High School Sports
High School Sports

GHSA football playoff prediction: Class 6A final could be an all-Gwinnett game

Buford coach Bryant Appling talks to his team after their 32-7 win over Mill Creek on Nov. 1, 2024, that gave the Wolves the region championship.

Credit: Stan Awtery for the AJC

Credit: Stan Awtery for the AJC

Buford coach Bryant Appling talks to his team after their 32-7 win over Mill Creek on Nov. 1, 2024, that gave the Wolves the region championship.
By
Nov 12, 2024

Carrollton is ranked No. 1 entering the Class 6A football playoffs and brings to bear the state’s top quarterback, Julian Lewis, and a wealth of Division I talent around him. The Trojans also are unbeaten. A state title would be the program’s first since 1998 and first ever in the highest class.

Another school that’s never won the highest class is Buford, the No. 2 team. The Wolves’ only loss this season came against Milton, a top-five national team that plays in Class 5A. That was by one point in the opener. Buford leads the state with 10 major Division I-committed players in its senior class.

Buford and Carrollton could meet in the semifinals with a coin toss deciding home team. No. 3 North Gwinnett is also on that side of the draw.

Top contenders in the upper half are No. 4 Douglas County, No. 5 Collins Hill and No. 6 Grayson.

Here’s how this blogger suspects things will play out.

First round

(R8 #2) Collins Hill d. (R2 #3) Westlake

(R1 #1) Colquitt Co. d. (R5 #4) Wheeler

(R7 #3) Norcross d. (R6 #2) Lambert

(R4 #1) Grayson d. (R3 #4) Pebblebrook

(R2 #2) Douglas Co. d. (R8 #3) Mill Creek

(R5 #1) North Cobb d. (R1 #4) Camden Co.

(R7 #2) Brookwood d. (R6 #3) West Forsyth

(R3 #1) Harrison d. (R4 #4) Archer

(R4 #3) South Gwinnett d. (R3 #2) Hillgrove

(R7 #4) Peachtree Ridge d. (R6 #1) North Atlanta

(R1 #3) Valdosta d. (R5 #2) Walton

(R2 #1) Carrollton d. (R8 #4) Dacula

(R4 #2) Newton d. (R3 #3) McEachern

(R7 #1) North Gwinnett d. (R6 #4) Denmark

(R1 #2) Lowndes d. (R5 #3) North Paulding

(R8 #1) Buford d. (R2 #4) East Coweta

Second round

(R1 #1) Colquitt Co. d. (R8 #2) Collins Hill

(R4 #1) Grayson d. (R7 #3) Norcross

(R2 #2) Douglas Co. d. (R5 #1) North Cobb

(R7 #2) Brookwood d. (R3 #1) Harrison

(R7 #4) Peachtree Ridge d. (R4 #3) South Gwinnett

(R2 #1) Carrollton d. (R1 #3) Valdosta

(R7 #1) North Gwinnett d. (R4 #2) Newton

(R8 #1) Buford d. (R1 #2) Lowndes

Quarterfinals

(R4 #1) Grayson d. (R1 #1) Colquitt Co.

(R2 #2) Douglas Co. d. (R7 #2) Brookwood

(R2 #1) Carrollton d. (R7 #4) Peachtree Ridge

(R8 #1) Buford d. (R7 #1) North Gwinnett

Semifinals

(R4 #1) Grayson d. (R2 #2) Douglas Co.

(R8 #1) Buford d. (R2 #1) Carrollton

Final

(R8 #1) Buford d. (R4 #1) Grayson

About the Author

Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.

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