Football rankings: South Ga. power out of top 10 for first time since 2018

Pierce County, a staple in the top 10 since 2018, is out of the high school football rankings despite a 7-1 record after losing last week to unranked Crisp County, a 21-point underdog that entered the game 2-6. Crisp County won 28-16 on Pierce’s home field.

The top-10 ejection is harsh, as Pierce was ranked No. 2 in Class 2A last week, and Crisp County’s poor record is deceiving. The Cougars have lost five games by eight points or less, four against top-10 teams at the time or now.

But the loss dropped Pierce to third place in Region 3-2A behind Crisp County and unranked Appling County (5-3), which beat Crisp County the previous week and is 2-0 in region play. Pierce has not beaten a top-10 team in its class or higher.

Not much else changed in the rankings.

In Class 6A, No. 5 McEachern and No. 10 Hillgrove stayed put after McEachern’s 35-14 victory, although McEachern (8-0, 5-0) is now almost assured of the Region 3 title.

Troup was a Class 3A riser after beating then-No. 6 LaGrange 38-24 in county rivalry game. Troup moved up two spots to No. 5. LaGrange is now No. 10.

Whitefield Academy (7-1) moved into the top 10 at No. 9 after beating previously unbeaten Landmark Christian 24-19 in a game between prominent but unranked Class 3A-A Private teams. Wesleyan (6-2) fell out despite being idle.

Bleckley County, formerly No. 4 in Class A Division I, tumbled out after losing to unranked Dublin 42-19. Dublin moved in at No. 10.

Two weeks remain in the regular season.

Number in parentheses next to ranking is previous week’s ranking.

Class 6A

1. (1) Grayson (8-0)
2. (2) Buford (8-0)
3. (3) Carrollton (9-0)
4. (4) Lowndes (8-0)
5. (5) McEachern (8-0)
6. (6) Douglas County (6-2)
7. (7) North Gwinnett (7-1)
8. (8) Colquitt County (6-2)
9. (9) Valdosta (7-1)
10. (10) Hillgrove (7-1)

Class 5A

1. (1) Hughes (8-0)
2. (2) Thomas County Central (8-0)
3. (3) Gainesville (8-1)
4. (4) Houston County (8-0)
5. (5) Milton (6-2)
6. (6) Roswell (7-1)
7. (7) Lee County (5-2)
8. (8) Rome (6-2)
9. (9) Sequoyah (7-1)
10. (NR) Sprayberry (7-1)

Out: No. 10 Northgate (7-1)

Class 4A

1. (1) Creekside (8-0)
2. (2) North Oconee (8-0)
3. (3) Cartersville (9-0)
4. (4) Benedictine (5-2)
5. (5) Ware County (7-1)
6. (6) Marist (7-1)
7. (7) Central-Carrollton (8-0)
8. (8) Cambridge (7-1)
9. (9) Kell (7-2)
10. (10) Blessed Trinity (5-3)

Class 3A

1. (1) Sandy Creek (8-0)
2. (2) Peach County (8-0)
3. (3) Calhoun (6-2)
4. (4) Jefferson (7-1)
5. (7) Troup (8-0)
6. (5) North Hall (8-0)
7. (8) Jenkins (7-1)
8. (9) West Laurens (8-0)
9. (10) Westside-Augusta (8-0)
10. (6) LaGrange (7-2)

Class 2A

1. (1) Carver-Columbus (8-0)
2. (3) Carver-Atlanta (9-0)
3. (4) Morgan County (8-0)
4. (5) Rockmart (7-1)
5. (6) Callaway (6-2)
6. (7) Sumter County (7-1)
7. (8) Hapeville Charter (4-4)
8. (9) North Murray (8-0)
9. (10) Thomson (5-3)
10. (NR) Burke County (6-2)

Out: No. 2 Pierce County (7-1)

Class A Division I

1. (1) Worth County (9-0)
2. (2) Toombs County (7-1)
3. (3) Heard County (8-0)
4. (6) Swainsboro (8-1)
5. (5) Northeast (6-2)
6. (7) Thomasville (6-3)
7. (8) Dodge County (7-1)
8. (9) Lamar County (8-0)
9. (10) Fitzgerald (5-3)
10. (NR) Dublin (6-2)

Out: No. 4 Bleckley County (6-2)

Class A Division II

1. (1) Lincoln County (7-0)
2. (2) Clinch County (8-0)
3. (3) Bowdon (5-2)
4. (4) Johnson County (8-0)
5. (5) Brooks County (3-5)
6. (6) Early County (6-2)
7. (7) Wheeler County (8-0)
8. (8) Screven County (8-0)
9. (9) Seminole County (6-1)
10. (10) Emanuel County Institute (6-2)

Class 3A-A Private

1. (1) Hebron Christian (6-1)
2. (2) Fellowship Christian (6-1)
3. (3) Calvary Day (7-1)
4. (4) Savannah Christian (5-3)
5. (5) Prince Avenue Christian (6-2)
6. (6) Aquinas (6-2)
7. (7) Athens Academy (8-1)
8. (8) Holy Innocents’ (5-3)
9. (NR) Whitefield Academy (7-1)
10. (10) Greater Atlanta Christian (6-2)