High school football in Tennessee isn't just a game. It’s basically a religion with better snacks. If you’ve ever stood on a freezing metal bleacher in Alcoa or Maryville on a Friday night, you know exactly what I’m talking about. People get weirdly intense about it.
Honestly, trying to figure out the tennessee high school football rankings at the end of a season is like trying to solve a Rubik's cube while someone's screaming "Rocky Top" in your ear. It’s chaotic. You have different classes, private vs. public debates, and that one uncle who swears his 1994 team was the best ever.
But now that the 2025 dust has settled, we actually have some cold, hard data.
The Absolute Giants of 2025
If you follow this stuff, you know the name Baylor. They didn't just win; they looked like a college team playing against middle schoolers half the time. Finishing 12-0 and taking down Brentwood Academy 28-24 in a nail-biter for the Division II-AAA title? That’s legendary.
Most people look at the rankings and just see the wins. They miss the "strength of schedule" factor. Baylor played a gauntlet. Meanwhile, over in Class 6A, Oakland just keeps doing Oakland things. They went 15-0. Think about that. Fifteen games, zero losses, and a 62-21 blowout over Ravenwood to seal the deal.
Kevin Creasy, the head coach at Oakland, is basically a cheat code at this point. Since 2017, the guy has like six state titles. It’s getting ridiculous.
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Why the Small Schools Matter
Don't sleep on the 1A or 2A guys. South Pittsburg is a powerhouse. Period. They rolled McKenzie 42-14 to grab their eighth title. Wes Stone has turned that program into a buzzsaw.
Then you’ve got Westview. They put up 62 points in a state championship game against Gatlinburg-Pittman. Their sophomore QB, Graham Simpson, threw for over 500 yards in a single game. In a final! That’s video game stuff.
Tennessee High School Football Rankings: The Reality Check
Kinda funny how everyone argues over who's "Number 1" overall. Is it Baylor? Is it Oakland?
If we’re looking at the final 2025 numbers, here is how the top of the mountain actually looked across the board:
- Baylor School: The undisputed kings of the private school sector.
- Oakland: The public school standard-bearer. 15-0 speaks for itself.
- Brentwood Academy: Only one loss, and it was to Baylor.
- McCallie: Always in the mix, finished strong despite a few early hiccups.
- Page: Finally! They’d lost four straight finals before beating Sevier County 21-14.
The rankings aren't just about who has the most stars on 247Sports. It's about who survives the November rain and the December pressure.
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The Alcoa Problem
You can't talk about Tennessee football without mentioning Alcoa. They’ve won 11 straight state championships. Eleven. Most kids in that town don't even know what a playoff loss feels like. They beat Pearl-Cohn 47-27 this year.
Is it fair? Some say no. But Alcoa is the gold standard of consistency. Brian Nix has picked up right where the old legends left off.
Who Is Next? Looking at 2026
Rankings change, but talent stays. The Class of 2026 is already looking top-heavy.
Jared Curtis out of Nashville Christian is the name you’re going to hear until you’re sick of it. He’s a five-star QB for a reason. Then you have Zach Groves (East Robertson) and Carson Sneed (Donelson Christian), who are basically nightmare fuel for opposing offensive coordinators.
The recruiting trail actually dictates the tennessee high school football rankings more than people admit. When a school has three D1 commits on the defensive line, they’re probably going to be in the top 10. It’s not rocket science.
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What You Should Actually Watch
If you want to know who will top the rankings next year, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Transfer Portal: Yeah, it’s hit high school too. Kids move. A lot.
- Quarterback Development: Look at Westview. One great sophomore QB changed their entire trajectory.
- The Middle Tennessee Surge: The Nashville suburbs (Page, Ravenwood, Brentwood) are producing an insane amount of depth right now.
Forget the "preseason polls." They’re usually wrong. Last year, several "Top 5" teams didn't even make it past the second round of the playoffs.
Go to a game. Buy a program. Watch the lines, not just the guys with the ball. That’s where the real rankings are decided.
To stay ahead of the curve for the 2026 season, start tracking the returning starters at schools like Page and Maryville. They lost a lot of seniors, which usually means the rankings will be wide open by August. Check the TSSAA website for the new 2025-2026 classifications too, as several schools are jumping up in size, which completely changes their playoff path.