39 GHSA teams that beat preseason odds to reach 2024 playoffs

Thirty-nine teams made the playoffs this season after the computer Maxwell Ratings gave them less than a 50-50 chance in preseason. Chestatee was the best odds-beater, qualifying despite being given a 1.8% chance. The War Eagles went from 0-10 to 5-5 this year in Stuart Cunningham’s second season as coach and made the playoffs, in Class 3A, for the first time since 2016. Second-best long shot was Gordon Central, which started the season on a 31-game losing streak, finished 4-6 and qualified as an at-large team in Class A Division I. It’s Gordon Central’s first playoff appearance since 2012. Gordon Central also has a second-year coach, Lenny Gregory.

1.8% - Chestatee

3.6% - Gordon Central

5.0% - Woodstock

5.1% - Tri-Cities

7.1% - M.L. King

7.3% - Westside (Augusta)

7.8% - Lakeside (Evans)

9.1% - Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe

10.7% - East Forsyth

12.6% - Hampton

12.9% - Eagle's Landing

13.5% - Coosa

13.7% - Wheeler

14.0% - New Manchester

21.3% - Westover

22.8% - Pike County

23.4% - Therrell

25.3% - Upson-Lee

28.2% - McNair

33.2% - Villa Rica

33.6% - Dacula

35.4% - Hawkinsville

35.6% - Greenville

36.8% - Peachtree Ridge

38.5% - Hiram

39.1% - Glascock County

39.3% - Bacon County

40.1% - Whitewater

42.0% - Chattooga

41.1% - Southwest

42.2% - Miller County

42.5% - Monroe

42.5% - Wheeler County

43.8% - Gilmer

44.1% - Charlton County

46.8% - Shaw

47.8% - Newnan

48.6% - East Jackson

49.3% - Denmark