Stephens-Hart upset is biggest of its kind in Georgia history, per HSFHA

Stephens County defeated Hart County 44-28 in a game that defied the rule of common opponents, if not common sense, last week.

In August, Hart County beat Habersham Central 51-3, and Habersham beat Stephens County 45-7. The combined margins of those victories was 86 points.

Then on Friday, Stephens County beat Hart County, which entered 6-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class 3A.

Stephens County’s upset marked the first time in state history that a three-team group, going 1-1 against each other in the regular season, produced a combined margin of more than 80 points in the first two games, only for the underdog to win the third game.

Below are the 21 most remarkable upsets of this genre in state history, according to the High School Football Historians Association.

Note: All results used to calculate this list come from scores reported to the HSFHA site.

1. 2026, 86: Hart County beat Habersham Central by 48 on Aug. 21, and Habersham Central beat Stephens County by 38 on Aug. 28. Then Stephens County beat Hart County by 16 on Oct. 2.

2. (tie) 2024, 80: Charlton County beat Brantley County by 48 on Aug. 16, and Jeff Davis beat Charlton County by 32 on Aug. 30. Then Brantley County beat Jeff Davis by 7 on Sept. 20.

2. (tie) 2024, 80: Chattooga beat Gordon Central by 50 on Sept. 13, and Gordon Central beat Coosa by 30 on Sept. 20. Then Coosa beat Chattooga by 7 on Nov. 1.

4. 1993, 78: Vidalia beat Bleckley County by 41 on Oct. 1, and Swainsboro beat Vidalia by 37 on Oct. 15. Then Bleckley County beat Swainsboro by 3 on Nov. 12.

5. 1976, 74: LaFayette beat Ringgold by 56 on Sept. 10, and Murray County beat LaFayette by 18 on Oct. 15. Then Ringgold beat Murray County by 7 on Oct. 29.

6. 2019, 73: Dooly County beat Macon County by 18 on Oct. 4, and Macon County beat Crawford County by 55 on Oct. 11. Then Crawford County beat Dooly County by 1 on Oct. 18.

7. (tie) 1975, 72: West Fulton beat East Atlanta by 28 on Sept. 12, and East Atlanta beat Turner by 44 on Sept. 19. Then Turner beat West Fulton by 19 on Nov. 14.

7. (tie) 2020, 72: White County beat Stephens County by 38 on Sept. 4, and Stephens County beat North Hall by 34 on Sept. 11. Then North Hall beat White County by 3 on Oct. 16.

7. (tie) 2003, 72: Douglas County beat Lithia Springs by 45 on Sept. 19, and Lithia Springs beat Alexander by 27 on Sept. 26. Then Alexander beat Douglas County by 8 on Oct. 3.

10. 2022, 71: Spalding beat Baldwin by 26 on Sept. 23, and Baldwin beat Howard (Macon) by 45 on Sept. 29. Then Howard beat Spalding by 1 on Oct. 7.

11. (tie) 1999, 68: Southeast Bulloch beat Brantley County by 35 on Sept. 17, and Brantley County beat Pierce County by 33 on Sept. 24. Then Pierce County beat Southeast Bulloch by 23 on Oct. 29.

11. (tie) 2013, 68: Thomas County Central beat Lee County by 31 on Oct. 18, and Lee County beat Harris County by 37 on Oct. 25. Then Harris County beat Thomas County Central by 3 on Nov. 8.

13. (tie) 1960, 67: Wrightsville beat Louisville by 33 on Sept. 16, and Louisville beat Harlem by 34 on Oct. 7. Then Harlem beat Wrightsville by 1 on Nov. 4.

13. (tie) 1982, 67: Americus beat Crisp County by 31 on Sept. 10, and Crisp County beat Jones County by 36 on Oct. 15. Then Jones County beat Americus by 24 on Nov. 5.

13. (tie) 1984, 67: Cartersville beat East Rome by 32 on Sept. 21, and East Rome beat Pepperell by 35 on Oct. 5. Then Pepperell beat Cartersville by 7 on Oct. 19.

13. (tie) 2012, 67: Parkview beat Grayson by 15 on Sept. 14, and Grayson beat Central Gwinnett by 52 on Oct. 5. Then Central Gwinnett beat Parkview by 3 on Oct. 26.

17. 2006, 66: Thomas County Central beat Monroe (Albany) by 42 on Sept. 29, and Cairo beat Thomas County Central by 24 on Oct. 6. Then Monroe beat Cairo by 1 on Nov. 4.

18. (tie) 1965, 65: Towers beat North Springs by 6 on Sept. 10, and North Springs beat Stone Mountain by 59 on Oct. 8. Then Stone Mountain beat Towers by 7 on Oct. 22.