M.L. King in preseason was rated the 53rd-best team in Class AAAAAA by the computer Maxwell Ratings. That was sixth-worst out of 58. Now, the Lions are 31st, rated 20.35 points better than expected. Here are the top 10 teams in each classification ranked on their improvement from Maxwell's preseason projections.

Class AAAAAAA 

13.63 - Shiloh

11.71 - Marietta

10.23 - Cherokee

9.51 - South Gwinnett

8.03 - Collins Hill

5.30 - Camden County

5.29 - Berkmar

4.64 - Rockdale County

4.06 - Lowndes

4.01 - Newton

Class AAAAAA 

20.35 - M.L. King

8.10 - South Paulding

7.90 - Morrow

7.10 - Dacula

7.01 - Cambridge

6.56 - Lovejoy

6.29 - Mundy's Mill

6.07 - Evans

5.84 - Chattahoochee

5.65 - Pope

Class AAAAA 

16.20 - Ola

9.47 - Paulding County

8.78 - Carver (Atlanta)

7.76 - Veterans

7.15 - South Effingham

7.14 - Riverdale

5.92 - Jones County

5.86 - Riverwood

5.75 - Columbia

5.30 - Thomas County Central

Class AAAA 

16.61 - Woodward Academy

12.77 - Gilmer

8.83 - West Laurens

7.24 - Denmark

7.21 - Flowery Branch

7.02 - LaGrange

6.91 - Shaw

6.80 - Westover

5.95 - Madison County

5.30 - Thomson

Class AAA 

17.01 - Hart County

15.70 - Cherokee Bluff

13.61 - Brantley County

11.58 - Stone Mountain

11.05 - Towers

10.92 - Appling County

10.79 - Redan

10.51 - Rutland

10.36 - East Jackson

9.46 - Murray County

Class AA 

11.89 - Lamar County

10.76 - Temple

6.14 - Dublin

6.03 - Washington County

5.56 - Oglethorpe County

4.25 - Screven County

3.91 - Putnam County

3.86 - Union County

3.76 - Westside (Augusta)

3.71 - Therrell

Class A (Private) 

9.55 - Wesleyan

7.09 - Pacelli

7.03 - Christian Heritage

6.84 - Walker

5.68 - Savannah Country Day

5.16 - Holy Innocents'

5.14 - St. Francis

5.02 - North Cobb Christian

4.75 - Darlington

3.92 - Athens Academy

Class A (Public) 

17.79 - Bowdon

11.24 - Terrell County

9.09 - Central (Talbotton)

7.91 - Claxton

6.93 - Washington-Wilkes

5.37 - Manchester

5.22 - Irwin County

4.88 - Treutlen

4.77 - Clinch County

4.31 - Taylor County

Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.