Valdosta, Georgia’s most historic program, is No. 1 in football for the first time since 1999.

The Wildcats rose to the top of Class AAAAAA after No. 1 Lee County was beaten by Northside-Warner Robins 26-7.

Valdosta had beaten Northside 14-6 the previous week. All three teams are members of powerful Region 1, and each has one loss. Valdosta lost to Colquitt County, the No. 7 team in AAAAAAA.

Valdosta has won a state-record 23 state championships, the most recent in 1998. The team is playing in the second-highest classification this season for the first time since the 1950s.

Houston County, another Region 1 team, fell out of the rankings after losing a region game to Coffee 42-35. Ranked No. 1 two weeks ago, Houston County (6-2) now needs to beat No. 1 Valdosta or No. 2 Northside just to make the playoffs in the five-team region.

Class AAAAAAA

1. (1) Roswell (7-0)

2. (2) Mill Creek (8-0)

3. (3) Grayson (6-1)

4. (4) McEachern (6-1)

5. (5) Norcross (7-0)

6. (6) Lowndes (7-1)

7. (7) Colquitt County (4-4)

8. (9) Parkview (5-2)

9. (10) North Cobb (5-2)

10. (NR) Brookwood (5-2)

Out: No. 8 Lassiter (5-2)

Class AAAAAA

1. (2) Valdosta (6-1)

2. (3) Northside, Warner Robins (7-1)

3. (4) Harrison (7-0)

4. (1) Lee County (6-1)

5. (5) Dalton (7-0)

6. (6) Tucker (6-1)

7. (7) Mays (6-1)

8. (8) Alexander (7-0)

9. (10) Glynn Academy (6-1)

10. Coffee (5-2)

Out: No. 9 Houston County (6-2)

Class AAAAA

1. (1) Buford (6-1)

2. (2) Stockbridge (7-0)

3. (3) Kell (6-1)

4. (4) Rome (5-2)

5. (5) Carrollton (6-1)

6. (6) Ware County (3-3)

7. (7) Grady (6-1)

8. (9) Arabia Mountain (6-1)

9. (10) Woodland, Stockbridge (6-2)

10. (NR) Loganville (6-1)

Out: No. 8 Thomas County Central (5-3)

Class AAAA

1. (1) Cartersville (8-0)

2. (2) Thomson (7-0)

3. (3) Woodward Academy (7-1)

4. (4) Jefferson (6-1)

5. (5) Cairo (6-1)

6. (6) Blessed Trinity (6-2)

7. (7) Mary Persons (5-2)

8. (8) Burke County (6-1)

9. (9) Ridgeland (6-0)

10. (10) Marist (5-2)

Class AAA

1. (1) Greater Atlanta Christian (7-1)

2. (2) Peach County (6-1)

3. (3) Westminster (5-2)

4. (5) Calhoun (5-2)

5. (6) Lovett (5-2)

6. (7) Crisp County (7-0)

7. (9) Cedar Grove (5-2)

8. (8) Liberty County (6-1)

9. (4) Pace Academy (4-3)

10. (NR) Pierce County (5-2)

Out: No. 10 Appling County (4-2)

Class AA

1. (1) Benedictine (7-0)

2. (2) Fitzgerald (6-1)

3. (3) Jefferson County (8-0)

4. (4) Callaway (7-0)

5. (5) Rabun County (6-0)

6. (6) Brooks County (6-1)

7. (7) Vidalia (5-2)

8. (8) Screven County (6-1)

9. (10) Pepperell (5-1)

10. (9) Heard County (5-2)

Class A (private)

1. (1) Eagle's Landing Christian (7-0)

2. (2) Wesleyan (6-1)

3. (3) Landmark Christian (7-0)

4. (4) Prince Avenue Christian (8-0)

5. (5) Calvary Day (5-0)

6. (6) Fellowship Christian (7-0)

7. (7) Athens Academy (7-0)

8. (10) Tattnall Square (7-0)

9. (8) Mount Paran Christian (6-1)

10. (9) Darlington (6-2)

Class A (public)

1. (1) Clinch County (6-1)

2. (2) Macon County (5-2)

3. (3) Emanuel County Institute (7-0)

4. (4) Manchester (8-0)

5. (5) Mount Zion (7-0)

6. (6) Twiggs County (5-2)

7. (7) Lincoln County (5-1-1)

8. (9) McIntosh County Academy (4-1)

9. (8) Bowdon (5-3)

10. (10) Commerce (5-2)

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Houston County High School football players take the field for a region game against Coffee High School on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. This season, Houston County has outscored its opponents by an average of 26.9 points per game. (Courtesy of hocofootball.com)

Credit: HOCOFootball.com

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(Photo Illustration: Philip Robibero | Sources: Hyosub Shin for the AJC, Unsplash)

Credit: Philip Robibero / AJC