AJC Varsity

Maxwell GHSA playoff projections heading into the Quarterfinals

The simulation highlights the impact of the season’s structure as defined by the games, region alignments and playoff brackets.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts the high school football state championship games each December. (Jason Getz/AJC)
Mercedes-Benz Stadium hosts the high school football state championship games each December. (Jason Getz/AJC)
By Loren Maxwell
31 minutes ago

Below are the current Maxwell Ratings’ playoff projections for each class in the GHSA.

The Maxwell Ratings playoff projections are based on a Monte Carlo simulation of the 2025 season. The simulation completed 1,000,000 iterations.

While the Maxwell Ratings reflect each team’s strength, the simulation highlights the impact of the season’s structure as defined by the games, region alignments, and playoff brackets.

Class AAAAAA

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship, along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Draw Depth Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Buford#1 (8-AAAAAA)12-099.8392.663.851,000,000.00837,312.74692,335.12322,516.832.10
Grayson#1 (4-AAAAAA)12-0103.1597.973.171,000,000.00507,213.15393,807.99269,067.902.72
Carrollton#1 (2-AAAAAA)12-0102.9198.083.131,000,000.00492,786.85380,159.83257,527.512.88
North Gwinnett#1 (7-AAAAAA)11-193.6895.333.261,000,000.00936,857.66224,717.2096,183.229.40
Valdosta#1 (1-AAAAAA)11-188.0794.623.161,000,000.00898,484.25222,686.6840,434.4723.73
Douglas County#2 (2-AAAAAA)9-387.6197.712.261,000,000.00162,687.2681,022.5814,074.2270.05
Walton#4 (5-AAAAAA)7-571.4597.092.111,000,000.00101,515.753,955.63117.268,527.03
West Forsyth#1 (6-AAAAAA)10-271.8298.212.061,000,000.0063,142.341,314.9878.5912,722.80

Class AAAAA

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Playoffs Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Thomas County Central#1 (2-AAAAA)12-094.8084.254.091,000,000.00938,890.03705,416.42441,770.141.26
Hughes#1 (3-AAAAA)12-093.6587.163.681,000,000.00788,477.35579,812.46311,223.292.21
Roswell#1 (7-AAAAA)11-187.4488.323.171,000,000.00804,761.82259,482.59108,150.488.25
Rome#1 (5-AAAAA)10-287.0888.243.181,000,000.00780,278.89292,330.52102,887.198.72
Gainesville#2 (7-AAAAA)10-284.0491.502.331,000,000.00211,522.6593,785.0526,003.3437.46
Jackson County#1 (8-AAAAA)11-176.8190.432.261,000,000.00219,721.1134,071.964,900.54203.06
Sequoyah#1 (6-AAAAA)11-175.9690.712.221,000,000.00195,238.1823,500.143,743.67266.12
Woodward Academy#1 (4-AAAAA)10-272.6690.712.071,000,000.0061,109.9711,600.851,321.37755.79

Class AAAA

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Playoffs Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Creekside#1 (4-AAAA)12-0104.9277.124.811,000,000.00993,821.06927,156.42889,517.170.12
Cartersville#1 (7-AAAA)12-084.9391.652.921,000,000.00808,934.7767,588.0545,193.1821.13
North Oconee#1 (8-AAAA)12-080.3590.802.861,000,000.00536,949.52300,600.7921,331.8545.88
Benedictine#1 (1-AAAA)9-279.4990.672.881,000,000.00580,814.71285,061.1218,568.9052.85
Marist#1 (5-AAAA)11-179.1591.022.721,000,000.00463,050.48242,323.7715,243.9664.60
Central (Carrollton)#1 (3-AAAA)12-076.8591.102.601,000,000.00419,185.29172,014.328,551.25115.94
Kell#1 (6-AAAA)10-273.2393.382.201,000,000.00191,065.234,635.231,503.46664.13
Lithonia#3 (5-AAAA)10-264.8094.152.011,000,000.006,178.94620.3190.2211,082.57

Class AAA Public

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Playoffs Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Sandy Creek#3 (2-AAA)12-084.6168.844.391,000,000.00925,752.04815,800.67647,873.520.54
Jefferson#1 (8-AAA)11-175.9873.373.511,000,000.00781,813.68540,830.54182,565.204.48
Jenkins#5 (3-AAA)11-172.2275.742.951,000,000.00615,491.02264,148.4567,317.0513.86
LaGrange#15 (2-AAA)10-271.1876.132.831,000,000.00655,537.88118,573.1951,942.2018.25
West Laurens#4 (4-AAA)12-067.3576.402.521,000,000.00384,508.98116,212.7519,711.8849.73
Cairo#8 (1-AAA)10-266.6977.252.311,000,000.00218,186.3278,808.2612,606.6978.32
Stephenson#7 (5-AAA)11-164.9176.902.391,000,000.00344,462.1236,255.729,819.51100.84
Douglass#11 (5-AAA)9-365.2177.552.111,000,000.0074,247.9629,370.428,163.96121.49

Class AA Public

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Playoffs Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Carver (Columbus)#3 (1-AA)12-077.2662.344.371,000,000.00929,514.16819,567.67617,406.330.62
Carver (Atlanta)#1 (5-AA)12-069.9669.083.081,000,000.00547,609.35384,373.92144,177.935.94
Sumter County#9 (1-AA)11-169.4770.372.851,000,000.00452,390.65294,701.21106,989.458.35
Morgan County#4 (2-AA)12-065.1469.192.901,000,000.00621,556.67223,735.7959,660.7515.76
Rockmart#2 (7-AA)11-161.6068.242.781,000,000.00629,876.46112,097.3935,498.0727.17
Hapeville Charter#12 (5-AA)8-462.1870.732.501,000,000.00378,443.3397,189.0820,532.6147.70
Burke County#10 (4-AA)10-258.3570.232.421,000,000.00370,123.5439,943.079,528.52103.95
Thomson#6 (4-AA)9-357.4170.672.111,000,000.0070,485.8428,391.876,206.34160.13

Class A Division I Public

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Playoffs Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Toombs County#4 (3-A Division I)11-171.4460.554.051,000,000.00866,799.53718,036.19469,265.091.13
Worth County#3 (1-A Division I)12-067.6955.654.261,000,000.00950,193.39880,870.33432,396.021.31
Fitzgerald#9 (1-A Division I)9-359.6465.782.681,000,000.00526,358.02115,334.4438,597.3724.91
Heard County#1 (6-A Division I)12-057.7364.832.611,000,000.00473,641.98105,622.5430,772.3831.50
Northeast#5 (2-A Division I)10-257.3266.702.211,000,000.00133,200.4761,006.8217,234.1957.02
Rabun County#15 (8-A Division I)10-249.7163.432.691,000,000.00613,107.2969,630.928,219.04120.67
Pepperell#10 (6-A Division I)8-444.9263.682.421,000,000.00386,892.7127,544.921,964.35508.07
Gordon Lee#6 (7-A Division I)11-144.8464.002.071,000,000.0049,806.6121,953.831,551.56643.51

Class A Division II

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Playoffs Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Lincoln County#1 (8-A Division II)12-057.3747.683.921,000,000.00824,947.65663,638.32436,244.461.29
Bowdon#1 (7-A Division II)10-253.9746.393.941,000,000.00959,218.71649,267.01327,344.212.05
Clinch County#1 (2-A Division II)12-049.3451.232.941,000,000.00612,094.30235,104.5288,905.1510.25
Screven County#1 (3-A Division II)12-047.6150.083.041,000,000.00739,499.12216,589.1981,111.8311.33
Wheeler County#1 (4-A Division II)12-045.6452.222.531,000,000.00387,905.70112,200.8032,278.4629.98
Brooks County#2 (2-A Division II)7-545.8653.102.291,000,000.00175,052.3584,074.6827,507.6835.35
Early County#1 (1-A Division II)9-339.1551.842.301,000,000.00260,500.8835,697.816,404.90155.13
Jenkins County#3 (3-A Division II)8-429.4352.792.041,000,000.0040,781.293,427.66203.304,917.72

Smaller Private

Playoff Projections by Team

Each team is shown with its region, rating, the number of times making it to the finals, and the number of times of winning the state championship along with the associated odds.

Team Region Rec Rating Playoffs Qtr Semi Finals Champ Odds
Hebron Christian#2 (8-AA)9-179.1862.094.471,000,000.00922,014.77869,379.40675,574.320.48
Fellowship Christian#1 (5-A Division I)9-171.1467.403.661,000,000.00846,696.35602,069.11206,396.353.85
Calvary Day#4 (3-AAA)10-166.2669.193.261,000,000.00846,868.27330,527.4679,640.2511.56
Athens Academy#3 (8-A Division I)10-158.7569.922.741,000,000.00659,177.4965,145.6715,539.4063.35
Prince Avenue Christian#7 (8-AA)8-360.2171.592.131,000,000.0077,985.2343,382.2411,750.7184.10
Savannah Christian#8 (3-A Division I)7-458.3472.142.211,000,000.00153,303.6546,693.665,902.20168.43
Greater Atlanta Christian#6 (6-AAA)9-254.4670.742.371,000,000.00340,822.5122,092.693,523.95282.77
Whitefield Academy#5 (5-A Division I)9-253.4671.852.181,000,000.00153,131.7320,709.771,672.82596.79

About the Author

Loren Maxwell

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