The lights have dimmed at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the 2025-2026 GHSA season is technically in the rearview mirror, but if you're looking for Georgia high school football scores from last night, you're likely seeing the ripple effects of a wild championship month. Honestly, most folks think the season ends the moment the trophies are handed out in December. That's not how it works in Georgia. Between All-American showcases and the final GIAA bracket movements, there was plenty of action.
You've probably heard the big news by now. Buford didn't just win a state title; they grabbed a national one.
The Big Winners: GHSA State Championship Scores
If you missed the final scores from the championship flurry, here is the breakdown of who actually walked away with the rings. These games define the "last night" of the competitive season for most fans.
- Class 6A: Buford 28, Carrollton 21. This was basically the national championship game. Tyriq "Ty Boogie" Green put the Wolves on his back in the second half.
- Class 5A: Thomas County Central 62, Gainesville 21. A total blowout. Coach Justin Rogers has something special going on down in Thomasville.
- Class 4A: Creekside 42, Benedictine 39. A nail-biter. Coach Maurice Dixon finally got his first title after a perfect 15-0 run.
- Class 3A: Sandy Creek 27, Jefferson 7. Amari Latimer and Caleb Hill were too much for the Dragons.
- Class 2A: Carver-Columbus 24, Hapeville Charter 7. That's a back-to-back for the Tigers.
- Class 1A Division I: Worth County 17, Toombs County 13.
- Class 1A Division II: Bowdon 35, Lincoln County 31. This is the stuff of legends—Bowdon has now won four straight state titles.
Wait. Four in a row?
Yes. Rich Fendley’s squad is officially a dynasty.
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What happened last night in GIAA and All-Star play?
While the GHSA big boys finished up at the Benz, the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA) and various All-American bowls have been keeping the turf warm into mid-January. If you're checking the scores from this weekend, specifically January 17th and 18th, you’re looking at the tail end of the post-season circuit.
Basically, the "scores" now shift to individual wins. We just saw the UA Next All-America Game and the Navy All-American Bowl wrap up their festivities. These aren't your typical Friday night lights, but for Georgia prospects like those from Grayson and Milton, these "scores" determine their draft stock for the next level.
South Georgia also saw some late-season action in the private sectors.
East Forsyth recently took down Forsyth Central 19-15, and East Hall handled Banks County 42-21 in late-season matchups that some smaller regions use for developmental or bowl-style exhibition.
Why the rankings look different today
A lot of people get confused by the final "Top 25." How does an undefeated team like Creekside (15-0) rank behind Carrollton (14-1)? It's about the "strength of schedule" (SOS).
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Buford finished the season as the undisputed No. 1 because they played a schedule that would make some college teams sweat. They faced national powerhouses and came out 15-0. Carrollton's only loss was that seven-point heartbreaker to the Wolves. That keeps them at No. 2, ahead of other undefeated teams like Sandy Creek or Thomas County Central.
Georgia football is deep. Really deep.
There were five teams that finished 15-0 this year:
- Buford (6A)
- Thomas County Central (5A)
- Creekside (4A)
- Carver-Columbus (2A)
- Sandy Creek (3A)
High School Football Scores: The "Hidden" January Games
Most fans don't realize that January 16th and 17th are actually huge for recruiting "scores." While the team scoreboards are mostly dark, the individual stats from the All-American Bowl (published Jan 13) and the UA Next game (Jan 14) are what coaches are looking at right now.
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Keyon Standifer from Athens Academy and Ty Cummings from West Laurens finished the season with numbers that look like video game stats. Cummings had 2,615 rushing yards. That's not a typo.
Actionable Steps for Georgia Football Fans
The season might be over on the field, but the cycle never stops. If you want to stay ahead of the curve for the 2026 season kickoff, here is what you need to do:
Track the Transfer Portal: It isn't just for colleges anymore. Keep an eye on where top players from underperforming programs head this spring.
Follow the GHSA Reclassification: Every two years, the regions change. This drastically affects who plays who. If your favorite team just got moved into a region with Buford or Grayson, the "scores from last night" are going to look very different next year.
Check Junior All-American Rosters: MaxPreps just released the Junior All-America Team. These are the names that will be lighting up the scoreboards this coming August.
Watch the Coaching Carousel: Several big programs are looking for new leadership after the December finishes. A new coordinator at a place like Valdosta or Lowndes can change a team's scoring output by two touchdowns a game.