Twelve Georgia teams are undefeated but unranked. Here's a quick look at the 12 and the prospects of each, with help from the computer Maxwell Ratings.
Class AAAAAA
Credit: Chip Saye
Credit: Chip Saye
East Coweta (4-0): The Indians were 4-0 this time last season, then lost consecutively to Westlake and Hughes. The outlook is better this time. East Coweta is projected to win Region 3 by the Maxwell Ratings, which put the Indians as a seven-point favorite Friday against defending champion Westlake. East Coweta - looking for its first region title since 2001 - is in the second season under head coach Steve Pardue, who won three state titles at LaGrange.
Maxwell rating: 21
Maxwell strength of schedule: 52 of 64
South Forsyth (5-0): The War Eagles, the only unbeaten team in Region 6, are 5-0 for the first time since 2002. Maxwell predicts South Forsyth will win its first region title since 1997, when the school was in Class AA. South Forsyth started 5-1 last season but limped home 6-5. The Maxwell Ratings don't put much stock in Region 6, however. None of its teams are in the AAAAAA top 32, per Maxwell.
Maxwell rating: 36
Maxwell strength of schedule: 58 of 64
Tift County (5-0): Maxwell rates Tift County as the 15th-best team in AAAAAA but fifth in Region 1, meaning the Blue Devils aren't projected to make the playoffs. But neither were they in 2014, when Tift also started 5-0 with skepticism but later beat Camden County and Lowndes in overtime and broke a six-year playoff drought.
Maxwell rating: 15
Maxwell strength of schedule: 59 of 64
Class AAAAA
Alexander (4-0): The Cougars were 4-0 last season too, then lost to Allatoona 62-21. Alexander travels to 10th-ranked Allatoona (4-1) tonight. A victory there would make it hard to keep Alexander out of the rankings. Alexander has been ranked only once (end of 2013 season) since 1997.
Maxwell rating: 16
Maxwell strength of schedule: 61 of 85
Northgate (5-0): The Vikings are one of two Coweta County teams that are unbeaten but unranked. East Coweta (AAAAAA) is the other. Northgate is perhaps the most improved of the unbeaten/unranked. The Vikings were 2-3 this time a year ago. Maxwell sees Northgate potentially entering the Region 4 championship at 9-0 but losing to Stockbridge.
Maxwell rating: 13
Maxwell strength of schedule: 62 of 85
South Effingham (4-0): The Mustangs are 4-0 for the first time since 2008. They've avenged losses to Jenkins and Effingham County. Maxwell sees South Effingham avenging its 2014 loss to Brunswick this week (the Mustangs are a 12-point favorite) to reach 5-0 but finishing fourth behind Ware County, Coffee and Glynn Academy.
Maxwell rating: 27
Maxwell strength of schedule: 51 of 85
Starr's Mill (4-0): The Panthers have avenged two 2014 losses (Whitewater, Fayette County) and are 4-0 for the first time since 2010. They have a big Region 4 game this week against Drew (two-point underdog), but Maxwell sees Starr's Mill getting the No. 4 seed ahead of Drew.
Maxwell rating: 26
Maxwell strength of schedule: 64 of 85
Class AAAA
Locust Grove (5-0): Opened in 2009, Locust Grove is 5-0 for the first time. But surprisingly, the Maxwell Ratings don't see the Wildcats repeating as a playoff team out of difficult Region 4. In 2014, Locust Grove made it with overtime victories over Eagle's Landing and Henry County and then a 14-13 win over Jonesboro in a play-in game. It might take similar clutch play to do it again.
Maxwell rating: 27
Maxwell strength of schedule: 55 of 67
Pickens (4-0): The Dragons are 4-0 for the first time since 2005 and would be 5-0 for the first time since 1986 with a victory tonight against Northwest Whitfield. Pickens is a 15-point favorite. Pickens avenged one of its two regular-season losses earlier this month against Ridgeland and has a great shot to welcome No. 1 Cartersville on Nov. 6 with both teams standing 9-0. Still, Maxwell doesn't love Pickens in the bigger picture of AAAA, rating the Dragons only 31st.
Maxwell rating: 31
Maxwell strength of schedule: 53 of 67
Upson-Lee (4-0): The Knights also were 4-0 last season, then lost to West Laurens 28-24. West Laurens is a six-point favorite this time. Maxwell projects Upson-Lee as the No. 3 seed in Region 2-AAAA again.
Maxwell rating: 20
Maxwell strength of schedule: 57 of 67
Class AAA
None
Class AA
East Laurens (4-0): The Falcons under first-year coach Buddy Sorrow are 4-0 for the first time since 2003, and they've exceeded their win totals of 2013 and 2014 combined. But, East Laurens was 2-1-1 against the same schedule last season and went 0-for-October and finished 2-7-1. No doubt this team is better, but Maxwell still sees East as the No. 6 team in 3-AA. Beating Swainsboro, the No. 5 team, tonight would seem essential to the team's playoff hopes.
Maxwell rating: 43
Maxwell strength of schedule: 55 of 56
Class A
Athens Academy (4-0): The Spartans were 4-0 no less than 11 times under 23-year coach Michael Gunn (1991-2013), so first-year coach Josh Alexander seems to have restored the natural order at Athens Academy. Although the Spartans' schedule has been weak, Maxwell views Athens Academy as the No. 2 team in Region 8, a bit better than Commerce, but clearly stronger than anyone else below it. Maxwell predicts Athens Academy will get the No. 7 seed in the Class A private-school playoffs after missing the playoffs the past two seasons.
Maxwell rating: 15
Maxwell strength of schedule: 55 of 61
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