Georgia High School Football Top 25 State Rankings (Sept. 7, 2026)

We knew it would be a tough stretch, but we had high hopes for Coach Greg Carswell and Grayson this season. After an 0-2 start, however, the Rams dropped out of the Georgia high school football Top 25 last week.

Well, it's not last week anymore.

Grayson went to Langston Hughes and won 22-3, holding a team we had ranked No. 6 to 108 total yards. One win doesn't erase August, but beating one of Georgia's better teams by 19 points is a pretty compelling application for readmission.

Elsewhere, Creekside went to New Jersey and won by 29. Lee County scored 22 points in approximately the amount of time it takes most of us to decide what we're ordering for dinner. Gainesville finds itself on the other side of the rule that got Grayson bounced last week. And Newton scored a school-record 71 points. Hopefully, its mascot didn't have to do push-ups each time the Rams scored.

Nationally, Georgia still has three teams in High School On SI's Power 25: Buford at No. 5, Carrollton at No. 11 and Thomas County Central at No. 20.

Here are this week's Georgia High School Football Top 25 State Rankings:

1. Buford

Record: 2-0

Previous rank: 1

Buford scored four defensive touchdowns in a 41-7 win over Mallard Creek, including two fumble returns by Jameer Cantrell. Apparently, an answer to a stagnant offense doesn't have to score all the points anymore.

Next: vs. Miami Central (Fla.), Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

2. Carrollton

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 2

CJ Cypher threw for 358 yards and five touchdowns, Zach Watts ran for 161 yards and three more, and Carrollton put up 674 yards in a 61-27 win at Catholic-Baton Rouge. This is beginning to feel impolite.

Next: vs. Hapeville Charter, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

3. Thomas County Central

Record: 2-0

Previous rank: 3

The Yellow Jackets had the week off after scoring 120 points in their first two games. Sometimes a bye is the most considerate thing you can do for everybody else.

Next: vs. Lithonia, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

4. North Gwinnett

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 4

Elam Rahman threw for 294 yards and three touchdowns as North Gwinnett beat Walton 34-21. Three games into the season, the Bulldogs have yet to give us a reason to stop moving them up the ladder.

Next: at Mill Creek, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.
TV: GPB TV

5. Sandy Creek

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 5

North Clayton made Sandy Creek work before Caleb Hill helped close out a 28-19 win. The Patriots aren't blowing everybody out, but Grayson, Douglas County, and North Clayton have all tried, and none have solved them.

Next: vs. Fayette County, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

6. Newton

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 8

Newton scored a school-record 71 points against Locust Grove, with Josiah Frazier throwing five touchdown passes. We started the Rams at No. 24 two weeks ago, which is becoming increasingly embarrassing.

Next: vs. Warner Robins, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

7. Lee County

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 7

Lee County trailed Sequoyah 32-21 with 2:30 remaining and somehow won 43-32 after scoring 22 points in 70 seconds. Jaden Upshaw had 213 receiving yards and the go-ahead punt-return touchdown because apparently one comeback wasn't dramatic enough.

Next: vs. Colquitt County, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

8. Creekside

Record: 1-1

Previous rank: 10

Creekside went to New Jersey and turned a 14-13 halftime game into a 49-20 win over St. Joseph Regional. Gary Walker scored twice, and Armani Hill caught two long touchdowns as the Seminoles reminded us why one opening loss wasn't a reason to panic.

Next: at Newnan, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

9. Valdosta

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 9

Valdosta led Bradwell Institute 49-6 at halftime on the way to a 56-13 win. Marquis Fennell and Deron Foster each rushed for more than 125 yards and three touchdowns, which feels like a fairly pleasant backfield problem to have.

Next: vs. KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

10. Toombs County

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 13

Donterrius Mincey rushed for 255 yards and scored all seven Toombs County touchdowns in a 49-21 win over Swainsboro. Seven touchdowns feels excessive until you remember we didn't rank the Bulldogs in the preseason.

Next: vs. Beach, Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. after a bye.

11. Cartersville

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 14

Cartersville beat Woodstock 54-0 and has outscored three opponents 151-14. We should stop describing these as games and start calling them appointments.

Next: vs. West Forsyth, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

12. Lowndes

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 12

Lithonia actually outgained Lowndes, but the Vikings still won 22-8 and haven't allowed more than eight points in a game. Yardage is nice. Points remain annoyingly important.

Next: vs. Blanche Ely (Fla.), Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

13. Coffee

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 22

Coffee beat Zephyrhills Christian 42-6 and has won its three games by a combined 91 points. Two weeks ago, the Trojans were ready before we were, and apparently, they remain committed to making sure we know it.

Next: vs. Crestview (Fla.), Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. after a bye.

14. Brookwood

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 16

Brayden Tyson ran for 162 yards and two touchdowns in a 55-20 win over South Gwinnett. Brookwood is 3-0 for the first time since 2020, and Friday's trip to Marist should tell us considerably more.

Next: at Marist, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

15. Blessed Trinity

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 17

Ty Page threw for 300 yards, and Quinn Smith caught three touchdown passes as Blessed Trinity built a 37-0 lead before beating Hebron Christian 37-20.

Next: at Lambert, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

16. Houston County

Record: 2-0

Previous rank: 18

Austin Stinson ran for 226 yards and three touchdowns and caught another score in a 45-14 win over Jones County. Through two games, Houston County has won by 24 and 31 points.

Next: at Central-Carroll, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

17. Milton

Record: 2-1

Previous rank: 20

Derrick Baker threw for 318 yards and five touchdowns as Milton handled Cambridge 53-21. The Eagles' first two games were decided by one point each, so maybe they simply wanted a Friday where everybody's blood pressure remained normal.

Next: at Battle Ground Academy (Tenn.), Friday, Sept. 11, 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT.

18. North Oconee

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: 19

Record: 2-0

Previous ranking: 25

Next: at Jackson County, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

19. Benedictine

Record: 2-1

Previous rank: 23

Benedictine has responded to that ugly opening loss to Toombs County by beating Hebron Christian and Camden County. Eron Mallard piled up 226 yards from scrimmage in the 27-23 win over Camden, and suddenly Week 1 looks much farther away.

Next: at Statesboro, Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. after a bye.

20. Marist

Record: 2-0

Previous rank: 24

Marist had the week off and has allowed three points all season. Brookwood's visit Friday will give us a much better idea of whether that number reflects the defense or the schedule.

Next: vs. Brookwood, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

21. Grayson

Record: 1-2

Previous rank: Not ranked

Last week, 0-2 knocked Grayson out of the top 25. This week, a 22-3 win over Hughes gets the Rams back through the door — although we're not giving them their old seat back just yet.

Next: at Brunswick, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

22. Langston Hughes

Record: 1-1

Previous rank: 6

Hughes managed only 108 yards in the 22-3 loss to Grayson, which is how a team falls 16 spots in one week. The Panthers have too much talent to dismiss, but three points doesn't leave us much to defend. Looking forward to seeing how they bounce back.

Next: at Morrow, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

23. Worth County

Record: 2-0

Previous rank: 25

Lyndon Worthy threw four touchdown passes as Worth County shut out Early County 31-0. The defending champions have now won 17 straight games dating to last season.

Next: at Thomasville, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

24. Westlake

Record: 3-0

Previous rank: Not ranked

Cannon Robinson threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns as Westlake beat Hillgrove 48-24. Three wins and 149 points later, consider our invitation officially delivered.

Next: at Northside-Warner Robins, Friday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

25. Roswell

Record: 2-1

Previous rank: Not ranked

Matt Schletty accounted for seven touchdowns as Roswell rebounded from its Newton loss with a 52-17 win over Etowah. Losing to the team currently sitting at No. 6 isn't terminal.

Next: vs. Archer, Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. after a bye.

Dropped Out

Gainesville — previously No. 15
McEachern — previously No. 11
Douglass — previously No. 21

Gainesville is the painful one. The Red Elephants lost to Buford and East St. Louis, and they lost the latter 24-21. You gotta win to stay on the court.

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