The lights are off at Neyland, but the conversation in the local diners from Halls to Farragut hasn't cooled down one bit. Honestly, if you’re looking for knoxville hs football scores right now, you’re looking at the rearview mirror of one of the most chaotic, travel-heavy, and high-stakes postseasons we’ve seen in East Tennessee in a decade.
Football here isn't just a game. It's basically a civic duty.
By the time the final whistles blew in Chattanooga this past December, the landscape of Knoxville football had shifted. We saw perennial powerhouses like Alcoa continue their reign, while others, like Knoxville West and Sevier County, found out just how thin the margin for error is when you’re playing for a state title. It was a season of long bus rides and even longer memories.
The Playoff Bracket That Changed Everything
The biggest story of the 2025 postseason wasn't just the talent on the field. It was the TSSAA’s decision to shuffle the deck. For years, teams in Regions 1 and 2—that’s our neck of the woods—played each other early. You’d see a Knoxville team play a Maryville team in the second round. It was local. It was easy on the gas budget.
But this year? Everything changed.
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The TSSAA decided to pit Region 1 and 2 against Regions 3 and 4 early in the bracket. Basically, they wanted to stop local teams from knocking each other out too soon. The result was a logistical nightmare for coaches but a fascinating experiment for fans.
Knoxville Central, a team that usually stays within a 40-mile radius during the playoffs, found themselves trekking over 200 miles to Columbia Central. Coach Kevin Lane didn’t mince words about it; it was a grind. Oliver Springs had it even weirder. They could have driven six miles to play Coalfield. Instead, they hauled the bus 140 miles down to South Pittsburg.
Key Scores from the 5A and 6A Gauntlet
If you were tracking the knoxville hs football scores during the Quarterfinals and Semifinals, you saw some absolute heartbreakers.
- Knoxville Halls 28, Knoxville Central 21: This was a classic. Halls managed to stifle Central’s explosive offense in a game that felt more like a November mud-fight than a modern track meet.
- Powell 37, Lincoln County 39: One of the most painful losses of the year. Powell has been a juggernaut recently, but a two-point conversion failure late in the game ended their run prematurely.
- Bearden vs. West: This rivalry is always a coin flip. In the regular season, Bearden took it in a triple-overtime thriller. By the playoffs, West was a different animal, but they ultimately fell to Sevier County 34-9 in the opening round, a score that shocked a lot of folks in West Knoxville.
Championship Weekend: The Final Results
When the dust settled at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, the Knoxville area represented well, even if we didn't sweep the trophies.
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Alcoa did what Alcoa does. They dismantled Pearl-Cohn with a 47-27 victory to secure yet another Class 4A title. It’s getting to the point where they might need a bigger trophy case or a larger school. The way they execute on special teams is just... it's a different level.
In Class 5A, Sevier County came agonizingly close. They faced a powerhouse in Page High School. It was a 21-14 defensive struggle. Sevier County had the ball late, but Page’s defense stood tall. Watching Cooper Newman lead that offense all year was a treat, and even in a loss, that Smoky Bear team proved they belong in the elite conversation.
Meanwhile, Gatlinburg-Pittman ran into a buzzsaw. They faced Westview in the 3A final and got tagged 62-21. It was a tough end to a 14-1 season, but that G-P team was the talk of the mountains for three months straight.
What Most People Get Wrong About Knoxville Football
You’ll hear people say that the private schools like Webb or Knoxville Catholic have an unfair advantage. Kinda. But if you look at the 2025 scores, the public schools are the ones bringing the most drama.
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Take Maryville. For the first time in what feels like forever, they underwent a massive coaching shift. Derek Hunt stepped down to focus on family—a move everyone respects—and Kenny Cobble took the reins. They still had a deep run, eventually falling to Blackman 31-7 in the playoffs, but the "culture of winning" didn't vanish. It just evolved.
Also, don't sleep on the "small" schools. Coalfield and Oliver Springs are the heartbeat of the rural Knoxville area. Coalfield’s 40-7 win over Sale Creek in the playoffs showed that they are still a factory for tough, hard-nosed linemen who don't care about your 40-yard dash time.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The TSSAA Board of Control met just a few days ago, on January 15, 2026, in Mt. Juliet. The big news? They’re keeping the current playoff bracket format for one more year.
That means Knoxville teams better keep their gas tanks full. We’re going to see more of those cross-state matchups in the second round. Is it fair? Some coaches hate it because of the travel costs. But from a fan’s perspective, seeing a Knoxville team go into Middle Tennessee and steal a win is pretty sweet.
Actionable Steps for the Off-Season
- Watch the Transfer Portal: No, it’s not just for the Vols. High school transfers in the Knoxville area usually spike in February and March. Keep an eye on the 6A rosters.
- Spring Practice Dates: Most Knoxville schools start their spring ball in late April. That’s the first time you’ll see the new QB1s for teams like Farragut and Bearden.
- Check the RPI: The TSSAA is talking about moving to an RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) system for basketball seeding, and football isn't far behind. Start familiarizing yourself with strength of schedule; it’s going to matter more than just your win-loss record.
- Support Local Boosters: Those long playoff trips we talked about? They cost a fortune. If you want your local team to have the resources to win, get involved with the booster club now, not in August.
Knoxville high school football is in a transition phase, moving from local rivalries to a more statewide competitive model. While the scores from last season are etched in the books, the shift in how those games are scheduled is just beginning.