The GHSA treats its No. 1 seeds the same in the draw. Each has about the same chance of getting a good draw or a tough one. Using the Maxwell Ratings, here are the No. 1 seeds in each class ranked by the difficulty of their draw. For example, in the highest classification, the average opponent for Region 1 champion Colquitt County through five rounds of the playoffs is rated at 86.42. Grayson's average opponent would be 78.11, about eight points weaker. Coincidentally, No. 1-ranked teams Grayson, Valdosta, Cartersville and Benedictine have the best draws of any No. 1 seed in their class. One reason that better teams get better draws on average is that they don't have to play themselves. See the Maxwell Ratings' playoff projections for draw strength of all playoff teams.
Class AAAAAAA
86.42 - Colquitt County (1)
85.28 - McEachern (3)
84.18 - Mill Creek (6)
84.10 - Lambert (5)
83.91 - Westlake (2)
81.18 - Norcross (7)
78.78 - Roswell (4)
78.11 - Grayson (8)
Class AAAAAA
73.77 - Heritage, Conyers (3)
72.25 - Johns Creek (7)
72.24 - Tucker (4)
71.13 - Mays (5)
70.37 - Dacula (8)
69.60 - Glynn Academy (2)
66.83 - Dalton (6)
64.85 - Valdosta (1)
Class AAAAA
65.12 - Thomas Co. Central (1)
64.57 - Starr's Mill (3)
64.48 - Arabia Mountain (5)
64.35 - Ware County (2)
64.24 - Grady (6)
61.73 - Buford (8)
60.54 - Rome (7)
56.57 - Stockbridge (4)
Class AAAA
66.46 - Cairo (1)
66.02 - Woodward Acad. (4)
65.75 - Ridgeland (6)
65.28 - Blessed Trinity (7)
64.21 - Jefferson (8)
64.06 - Mary Persons (2)
61.10 - Thomson (3)
57.48 - Cartersville (5)
Class AAA
54.76 - Liberty County (2)
54.29 - Jenkins (3)
53.26 - Westminster (5)
52.97 - Morgan County (8)
52.82 - Peach County (4)
51.22 - GAC (7)
51.18 - Calhoun (6)
50.67 - Crisp County (1)
Class AA
57.51 - Pepperell (7)
55.55 - Screven County (4)
53.28 - Callaway (5)
52.47 - Washington County (3)
52.12 - Fitzgerald (1)
51.99 - Hapeville Charter (6)
51.84 - Rabun County (8)
47.25 - Benedictine (2)
Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.
About the Author