North Gwinnett-Norcross: History of state title rematches

The North Gwinnett-Norcross game tonight will be the 39th rematch of a state championship played in the following season. Norcross beat North 31-14 in the 2013 Class AAAAAA final. The state-final winner is 25-12 in those rematches, although only 5-8 since 2003. The most recent had been Calhoun's 27-24 victory over Buford in the 2011. Calhoun and Buford met in four consecutive championship games (2008-11), with Buford winning the first three. Perhaps the best-remembered regular-season rematch of a state final was Roswell's 23-20 victory over Peachtree Ridge in 2007. The two had tied 14-14 in their 2006 Class AAAAA final and shared the title. Another interesting rematch was the first one in 1949. Lanier had beaten Marist 15-14 in the championship game that was 13-13 after regulation. Lanier won two of the three tiebreaker points (total yards, first downs and deepest non-scoring penetration). Since the GHSA began staging state title games only the year before, many didn't know the tiebreaker rules. The winner was announced about 30 minutes after the game, while many fans waited in the parking lot. Lanier won the rematch 14-6.