AJC Varsity rankings: Johnson County No. 1 for 1st time since Herschel Walker era

There is a new No. 1 team in Class A, and it’s been a long time coming for Johnson County, which most recently held a top ranking when Herschel Walker was in the Trojans’ backfield in 1979.

Johnson County improved to 4-0 after beating Wilcox County 57-0 last week.

Dropping to No. 2 was Lincoln County, which lost to undefeated Strom Thurmond, the reigning South Carolina Class 2A champion, 33-20. Lincoln County beat Strom Thurmond last season and was Georgia’s Class A Division II runner-up to Bowdon.

Lincoln County was the preseason No. 1 team but lost that ranking when beaten on Aug. 28 by Westside of Augusta, a 3A school with a 2-2 record. Lincoln County regained the top ranking two weeks ago when four-time champion Bowdon lost its second game.

Johnson County has not played a Top-10 team. The Trojans were 11-1 last season and lost to Brooks County 14-7 in the second round.

Johnson County reached the state semifinals as recently as 2022, and has played 18 games as the No. 2 team since 2000, but the school’s only state championship and time spent at No. 1 came in 1979, when Walker was the nation’s most celebrated recruit. He would sign with Georgia and win the Heisman Trophy.

Herschel Walker breaks away for a Johnson County touchdown in 1979. (Kenneth Walker/AJC file)

Moving into the rankings this week are Colquitt County, Dalton, Woodland of Stockbridge, Northwest Whitfield, Columbia, Treutlen and Eagle’s Landing Christian.

Dalton was 3-8 last season and 0-10 the one before. Second-year coach Chris Prewett, formerly at Roswell, has the Catamounts 4-0.

Columbia moved to No. 7 in Class 3A after beating previous No. 5 Hapeville Charter 34-21. It was Columbia’s first victory over a Top-10 team since 2015 (Cedar Grove). Columbia is 2-2 but with losses to undefeated Carrollton and Tucker from higher classes.

Class 7A

1. (1) Buford (4-0)
2. (2) Carrollton (5-0)
3. (3) North Gwinnett (5-0)
4. (4) Newton (5-0)
5. (5) Valdosta (4-0)
6. (6) Lowndes (5-0)
7. (7) Brookwood (5-0)
8. (8) Westlake (5-0)
9. (9) North Cobb (3-1)
10. (NR) Colquitt County (3-2)

Out: No. 10 Marietta (3-2)

Class 6A

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

Class 5A

1. (1) Cartersville (4-0)
2. (2) Blessed Trinity (4-0)
3. (3) Marist (3-1)
4. (4) Benedictine (3-1)
5. (5) North Oconee (4-1)
6. (6) Tucker (4-0)
7. (7) Cass (5-0)
8. (9) Mays (4-0)
9. (10) Ola (4-1)
10. (NR) Dalton (4-0)

Out: No. 8 Lithonia (1-3)

Class 4A

1. (1) Sandy Creek (5-0)
2. (2) Troup (4-0)
3. (3) Peach County (4-0)
4. (4) Cairo (4-0)
5. (5) Monroe Area (5-0)
6. (6) Stephenson (3-1)
7. (7) Douglass (2-2)
8. (NR) Woodland (Stockbridge) (4-0)
9. (8) North Hall (2-2)
10. (NR) Northwest Whitfield (4-1)

Out: No. 9 Baldwin (3-1), No. 10 Spalding (3-1)

Class 3A

1. (1) Toombs County (4-0)
2. (2) Pierce County (4-0)
3. (3) Appling County (4-0)
4. (4) Hart County (5-0)
5. (7) Northeast (3-1)
6. (8) Lumpkin County (4-0)
7. (NR) Columbia (2-2)
8. (6) Worth County (2-2)
9. (9) Burke County (2-2)
10. (5) Hapeville Charter (1-3)

Out: No. 10 Thomson (1-3)

Class 2A

1. (1) Heard County (4-0)
2. (2) Fitzgerald (4-0)
3. (3) Bleckley County (4-0)
4. (4) Thomasville (3-1)
5. (5) Dublin (3-1)
6. (6) Bremen (4-0)
7. (7) Jeff Davis (4-0)
8. (8) Cook (2-2)
9. (9) Commerce (4-0)
10. (10) Swainsboro (1-3)