LIST
LIST

43 football teams that have moved up in class, including two 2025 champs

Creekside and Worth County are reigning state champions, but they’ll be playing in higher classes this season.
Creekside wide receiver Armani Hill (right) makes a catch while Kell defensive back Robert Tyson Jr. tries to intercept during the Class 4A semifinals last season. Both teams are playing in a higher class this season. (Oscar Guevara Saenz for the AJC)

Credit: Oscar Guevara Saenz

Credit: Oscar Guevara Saenz

Creekside wide receiver Armani Hill (right) makes a catch while Kell defensive back Robert Tyson Jr. tries to intercept during the Class 4A semifinals last season. Both teams are playing in a higher class this season. (Oscar Guevara Saenz for the AJC)
By
Aug 12, 2026

Schools moving up

Forty-three football-playing schools are playing up in class this season. Those include 2025 Class 4A champion Creekside and A Division I champion Worth County. This list accounts for the GHSA’s renaming of the classes. GHSA classes are now 7A through A instead of 6A through A Division II. For example, Creekside is now in 6A, up from 4A, effectively only a one-class jump from the third-highest to the second-highest class.

Explore10 storylines to watch as 2026 GHSA football season approaches

Class 7A

  • Kennesaw Mountain
  • Northgate
  • Seckinger

Class 6A

  • Cedar Shoals
  • Creekside
  • Hiram
  • Kell
  • Midtown
  • Northside (Columbus)
  • Walnut Grove

Class 5A

  • Groves
  • Jefferson
  • Jenkins
  • Johnson (Gainesville)
  • LaGrange
  • Richmond Academy
  • Whitewater

Class 4A

  • Columbus
  • East Jackson
  • Hardaway
  • Salem
  • Shaw
  • Spencer
  • Westside (Macon)

Class 3A

  • Brantley County
  • Central (Macon)
  • Elbert County
  • Haralson County
  • Lamar County
  • McNair
  • Northeast
  • Southwest
  • Temple
  • Toombs County
  • Towers
  • Washington County
  • Worth County

Class 2A

  • Brooks County
  • Bryan County
  • Metter
  • Mount Zion (Carroll)
  • Savannah
  • Screven County

About the Author

Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.

More Stories

Keep Reading

Sprayberry defensive back Jorden Edmonds (right) breaks up a pass during a 2025 playoff game. Sprayberry was playing in Class 5A, the second from the top, last season. Class 5A is now third-highest classification, meaning Sprayberry effectively moved down in class. (Jason Getz/AJC 2025)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

AJC VARSITY

The 45 GHSA football teams that moved down in class averaged 3.1 wins

Forty-five Georgia high school football teams are playing down in classification from the previous cycle.

AJC Varsity GIAA preseason all-state: UGA commit not only D-I prospect here

GIAA preseason all-state pick Asa Wall of John Milledge Academy is committed to the Bulldogs, and Stratford Academy puts four on the AJC Varsity's preseason team.

AJC Varsity Class 2A preseason all-state: Underrated RB among selections

Class 2A teams with three preseason all-state picks are Bremen, Dodge County, Fitzgerald and Thomasville.

The Latest

Roswell assistant coach Justin Houston, a former Georgia and NFL star, walks on the field before Roswell’s game against Walton on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, in the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Roswell won 32-20. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz/AJC

UGA football great enjoying 1st coaching experience, ‘expanding the toolbox’

Nephew of Georgia great details how ‘stars aligned’ for commitment to Florida

AJC VARSITY

Fresh off region title, Roswell takes statement comeback win: ‘We’re coming’

Featured

A notice about a Flock license plate reader is shown in a Brookhaven subdivision. Atlanta police said department leaders are conducting an internal audit of its officers' use of the technology. (Casey Sykes for the AJC 2019)

Credit: Casey Sykes

Amid growing scrutiny, Atlanta police look to root out Flock misuse

Mayor Andre Dickens orders ‘comprehensive review’ of city’s Flock surveillance system, policies.

‘Courageous’ teacher, deputy saved student shot in leg at Georgia high school

A shooting at Warner Robins High School in Georgia that left a ninth grader with a bullet wound to the leg may have been prompted by a dispute over a vaping device.

Pilots allege Delta didn’t pay for short-term military leave in lawsuit

The plaintiffs allege the Atlanta-based carrier violated a federal law protecting the job rights of military service members.