Buford remains the highest-rated Georgia team in eight polls and Carrollton is the highest in another as there was little movement among the top Georgia teams in the national rankings after Week 4 of the high school football season.

Buford, the consensus defending national champion, is ranked in the top five of eight of the nine polls considered by AJC Varsity. The exception is the Massey Ratings, which has the Wolves at No. 7, five spots behind No. 2 Carrollton. The Trojans, who lost to the Wolves in last year’s Class 6A championship game, are ranked in the top 17 of all nine polls.

Thomas County Central is in the top 20 in eight polls and is No. 30 in the Sport Idol Nation top 100. Lee County, North Gwinnett and Newton also received top-25 recognition.

Five new Georgia teams moved into the top 100 of the Massey Ratings, giving the state a season-high 22. The new teams in the top 100 are No. 73 Milton, No. 81 Gainesville, No. 92 North Cobb, No. 98 East Paulding and No. 100 Archer.

Here is where Georgia teams stand in several national polls. The numbers on the left are this week’s rankings; the numbers in parentheses are last week’s rankings.

MaxPreps

(Full top 100 list)

  • 5. (5) Buford
  • 12. (14) Carrollton
  • 19. (20) Thomas County Central
  • 22. (25) Lee County
  • 38. (39) North Gwinnett
  • 43. (47) Sandy Creek
  • 45. (49) Newton
  • 49. (53) Creekside
  • 60. (67) Gainesville
  • 63. (77) Blessed Trinity
  • 65. (91) Milton
  • 71. (74) Lowndes
  • 78. (83) Valdosta
  • 83. (89) Grayson

High School Football America

(Full top 100 list)

  • 2. (2) Buford
  • 4. (4) Carrollton
  • 20. (21) Thomas County Central
  • 31. (32) Creekside
  • 52. (53) Gainesville
  • 57. (62) Newton
  • 59. (64) North Gwinnett
  • 71. (76) Sandy Creek
  • 73. (79) Lowndes
  • 81. (81) Grayson
  • 88. (87) Roswell
  • 90. (94) Valdosta
  • 92. (91) Hughes

Massey Ratings

(Full top 100 list)

  • 2. (2) Carrollton
  • 7. (6) Buford
  • 10. (9) Thomas County Central
  • 18. (18) North Gwinnett
  • 24. (28) Newton
  • 31. (39) Lee County
  • 34. (29) Sandy Creek
  • 38. (42) Grayson
  • 49. (66) Brookwood
  • 51. (62) Creekside
  • 55. (48) Valdosta
  • 62. (73) Cartersville
  • 65. (72) Hughes
  • 66. (64) Lowndes
  • 68. (78) Blessed Trinity
  • 73. (NR) Milton
  • 81. (NR) Gainesville
  • 82. (92) Marietta
  • 85. (90) Westlake
  • 92. (NR) North Cobb
  • 98. (NR) East Paulding
  • 100. (NR) Archer

Sports Idol Nation

(Full top 100 list)

  • 5. (5) Buford
  • 14. (15) Carrollton
  • 23. (23) North Gwinnett
  • 27. (29) Lee County
  • 30. (26) Thomas County Central
  • 45. (52) Creekside
  • 61. (65) Sandy Creek
  • 64. (69) Newton
  • 78. (81) Lowndes
  • 83. (86) Blessed Trinity
  • 88. (95) Grayson

Mister Football

(Composite list)

  • 4. (4) Buford
  • 6. (6) Carrollton
  • 16. (17) Thomas County Central
  • 25. (27) North Gwinnett
  • 31. (35) Lee County
  • 41. (NR) Newton

USA Today

(Full top 25 list)

  • 4. (4) Buford
  • 12. (15) Carrollton
  • 23. (25) Thomas County Central

ESPN SC Next

(Full top 25 list)

  • 2. (2) Buford
  • 4. (4) Carrollton
  • 20. (21) Thomas County Central

High School on SI

(Full top 25 list)

  • 5. (5) Buford
  • 11. (11) Carrollton
  • 18. (20) Thomas County Central

NationalHSFB.com

(Full top 25 list)

  • 4. (5) Buford
  • 16. (17) Thomas County Central
  • 17. (18) Carrollton
  • 20. (21) Lee County

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Buford's Ashton Thomas is tackled by Gainesville's Jeremiah Proctor during the first half of a high school football game between Buford and Gainesville, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, in Buford, Ga. (Erik S. Lesser for the AJC)

Credit: Erik S. Lesser for the AJC

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