High school football rankings: Valdosta jumps into top 5 ahead of playoffs

Valdosta’s victory over archrival Lowndes earns the Wildcats their highest ranking entering the playoffs since 2019.

Valdosta jumped to from No. 9 to No. 5 in Class 6A, making the Wildcats the biggest risers in the final football rankings of the regular season.

Valdosta defeated then-No. 4 Lowndes 23-14 for the Region 1-6A championship. The title is Valdosta’s first since 2016. Lowndes fell to No. 6.

Seven 10-0 teams and an 8-1 defending state champion enter the playoffs ranked No. 1.

Unbeaten are Grayson (6A), Hughes (5A), Creekside (4A), Sandy Creek (3A), Carver-Columbus (2A), Worth County (A Division I) and Lincoln County (A Division II).

Hebron Christian (8-1) is No. 1 in Class 3A-A Private — in which it won a state title in 2024 — with a loss to Tennessee’s McCallie School.

Three previously undefeated teams dropped from the rankings, each after losing region championship games against other top-10 opponents.

Then-No. 7 West Laurens beat then-No. 8 Westside-Augusta 27-3 in Class 3A. Westside fell out of the rankings, with Cairo entering at No. 9.

Then-No. 4 Rockmart beat No. 8 North Murray 42-7 in Class 2A. North Murray dropped out, and Appling County entered the rankings at No. 10.

Then-No. 6 Lamar County beat then-No. 10 Jasper County 20-7 in Class A Division I.Jasper County left the rankings, with Bleckley County entering at No. 10.

The playoffs begin Nov. 14.

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

Class 6A

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

Class 5A

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

Class 4A

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

Class 3A

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

Out: No. 8 Westside-Augusta (9-1)

Class 2A

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

Out: No. 8 North Murray (9-1)

Class A Division I

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

Out: No. 10 Jasper County (9-1)

Class A Division II

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