Top 25 Georgia high school football rankings (8/28/2024)

Langston Hughes continues to climb inside the Top 10; Collins Hill shoots up to No. 6; Cartersville enters the rankings

Langston Hughes is off to a 2-0 start and has climbed to No. 4 in the latest SBlive Top 25 Georgia high school football rankings. / Jamie Spaar

Week 2 is in the books and it featured several big out-of-state games. Grayson got its season back on track with a win against Thompson (Al.) and Collins Hill continues to be one of the biggest surprises after earning another big win, this time against Woodward Academy. 

Milton handled their business against American Heritage (Fl.) and Buford avoided their first 0-2 start since the 1998 after sneaking past Benedictine at home. 

See how the rest of the state’s top teams fared below:

1. Milton (2-0)

Last Week: 1

The Eagles couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season. After taking down then No. 2 Buford in 13-10 in Week 1, they traveled south to face off against American Heritage, one of Florida’s premiere programs and won the game 37-28. That’s what a team ranked No. 1 in the state of Georgia should do.

2. Carrollton (2-0)

Last Week: 2

The Trojans slid into the No. 2 spot last week following Buford’s loss to Milton and they remain there for a second straight week after cruising past Columbia 35-7. Much like the Eagles, the Trojans are extremely well-coached and have weapons galore on both sides of the ball.

3. Douglas County (2-0)

Last Week: 3

The Tigers improved to 2-0 on the season with a blowout win against Jonesboro, but now is where their schedule gets challenging. They will start a three-game stretch against Newton, Langston Hughes and Buford, three games that should tell us everything we need to know about the Tigers this season. 

4. Langston Hughes (2-0)

Last Week: 5

The Panthers are up one spot to No. 4 in this week’s Power 25 after improving to 2-0 with a blowout win against Mays. They’re off this Friday, which will give them two weeks to prepare for a showdown against Douglas County on Sept. 6. 

5. Thomas County Central (2-0)

Last Week: 6

The Yellow Jackets have moved into the Top 5 this week after earning a 44-14 win over Cario last Friday. Playing in south Georgia, the Yellow Jackets don’t have any flashy games on their schedule this season, but it’s a team most in the state want no part of facing.

6. Collins Hill (2-0)

Last Week: 8

If you predicted the Eagles would start off the season with wins against Grayson and Woodward Academy, you’re lying. No one predicted that start, and that’s what makes high school football in the state of Georgia great. There was zero letdown last Friday night following their upset of Grayson after they beat the War Eagles 21-14.

7. Grayson (1-1)

Last Week: 11

The Rams responded how good teams should after getting beat. They traveled to the state of Alabama and promptly beat that state’s No. 1 ranked team, Thompson 15-14 on national television with a gutsy two-point conversion in the closing seconds. Their loss to Collins Hill doesn’t look bad at all after the Eagles followed that up with another win against a great Woodward Academy team.

8. Mill Creek (2-0)

Last Week: 8

The Hawks are 2-0 to start the year after beating a solid Norcross team 21-10 on the road in Week 2. At this point in the season, No. 8 seems like the perfect spot to rank the Hawks until we see them face off against teams like Collins Hill, North Gwinnett and Buford in the coming weeks.

9. Buford (1-1)

Last Week: 4

The Wolves avoided disaster last Friday night and beat a Benedictine team that had nothing to lose and everything to gain. It took a late touchdown and a two-point conversion to pull off a 29-28 win. It was a gutsy win, but not a performance many expected to see after losing to Milton by just three points.

10. North Gwinnett (1-0)

Last Week: 7

The Bulldogs were off last week thanks to a rare Week 2 bye, but it comes at a good time. They are set to travel down to Norman Park to face off against Colquitt County in what should be a terrific Week 3 non-region matchup. Will the Bulldogs prove they are a Top 10 team? Or will one of south Georgia’s best humble them? We shall find out.

11. Valdosta (2-0)

Last Week: 9

The Wildcats are on the outside looking in of the Top 10 after cruising to another easy win, this time against Mundy’s Mill 55-22. We won’t see them get a true test for a few more weeks, but we will find out soon enough about the Wildcats.

12. Lee County (2-0)

Last Week: 13

The Trojans looked dominant again in Week 2 after dismantling Hapeville Charter 66-6. They will get a crack at Colquitt County on Sept. 13 which will be a great measuring stick for them to see just what they’re capable of in 2024.

13. Gainesville (2-0)

Last Week: 14

The Red Elephants improved to 2-0 on the season after beating Moody (Al) 31-7 last Thursday night. It was a quality win and a tune up for what will be an exciting finish to their non-region schedule. They will face Westlake on the road this Friday, and will then get a crack at Carrollton on Sept. 13 following a bye.

14. Colquitt County (2-0)

Last Week: 16

The jury is still out on the Packers, who came into the season with a lot of unknowns. They’ve passed with flying colors through two games, but have yet to get a true test. That will change on Friday when they host North Gwinnett, a game they could easily win given it being a home game. A win against the Bulldogs would continue their ascent up the rankings.

15. Woodward Academy (0-2)

Last Week: 15

The War Eagles have yet to win a game, but we’re not holding that against them in the last. They’ve easily had one of the toughest roads to start the season after opening up with a 10-point loss to Carrollton, and then following that up with a 7-point loss to Collins Hill.

16. Camden County (2-0)

Last Week: 18

The Wildcats followed up their meh Week 1 win over Brunswick with a 60-15 drubbing of East Lake (Fl) in Week 2. First-year head coach Tarvis Roland has loaded up their non-region schedule against teams from Florida, the state in which he last coached. They won’t face a team from Georgia again until Valdosta on Sept. 27.

17. Coffee (2-0)

Last Week: 19

The Trojans are no strangers to playing in tight games against Ware County, a team they’re 30-22 against all-time. They gutted out a hard-fought 20-16 win over the Gators last week to improve to 2-0 on the season.

18. Norcross (1-1)

Last Week: 17

The Blue Devils on paper weren’t supposed to beat Mill Creek last week and they didn’t. However, it was a competitive game, and a 21-10 loss isn’t a terrible loss against one of the state’s Top 5 teams over the past two years.

19. Houston County (2-0)

Last Week: 12

The Bears got a Week 2 scare against Effingham County, a game in which they eked out a 44-41 win. The schedule won’t get any easier for them, either with Perry hosting the Bears this Friday and Warner Robins waiting the following week.

20. Roswell (1-0)

Last Week: 21

The Hornets were off last week after beating Peachtree Ridge in Week 1. They are back in action this Friday for a big game against Walton.

21. Rome (0-0)

Last Week: 21

The wait for the Wolves is finally over. After having to cancel their Week 1 Corky Kell game, and then sitting through a bye week last week, the Wolves are ready to kick off their season on the road at Carrollton. Will they have some rust, or will they start off their season hot against the state’s No. 2 team? We’ll soon find out.

22. Eastside (2-0)

Last Week: 23

The Eagles didn’t have a letdown in Week 2 after upsetting cross-town rival Newton in Week 1. They traveled down to Hiram and won the game easily, 48-21 to improve to 2-0 on the season. They’ll get Alcovy this week, a team they should beat big.

23. Perry (2-0)

Last Week: 22

The Panthers got a great test from Peach County last Friday night before ultimately winning the game 49-39. Their high-powered offense will now get a crack at Houston County this Friday at home, one of only two teams to beat them last season. This game has the makings of being a shootout.

24. Marist (1-0)

Last Week: 24

The War Eagles were off last week and will now look to add insult to injury to Woodward Academy, who have already suffered two losses to Carrollton and Collins Hill to start the season. Can the War Eagles hand them a third loss and improve to 2-0 on the season?

25. Cartersville (2-0)

Last Week: Not ranked

The Purple Hurricanes made quick work of last year’s Class 2A state runner-ups Rockmart last Friday, beating them 35-6. They improved to 2-0 on the season and have now out-scored their two opponents 75-6.