25 unbeaten, unranked teams and their prospects going forward
Twenty-five GHSA teams are undefeated but unranked by GHSF Daily. Below is an overview of each, with their prospects going forward.
This report relies on the computer Maxwell Ratings’ projections and predicted final won-lost records.
Seven of the 25 complete in Class 4A, which is unusually strong this season, partly because of the addition of Marist and Blessed Trinity, down from Class 6A. According to Maxwell, the average top-10 Class 4A team is only four points weaker than the average top-10 Class 5A team and 14 points better than the average top-10 Class 3A team when private schools are taken out of 3A.
That partly explains why Starr’s Mill can reach the 2023 Class 4A semifinals, start the new season 4-0 and remain unranked in five of the six polls in GHSF Daily’s Composite Rankings.
Here are the 25:
*Cambridge (4A) – Cambridge, 6-5 a year ago, is 5-0 under first-year coach Tyler Jones, who was Class 7A runner-up Walton’s offensive coordinator last season. The Bears have scored 30 or more points in every game, and Weston Taylor has thrown for 1,116 yards. Cambridge and No. 4 Blessed Trinity appear to be the favorites in Region 6, with Cambridge given a 39.3% chance at the title, according to Maxwell. The two teams play each other Nov. 1. Cambridge is GHSF Daily’s Class 4A most improved winning team in today’s Improvement Tracker. Projected finish: 8.7-1.3
*Chattahoochee (5A) – Chattahoochee is 4-0 under second-year coach Danny Carlisle, the former Grayson defensive coordinator who inherited a team that had gone 8-31 over the previous five seasons. Victories over north Fulton County rivals Centennial (-11) and Riverwood (-1) were upsets, according to Maxwell. The Cougars are clearly on the uptick, but they’re also in Region 7, Class 5A’s toughest, and they open region play at No. 1 Milton this week. Gainesville and Roswell also loom. Maxwell projects about one more Chattahoochee victory and a 6.7% chance at making the playoffs. Projected finish: 5.2-4.8
*Chattooga (A-I) – Chattooga is in its second year under Roone Gable, who had been offensive coordinator at cross-county rival Trion. Powered by Zayden Cook, the state’s leading rusher with 1,060 yards, the Indians appear headed toward their first winning season since 2018. Victories over Coahulla Creek (-7) and LaFayette (-5) were upsets, according to Maxwell. Fifth-ranked Fannin County remains the clear favorite in Region 7, per Maxwell, but Chattooga’s playoff chances have improved from 44.6% in preseason to 99.9% now. Chattooga is GHSF Daily’s Class A Division I most improved winning team in today’s Improvement Tracker. Projected finish: 7.4-2.6
*Decatur (5A) – Decatur, 5-6 a year ago, has beaten favored opponents Stephenson (-10) and Carver-Atlanta (-7) and is 4-0 for the first time since its last region championship team of 2021. Woodward Academy remains Maxwell’s Region 4 favorite, but Decatur’s chances for the title stand at 18.6%. Decatur is ranked No. 9 in one poll (see today’s Composite Rankings). Projected finish: 8.6-1.4
*Drew (4A) – Under sixth-year coach Steve Robinson, Drew is 4-0 for the first time since this Clayton County school opened its doors in 2009. The Titans opened this season with an upset over Riverdale (-5). It might take one more upset to qualify for the playoffs out of Region 4, whose favorites are Creekside and Mays. Maxwell gives Drew a 46.9% chance to qualify, up from 11.8% in preseason. That would be Drew’s first playoff appearance since 2017. A winning season would be Drew’s first since 2015. Projected finish: 6.6-3.4
*East Forsyth (4A) – First-year coach Dustin Canon, promoted to succeed program founder Brian Allison, has the Broncos 4-0 in their fourth season. They’ve scored three upsets – Dawson County (-10), Winder-Barrow (-4) and East Forsyth (-3). Maxwell’s algorithm sometimes underestimates young programs. Maxwell now sees East Forsyth as the third-place finisher in Region 8, though well behind fourth-ranked North Oconee, this week’s opponent, and No. 9 Eastside. Playoff chances are 82.1%, up from 10.7% in preseason. Projected finish: 7.2-2.8
*Harlem (3A) – Picked to finish second in preseason, Harlem is now the favorite, according to Maxwell, though with just a 39.3% chance in a balanced Region 4. Fellow unranked unbeatens West Laurens and Westside (Augusta) are close behind. Harlem won its first region title in 48 years two seasons ago. Projected finish: 8.2-1.8
*Harris County (4A) – Harris County is the third team in history to open a season with three victories over top-10 teams. Each was from a lower classification, so that and deep Class 4A have conspired to keep the Tigers unranked. They are 4-0, coming off an 11-2 Class 5A quarterfinal appearance. Their success is no surprise. Maxwell gives Harris County a 27.2% chance of winning the region behind Central-Carrollton (37.0%) and Starr’s Mill (30.7%). Projected finish: 8.5-1.5
*Hillgrove (6A) – Hillgrove is 4-0 for the first time since 2019 and projected to win eight games, its most victories since 2018. The four wins are already the most in a season during coach Justin DeShon’s four-year rebuilding project. The Hawks have upset Mountain View (-7) and Marietta (-2). Maxwell picks the Hawks to finish second behind McEachern with an 11.5% chance of winning Region 3 and 93.9% chance of making the playoffs. Projected finish: 8.1-1.9
*King's Ridge Christian (A-I) – The Tigers are 4-0 for the first time since 2010 and projected to have a winning record for the first time in program history, which dates to 2008. Maxwell projected them to finish 10th in Region 5. Now, they’re predicted to finish fifth. The Tigers’ coach is Zach Slaney, who took over for Terry Crowder, who retired. Slaney had been Holy Innocents’ offensive coordinator. King's Ridge will play in the Class 3A- private playoff division. Projected finish: 6.8-3.2
*Lake Oconee Academy (A-II) – Lake Oconee is 5-0 and about to play its first region schedule. It was 2021 when the varsity team debuted. The 16-0 opening victory over Mount Paran Christian (-17) was considered an upset. Maxwell predicts Lake Oconee will finish fourth in Region 8 and gives the Titans a 72.4% chance of making the playoffs compared to 14.1% in preseason. An Oct. 4 home game with Washington-Wilkes could be pivotal. Projected finish: 7.1-2.9
*Lakeside-Evans (5A) – Lakeside is 4-0 for the first time since 2019. Lakeside’s 21-0 victory over Evans (-7) to open Region 1 play was rated an upset. Lakeside began the season with a 7.7% chance of making the playoffs. Now it’s 93.0% with an 8.0% chance of winning the Panthers’ first region title since 2009. Projected finish: 7.8-2.2
*Long County (3A) – The Blue Tide was 2-45 over the five seasons prior to Mike Pfiester’s 2021 hiring. They’re 21-16 since and 4-0 this season, the best start in school history. Maxwell projects Long County will finish with a school-record eight victories. Long’s best-ever finish was last year’s 6-5. Long County lost the first 52 games it played, winning its first game in 2005. Picked to finish fifth in preseason, the Blue Tide is now predicted to finish third behind Calvary Day and Jenkins in Region 3. Playoff odds have improved to 99.5% from 89.9%. Projected finish: 7.9-2.1
*Lowndes (6A) – The Vikings 5-0 for the ninth time this century. This is the first time they've been 5-0 and outside the top five. They’ve been 5-0 and ranked No. 1 three times. This year’s Vikings are coming off back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since the 1990s, and they unsurprisingly lead GHSF Daily’s Class 6A Improvement Tracker under second-year coach Adam Carter, who won a state title at Grayson. Region 1 will be far stronger than what Lowndes has encountered over the first half of the season, though. Maxwell gives the Vikings a 24.2% chance of winning the region and 89.2% chance of making the playoffs, which they failed to do in 2023. Projected finish: 8.2-1.8
*Jackson-Atlanta (4A) – Jackson is 4-0 for the first time in program history, which dates to 1985. Jackson has been favored in all its games, and its chance of making the playoffs, set at 80.2%, is about the same as it was in preseason. Coach Eric Williams is in his 21st season. Projected finish: 7.3-2.7
*Mount Bethel Christian (A-I) – Mount Bethel, an east Cobb County private school, is playing its first varsity schedule and will play only five games. They might win them all. Micah Hughes is the coach. They are ineligible for the playoffs. Projected finish: 4.2-1.8
*New Manchester (5A) – In their second season under Olten Downs, the Jaguars 4-0 for the first time since 2013. They were 0-10 the season before Downs was hired. The Jaguars in preseason were picked to finish eighth in Region 5. Now they’re slotted fourth, with a 60.9% chance of making the playoffs in a tight race for the final berth with Villa Rica and South Paulding. Rome and East Paulding are the favorites. Seven victories would set a school record. Projected finish: 6.6-3.4
*Ola (4A) – Under new coach Dustin Adkins, who came from Florida, Ola is 5-0 for the first time since 2020 and chasing its first region title in history. According to Maxwell, Ola has a 52.6% chance of finishing 10-0, the highest of any unranked team. Ola is given a 74.8% chance of winning the region. Projected finish: 9.4-0.6
*Richmond Hill (6A) – Richmond Hill is 4-0 for the first time since 2017 while averaging 41.3 points per game. The team plays in rich Region 1, with three teams that have been ranked, plus Lowndes. Richmond Hill’s playoff chances are 40.5%, says Maxwell. Richmond Hill beat Lowndes 37-14 last year to earn the No. 4 seed. Projected finish: 6.4-3.6
*Seckinger (5A) – Seckinger, in its third varsity season as Gwinnett County’s newest high school, is 4-0 after 0-7 and 3-7 finishes. The Jaguars were underdogs in victories over Archer (-39), Mountain View (-18) and West Hall (-4). Maxwell picked the Jaguars to finish seventh in Region 7. That’s been revised, and now Seckinger is slotted to finish fourth, given a 49.6% chance of making its first playoff appearance. But there’s small margin for error in a region that includes Milton, Gainesville and Roswell. Seckinger is ranked No. 9 in one poll this week. Projected finish: 6.4-3.6
*Starr's Mill (4A) – Starr’s Mill’s lack of ranking despite a 4-0 record and a 10-4 finish in 2023 is testimony to Class 4A’s depth. Starr’s Mill has a new coach, David Cooper, promoted to replace retired Chad Phillips. The Panthers have won each game as expected, and their playoff prospects remain largely unchanged from preseason. They are given a 20.2% chance of winning the region, 91.8% chance of making the playoffs. Projected finish: 8.2-1.8
*Tri-Cities (5A) – Tri-Cities is 3-0, winning as underdogs against Dunwoody (-18) and M.L King (-3). This is the Tigers’ second season under second-year coach Rodney Hackney, who inherited a program that had gone 2-17 over the previous two seasons and last had a winning season in 2015. The Dunwoody win was huge because it was a Region 4 game. Tri-Cities’ chances of making the playoffs have risen to 50.8% from 5.1% in preseason. Projected finish: 5.3-3.7
*West Laurens (3A) – Coach Kip Burdette, in his third season, has his best team yet. The 4-0 start is the Raiders’ best since 1990. Their playoff chances have risen to 96.3% from 75.2% in preseason. Their chances of winning the region are 21.3% behind Harlem (39.3%) and Westside-Augusta (21.9%). West Laurens won region titles in 2014 and 2019, so the pattern is established. Projected finish: 7.6-2.4
*Westover (3A) – Westover was the underdog in victories over Westside-Macon (-10) and Early County (-9). The Patriots’ odds of making the playoffs have skyrocketed as a result, from 12.8% in preseason to 94.5%. That’s partly because of Region 1 rival Bainbridge’s surprising 0-5 start. Westover is the No. 8 team in Class 3A in today’s Composite Rankings but unranked by AJC/GHSF Daily. Projected finish: 7.7-2.3
*Westside-Augusta (3A) – Westside is 4-0 for the first time since 2002. The Patriots were a 24-point underdog when they defeated crosstown rival Laney 7-6 in the opener. Their Region 4 playoff chances have risen from 15.5% in preseason to 98.2%. They have a 21.9% chance of winning their first region title since 2000. Projected finish: 7.7-2.3