Georgia High School Football Top 25 State Rankings - Dec. 1, 2025

Buford moves to No. 1 after Carrollton routs then-No. 1 Grayson; Hebron Christian, Benedictine and Sandy Creek make big moves; Marist and Kell enter the Top 25

The Buford Wolves have jumped to the top of the Georgia High School Football Top 25, but the Wolves are still two tough wins away from a state title. / Corey Jones

After weeks of little to no movement in the Georgia High School Football Top 25 rankings, where most of the ranked teams completed undefeated regular seasons, the changes have started to flow.

Those changes began right up the top, as Grayson, which held the No. 1 spot all year long, suffered a 34-14 loss to then-No. 3 Carrollton. That paved the way for the Trojans to move up to No. 2, while Buford took over the top spot and Grayson fell to No. 4. Buford in Carrollton, if they get past their semifinal games this week, will decide the final No. 1 in the Class 6A state championship game later this month.

No. 16 Marist and No. 17 Kell each made their way into the Top 25 by upsetting then-No. 7 North Oconee and then-No. 14 Cartersville, respectively, in the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

No. 13 Hebron Christian, No. 14 Benedictine and No. 15 Sandy Creek were the biggest movers as all three climbed five spots this week.

1. Buford (13-0)

Last Week: 2 

The Wolves take over the top spot after their 35-15 win over Douglas County in the 6A state quarterfinals. Buford will face No. 9 Valdosta in Friday’s state semifinals.

2. Carrollton (13-0)

Last Week: 3 

Carrollton’s win over former No. 1 Grayson was not stunning in that happened. After all the Trojans are also nationally ranked. What was stunning how dominant the 34-14 victory was. No. ?? North Gwinnett is up next in this week’s state semifinals.

3. Thomas County Central (13-0)

Last Week: 4 

The Yellow Jackets rolled past Woodward Academy, 49-19, and will face No. 7 Roswell in this week’s Class 5A state semifinals.

4. Grayson (12-1)

Last Week: 1 

SEASON COMPLETE: The Rams saw their national championship and 6A state title hopes come to an abrupt halt as they were humbled by Carrollton, 34-14.

5. Langston Hughes (12-0) 

Last Week: 5 

The Panthers got caught up in the Gainesville-Brunswick brawl suspension dispute, as their quarterfinal contest with Gainesville remains postponed pending the resolution of the GHSA’s court dispute with the Red Elephants.

6. Creekside (13-0)

Last Week: 6 

The Seminoles were held to their second lowest point total of 2025, last week, and still scored 35 points in a 4A quarterfinal rout of Lithonia. They will tangle with No. 17 Kell in this week’s state semifinal round.

7. Roswell (12-1)

Last Week: 8

The Hornets got a stiff challenge from Sequoyah in the 5A quarterfinals but advanced with a 42-35 victory. No. 3 Thomas County Central is the next challenge is this week’s 5A state semifinals.

8. Gainesville (10-2)

Last Week: 9 

The Red Elephants won a court injunction to reverse the suspension of 35 of its players in the aftermath the brawls which ended its playoff win over Brunswick. The GHSA is appealing the courts decision, however, and indefinitely postponed last Friday’s state quarterfinal game with No. 5 Langston Hughes. Both programs are awaiting news on when the contest will take place.

9. Valdosta (12-1)

Last Week: 10

In one of the best games of 2025, Wildcats outlast Walton, 45-42, in last week’s 6A state quarterfinals. They will need another huge performance this week as they advance to face No. 1 Buford in the state semifinals.

10. North Gwinnett (12-1)

Last Week: 12

The Bulldogs reached the Class 6A state semifinals with a 25-15 win over West Forsyth last Friday. The challenge gets bigger this week as North Gwinnett travels to No. 2 Carrollton for a state semifinal battle.

11. Rome (11-2)

Last Week: 13 

Rome trailed then-No. 21 Jackson County by three at the end of one quarter, but pitched a shutout the rest of the way in winning, 31-17, to advance to a 5A state semifinal, against the winner of the quarterfinal game between No. 5 Langston Hughes and No. 8 Gainesville, whenever it gets played.

12. Carver-Columbus (13-0)

Last Week: 15

The undefeated Tigers handled Thomson, 38-10 in the 2A state quarterfinals. They will face Burke County in the semifinals.

13. Hebron Christian (10-1)

Last Week: 18 

The Lions jump five spots after their 63-20 thrashing over Prince Avenue Christian in the 2A state quarterfinals. They will face Greater Atlanta Christian for a spot in the state final.

14. Benedictine (10-2)

Last Week: 19

Benedictine overwhelmed then-No. 22 Central, 80-32, last week in the 4A state quarterfinals. No. 16 Marist is the challenge this week in the semifinals.

15. Sandy Creek (13-0)

Last Week: 20

The Patriots kept rolling with a 34-0 win over Douglas in the 3A quarterfinals. They will face La Grange in this week’s state semifinals. 

16. Marist (12-1)

Last Week: Not ranked

The War Eagles battled their way past then No. 7 North Oconee, 23-20, in the 4A state quarterfinals. They will see No. 14 Benedictine College Prep in this week’s state semifinals.

17. Kell (11-2)

Last Week: Not ranked

The Longhorns extended their win streak to eight with a 48-21 pounding of then-No. 14 Cartersville to advance to the 4A state semifinals. Kell will face No. 6 Creekside.

18. Douglas County (9-4)

Last Week: 11

SEASON-COMPLETE: The Tigers trailed then-No. 2 Buford by just two points entering the fourth quarter, before the Wolves pulled away for a 30-15 win in the 6A state quarterfinals.

19. North Oconee (12-1)

Last Week: 7 

SEASON COMPLETE: The Titans lost a 23-20 heart-breaker against Marist in the 4A quarterfinals to bring their 2025 season to a close. 

20. Cartersville (12-1)

Last Week: 14

SEASON COMPLETE: Cartersville ran up against a prolific Kell offense last week and suffered a season-ending 48-21 loss in the 4A state quarterfinals.

21. Lowndes (10-2) 

Last Week: 16

SEASON COMPLETE

22. Colquitt County (9-3)

Last Week: 17

SEASON COMPLETE

23. Jackson County (12-1)

Last week: 21

SEASON COMPLETE: The Panthers led Rome 17-14 at the end of one quarter, but would fall 31-17 in their 5A state quarterfinal battle with the Wolves.

24. Houston County (10-2) 

Last Week: 23

SEASON COMPLETE

25. Lee County (8-4)

Last Week: 24

SEASON COMPLETE