There have been 34 reigning state champions to start a season 0-2. The latest on that list are this year's Colquitt County, Allatoona and Westminster teams. Only one other time have three started 0-2. That occurred in 1998, which was more remarkable because there were only four classifications and thus four returning champions. Douglass of Montezuma had the worst return for a state champion, going 0-10 in 1982 after winning the Class A title in 1981. Of the 31 previous returning champions, 21 made the playoffs, and two made it to the semifinals (1961 Waycross and 1968 Washington-Wilkes). The 1961 Waycross team is the only one to repeat as champion, but with an asterisk. One of Waycross's first two losses in 1961 was a game won on the field but overturned by forfeit.
Returning champs starting 0-2:
1950 Brown
1952 Cordele
1955 Hawkinsville
1955 Model
1958 Statesboro
1961 Dublin
1961 Waycross
1962 Coosa
1967 North Fulton
1968 Marietta
1968 Washington-Wilkes
1971 Woodward Academy
1972 Mount de Sales
1976 Irwin County
1979 Buford
1980 Clarke Central
1980 Redan
1982 Douglass (Montezuma)
1986 Thomson
1992 Kendrick
1993 Mitchell County
1994 Dunwoody
1994 Greene County
1998 Parkview
1998 Thomas County Central
1998 Washington County
2000 Oconee County
2005 Clinch County
2009 Cairo
2012 Savannah Christian
2013 Emanuel County Institute
2016 Allatoona
2016 Colquitt County
2016 Westminster
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