I admit this feels weird. It’s Nov. 7 and it feels like this should be a GPB Sports Football Fridays in Georgia. But it isn’t. It’s a bye week before the start of the GHSA Playoffs. I actually like this idea. It gives teams another week to get healthy and fully recharged. The idea is great but the execution of the idea could be buttoned up.

Some teams in the state ended their regular seasons Oct. 24, meaning those teams will go three weeks between games. That’s almost a bowl-like schedule with so much time off. Is that good or is it too much? Then there’s the extreme example of Athens Academy. Because they’re in the private classification and received a first round bye because of their seeding, the Spartans will go from Oct. 24 to Nov. 21 without playing.

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This will be the final year of the predetermined brackets format for the state playoffs. I applaud the GHSA for recognizing the need for change and then doing it. I just wish it started this year. Like Executive Director Tim Scott stated, seeding the playoffs isn’t just about getting the best two teams in the finals, but also the best four teams in the semifinals and the best eight teams in the quarterfinals. You get the picture. He’s right.

That’s not to say the power rankings will be perfect. A major snafu arose in 3A this year where they are already using the PSR (postseason rankings). Southeast Bulloch finished 5-5 . Beach finished 5-4. Southeast Bulloch beat Beach 48-8 the final week of the regular season. 

Beach made the playoffs. Southeast Buloch did not. 

The overall records are virtually even, they were even 5-4 in the region. The team that won the head-to-head by 40 points in the final game of the season didn’t make the postseason. In nobody’s football universe can that be right.

That’s why I proposed adding a human element to the process. A committee that can hear an appeal and rule on it. Appeals wouldn’t be for seeding, only for those situations where a team feels it’s got a legitimate claim to be in the playoffs -- like the situation with Southeast Bulloch. That team could state it’s case to the committee and get a decision.

So, we get one more year of the predetermined brackets and we’ll kick off next Friday night on GPB with Colquitt County playing at Mill Creek in Class 6A first-round action. If the PSR was in effect this season, Colquitt County would not be on the road in the first round. Instead the Packers would be the No. 6 seed hosting No. 27 seed Walton. 

Mill Creek on the other hand would not be playing at home. Instead the Hawks would be the No. 18 seed and playing on the road at No. 15 seed North Cobb.

Perhaps the craziest difference in the pre-determined brackets vs. PSR seeded playoffs can be found in the example of Camden County. Under the current format the Wildcats did not make the playoffs. Based on the PSR, not only would Camden have made the playoffs, they would be hosting a first round game!

Looking at the current playoff field there are several matchups looming that just wouldn’t happen in the PSR-seeded field. In 6A,Lowndes is on a course to play at North Gwinnett in the second round. In the PSR format, North Gwinnett would play at Lowndes in the quarterfinals. Also in 6A we’re looking at a potential state championship game rematch in the quarterfinals with Grayson meeting Carrollton. In the PSR, the Rams would be the No. 3 seed and the Trojans No. 4. In that format the only way they would meet is to get to the finals. Instead one will eliminate the other in the Round of Eight.

I won’t let this spoil my fun in this year’s playoffs. We’ll enjoy this final year of pre-determined brackets, then say goodbye to it and move on to a more equitable format in 2026. 

Here’s my toughest first round playoff games by classification.

6A – No. 8 Colquitt County (8-2) at Mill Creek (7-3) – GPB Sports Football Fridays in Georgia, Nov. 14 at 7:30 pm.

5A – No. 10 Lee County (7-3) at Sprayberry (9-1)

4A – No. 10 Blessed Trinity (6-4) at Stockbridge (8-2)

3A – North Clayton (8-2) at No. 4 LaGrange (8-2)

2A – Franklin County (7-3) at #6 Callaway (7-3)

1AD1 – Dodge County (7-3) at Rabun County (8-2)

1AD2 – Wilcox County (7-3) at No. 4 Bowdon (8-2).

Private – With 8 teams receiving first round byes, didn’t really feel there was a compelling enough match-up to highlight.

Click here to see the complete playoff brackets. 

So tonight, go do what people do without football, and we’ll see you next week when we begin the four-week battle to get us down to 16 teams and eight state championship games at Mercedes Benz Stadium.