AJC Varsity rankings: Prince Ave. back on top, 2025 champ drops out in 3A

Prince Avenue Christian is No. 1 again, and preseason No. 1 Carver of Columbus is out of the AJC Varsity football rankings for the first time since 2023.

Prince Avenue, previously ranked No. 3, defeated No. 2 Greater Atlanta Christian 38-15 last week in a game between Class 4A-2A Private teams.

The No. 1 team, Calvary Day, lost to Ambassador Christian, an undefeated North Carolina team, 28-14 and fell to No. 2. GAC is No. 4.

Prince Avenue, a state champion in 2020, 2022 and 2023, has spent at least one week at No. 1 five of the past six seasons. That streak includes 2025, when the Wolverines were the preseason No. 1 and lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Hebron Christian.

In Class 3A, two-time reigning champion Carver is out after losing to Southwest DeKalb 31-0. Carver (1-3) also has lost to Top 10 teams Douglass and Hapeville Charter. Carver has played the fourth-hardest schedule in 3A, according to the computer Maxwell Ratings.

In 2023, Carver fell out of the rankings after a 2-3 start, then went on a 38-1 run, reaching the semifinals that year and winning Class 2A in 2024 and 2025.

Class 7A

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

Class 6A

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

Out: No. 9 Houston County (3-1)

Class 5A

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

Class 4A

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

Out: No. 9 Westover (3-1)

Class 3A

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

Out: No. 9 Carver (Columbus) (1-3), No. 10 Morgan County (2-2)