The preseason rankings have been released, and it’s worth exploring where Cedar Grove, the defending 3A champion, begins the season.
Four of the top-five teams in the class were ranked in Class 5A or Class 4A last season, and the defending champs aren’t one of them.
Jefferson moved down after a Class 5A semifinals run last season and enters the season ranked at the top of the 3A poll. The Dragons travel to Class 4A No. 3 Marist on Friday for a ranked matchup against a team from a higher class.
Jefferson was undefeated in the regular season in 2023 before losing to Creekside 28-17 in the semis. Entering Travis Noland’s third year at the helm, the Dragons lead a talented classification featuring new matchups and old rivalries.
Sandy Creek is ranked No. 2 and is the only returning 3A team ranked in the top 5, with No. 1 Jefferson (5A), No. 3 LaGrange (4A), No. 4 Calhoun (5A) and No. 5 Bainbridge (4A) all new additions.
Here’s a look at the top-10:
-- No. 2 Sandy Creek: The Patriots will play at home against Class 6A East Coweta at 8 p.m. Friday. Sandy Creek will factor in a new Region 2 with No. 3 LaGrange, No. 6 Mary Persons and No. 10 Troup.
-- No. 3 LaGrange: It’s a Corky Kell kind of start for the Grangers, who’ll lead off the entire high school football season Wednesday, taking on No. 8 Douglass in the first game of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic at Kell High.
-- No. 4 Calhoun: The storied Yellow Jackets are another team to drop down two classes, but after missing the 5A playoffs last season for the first time since 1999, Calhoun’s eyeing a deep 3A playoff run. The Yellow Jackets are in Region 7 with familiar foes Adairsville, Gilmer, LaFayette, Ridgeland and Northwest Whitfield. Calhoun travels to Class 5A Creekview for the season-opener Friday.
-- No. 5 Bainbridge: Bainbridge enters the classification after a second-round exit last season in the Class 4A playoffs. Jay Walls takes over the Bearcats this season after coaching at Tift County from 2006-2011. Bainbridge will play host to Coffee on Friday in the opener.
-- No. 6 Mary Persons: The Bulldogs lost out to Cedar Grove, the eventual champion, last season in the quarterfinals (28-14) and were left wanting more. But they’ll have to wait one more week to travel to Jackson for the team’s opener.
-- No. 7 Lumpkin County: Last year’s undefeated regular season marked the first in program history, but then came a quarterfinals exit after a 42-21 loss to Savannah Chrisitan. Lumpkin will travel to Cherokee Bluff on Friday for the opener.
-- No. 8 Douglass: The Astros open the season with a top-10 matchup against No. 3 LaGrange Wednesday at Kell. For the first time in a long time, Douglass is ranked ahead of its Region 5-3A rival, defending champion Cedar Grove.
-- No. 9 Cedar Grove: The Saints open the season Saturday in the finale of the Kell-Hunter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium against Class 6A No. 4 Douglas County. Cedar Grove lost key players to graduation, and this is a big test on a $2 billion stage.
-- No. 10 Troup: The Tigers dropped down from Class 4A after losing in the second round of the playoffs to Spalding.
It’s noteworthy that Classes 3A-A private school teams are ranked in their own top-10 because they will compete in their own bracket when the playoffs begin. The field will be selected with a power rankings system.
There are four Class 3A teams ranked in the Class 3A-A poll -- No. 5 Trinity Christian, No. 6 Calvary Day, No. 7 Greater Atlanta Christian and No. 9 Aquinas.
Class 3A preseason top-10
1. Jefferson
2. Sandy Creek
3. LaGrange
4. Calhoun
5. Bainbridge
6. Mary Persons
7. Lumpkin County
8. Douglass
9. Cedar Grove
10. Troup
Class 3A-A private top-10
1. Prince Avenue Christian
2. Savannah Christian
3. Hebron Christian
4. Fellowship Christian
5. Trinity Christian (Class 3A)
6. Calvary Day (Class 3A)
7. Greater Atlanta Christian (Class 3A)
8. Wesleyan
9. Aquinas (Class 3A)
10. North Cobb Christian
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