater Atlanta Christian, North Murray and Rockmart. And then historically, Westminster and Mary Persons would always be top-10 teams, so I might rank them on tradition."
So, without further ado (and zero explanation), here's the super-duper early coronavirus pandemic edition of a preseason ranking for Class AAA.
1. Cedar Grove
2. Crisp County
3. Oconee County
4. Peach County
5. Sandy Creek
6. Westminster
7. Mary Persons
8. Burke County
9. Greater Atlanta Christian
10. Rockmart
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