There are 62 total football teams in Class A Division I playing a region schedule (Mt. Bethel Christian will also play its first full football season in a non-region format to prepare for a GHSA slate down the line). A total of 27 teams were in Class A Division I last season and there are 27 newcomers that competed in Class 2A last season. Just two programs were classed up from Class A Division II and six teams have moved down from Class 3A to Class A Division I. Those six teams are a trio of public schools—Thomasville, Bremen and Gordon Lee and three private schools with Wesleyan, Savannah Christian and Savannah Country Day.
The top contenders this season are fresh off impressive runs and teams like Toombs County, Fitzgerald, Swainsboro, Dublin, Model, Bleckley County, Bremen, Commerce, Rabun County and Thomasville will be seen as favorites, but the introduction of a power ranking system for the playoff seeding will make every week critical in securing home field and a favorable path.
All of the Week 1 matchups are listed below.
REGION 1
Friday, Aug. 16
Bacon County at Clinch County
Berrien vs. Cook
Brantley County at Charlton County
Fitzgerald vs. Irwin County
Jeff Davis at Washington County
Thomasville at Brooks County
Worth County at Turner County
REGION 2
Friday, Aug. 16
Central-Macon vs. Dougherty
Dublin at Swainsboro
East Laurens vs. Johnson County
Jefferson County at Screven County
Northeast vs. Peach County
Southwest vs. Macon County
Washington County vs. Jeff Davis
Sat. Aug. 17
Bleckley County vs. Rutland
BYE: ACE CHARTER, Dodge County
REGION 3
Friday, Aug. 16
Savannah Christian vs. Whitefield Academy
Savannah Country Day at Charlotte Country Day (NC)
Swainsboro vs. Dublin
Vidalia at Long County
BYE: Toombs County
REGION 4
Friday, Aug. 16
Jasper County at Taylor County
Lamar County at Telfair County
McNair at Temple
Putnam County at Greene County
Social Circle at Oglethorpe County
Towers at Heritage-Newnan
Utopian Academy vs. B.E.S.T. Academy
REGION 5
Friday, Aug. 16
B.E.S.T. Academy at Utopian Academy
Fellowship Christian at Bowdon
King’s Ridge Christian vs. King’s Academy
Landmark Christian vs. KIPP Atlanta
Mt. Paran at Lake Oconee Academy
Mt. Pisgah at Haralson County
Mount Vernon at Darlington
St. Francis at George Walton Academy
Walker vs. Kendrick
Wesleyan at Commerce
Whitefield Academy vs. Savannah Christian
REGION 6
Friday, Aug. 16
Darlington vs. Mount Vernon
Haralason County vs. Mt. Pisgah
Heard County vs. Clarkston
Model vs. Sonoraville
Pepperell at Pickens
Temple vs. McNair
BYE: Bremen
REGION 7
Thursday, Aug. 15
Dade County vs. Ringgold
Friday, Aug. 16
Chattooga vs. LaFayette
Christian Heritage at Heritage-Ringgold
Fannin County at Gilmer
Gordon Central at Southeast Whitfield
Gordon Lee at Trion
BYE: Armuchee, Coosa
REGION 8
Athens Academy vs. Aquinas
Banks County at East Hall
Commerce vs. Wesleyan
Elbert County vs. Hart County
Oglethorpe County vs. Social Circle
Providence Christian at North Cobb Christian
Rabun County at White County
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