Buford’s grip on the No. 1 ranking in Class 7A is tighter than ever with three weeks remaining in high school football’s regular season.

Buford, ranked at the top since preseason, defeated then-No. 3 Mill Creek 37-29 on Friday in a game between unbeaten Gwinnett County rivals. It was Buford’s second win over a ranked 7A opponent as the Wolves beat current No. 6 North Cobb 21-14 last month. Buford (7-0) doesn’t have a top-10 opponent on the remainder of its schedule.

Mill Creek fell to No. 4. The No. 2 and No. 3 teams, Colquitt County and Valdosta, are from Region 1 in South Georgia.

Walton reentered the 7A rankings at No. 9 after a 42-14 victory over previously undefeated Kennesaw Mountain.

One No. 1 team, Early County, was beaten last week but remained on top of Class A Division II. The Bobcats lost to Brooks County, the No. 4 team in A Division I and the 2021 champion of A Public.

Class 7A

1. (1) Buford (7-0)

2. (2) Colquitt County (7-0)

3. (4) Valdosta (8-0)

4. (3) Mill Creek (6-1)

5. (5) Carrollton (8-0)

6. (6) North Cobb (5-2)

7. (7) Lambert (7-0)

8. (8) Lowndes (4-3)

9. (NR) Walton (5-2)

10. (9) Grayson (6-1)

Out: No. 10 Kennesaw Mountain

Class 6A

1. (1) Hughes (7-0)

2. (2) Lee County (6-1)

3. (3) Roswell (7-1)

4. (4) Woodward Academy (6-1)

5. (5) Gainesville (7-0)

6. (6) Rome (6-1)

7. (7) Thomas County Central (7-0)

8. (8) Marist (5-2)

9. (9) Brunswick (7-0)

10. (10) Houston County (6-1)

Class 5A

1. (1) Ware County (6-0)

2. (2) Creekside (5-2)

3. (4) Loganville (8-0)

4. (7) Cartersville (7-1)

5. (6) Coffee (6-1)

6. (8) Cambridge (6-2)

7. (NR) Jones County (5-3)

8. (3) Dutchtown (6-1)

9. (9) Warner Robins (3-4)

10. (10) Calhoun (5-3)

Out: No. 5 Kell

Class 4A

1. (1) Cedartown (7-0)

2. (2) North Oconee (7-0)

3. (3) Perry (7-1)

4. (4) Troup (7-0)

5. (5) Benedictine (5-2)

6. (6) Burke County (6-1)

7. (7) Bainbridge (4-4)

8. (8) Trinity Christian (5-2)

9. (9) Wayne County (6-1)

10. (10) Whitewater (5-2)

Class 3A

1. (1) Cedar Grove (5-2)

2. (3) Calvary Day (6-0)

3. (4) Sandy Creek (7-1)

4. (5) Dougherty (8-0)

5. (2) Carver-Atlanta (5-2)

6. (6) Stephens County (6-1)

7. (7) Peach County (4-3)

8. (8) Monroe Area (3-4)

9. (9) Hebron Christian (6-1)

10. (10) Oconee County (4-3)

Class 2A

1. (1) Fitzgerald (7-0)

2. (2) South Atlanta (7-0)

3. (3) Cook (6-1)

4. (4) Appling County (5-1)

5. (5) Pierce County (6-1)

6. (6) Thomson (5-1)

7. (7) Eagle’s Landing Christian (4-3)

8. (8) Northeast (5-2)

9. (9) Putnam County (6-1)

10. (10) Callaway (4-3)

Class A Division I

1. (1) Prince Avenue Christian (6-0)

2. (2) Swainsboro (7-0)

3. (3) Rabun County (8-0)

4. (4) Brooks County (5-1)

5. (5) Irwin County (5-1)

6. (7) Darlington (8-0)

7. (6) Elbert County (7-1)

8. (8) Whitefield Academy (5-2)

9. (9) Metter (5-3)

10. (10) Dublin (4-2)

Class A Division II

1. (1) Early County (7-1)

2. (2) Clinch County (7-1)

3. (3) Bowdon (7-1)

4. (4) Johnson County (7-0)

5. (5) Charlton County (5-2)

6. (6) Schley County (5-2)

7. (7) Dooly County (4-3)

8. (9) McIntosh County Academy (7-1)

9. (10) Manchester (5-2)

10. (NR) Emanuel County Institute (3-4)

Out: No. 8 Aquinas

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Banks County 0 mile sign is displayed on Old Federal Road, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Carnesville. The boundary between Banks and Franklin mysteriously moved to the east, allowing the Banks sheriff to claim he lives in the county and keep his job as the top lawman. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC