Top 10 Georgia High School Football Teams in Class 6A
Preseason – Updated 7/31/2026
Here are ITG Next’s 2026 Georgia high school football preseason rankings for Class 6A.
1. Thomas County Central
Thomas County Central will start the season looking to defend their state championship. The Yellow Jackets put the exclamation point on an undefeated 2025 season with a 41-point rout over the Gainesville Red Elephants in the GHSA state finals.
The Yellow Jackets will be tested right out of the gate as they host Class 7A powerhouse Colquitt County at the Jackets Nest.
TCC head coach Justin Rogers has two quarterbacks who have been approved to play in the 2026 season. Senior quarterback Aidan McPherson, who transferred from Rome in the offseason, and junior Roland Waldrop have looked very sharp this offseason, with both players showing their skills at a multi-team OTA hosted by the Yellow Jackets in their new indoor practice facility.
The quarterbacks are just part of the talent that will make TCC the favorite to win it all once again this season in a deep region and in what is arguably the toughest class in the state.
2. Milton
Ben Reaves lost his starting quarterback Derrick Baker in last year’s season opener at Buford, and that set the tone for what would be a bit of a down year compared to Milton standards. But Baker is back and healthy and is just one of a handful of big-time recruits who will have Milton back in the mix for a deep run in Class 6A this season.
- Lee County
Dean Fabrizio will have one of his most talented teams in recent seasons as Lee County takes the field in 2026. The offense includes two of the best at their position in wide receiver Jaden Upshaw and tight end Carter Blackwell, while the defense will have an elite set of defensive backs including Alex “Champ” Brown, Trey Bush, and ITG Next No. 1 ranked cornerback Montravious Clay. All are Class of 2028 and hold multiple Power Four offers.
4. Creekside
Creekside won the Class 4A state championship last year, but the Seminoles of head coach Maurice Dixon have moved up to Class 6A for the 2026 season, and regardless of classification, they’ll be tough to handle once again after running the table with a 15-0 season in 2025.
5. Roswell
JT Thompson’s debut season as Roswell’s head coach was a major success as he led the Hornets to the Class 5A semifinals and a 12-2 season, including winning the loaded Region 7-5A with an undefeated 6-0 mark that included wins over Gainesville and Milton.
He’ll have to replace quarterback Trey Smith, running back Nick Peal, and wide receiver Wills Campbell, but Dre Cousey will be back, and transfer Pierson Degala has arrived from Walton to take over for Smith at quarterback. Expect the Hornets to make another run in Class 6A in 2026.
6. Houston County
Jeremy Edwards and the Houston County Bears have many playmakers on both sides of the ball that will make the team on Highway 96 a top program in Class 6A this year. That includes quarterback Ryan Maxwell, running back Austin Stinson, and ITG Next top 10 tight end Joshua Pettigrew.
7. Gainesville
Gainesville’s offense will feature a pair of the state’s top offensive threats in ITG Next top 10 quarterback Kharim Hughley, who is back for a third straight season as the Red Elephants’ starter, as well as ITG Next top 10 running back Nigel Newkirk.
8. Jackson County
Jackson County turned heads last season with their 11-2 season, which included an upset of the Milton Eagles in the playoffs. The Panthers have added Ben Musser, a back-to-back ITG Next top 10 quarterback selection, from Prince Avenue Christian.
They’ll have top running back Daylan Maxwell back as well as defensive standout Noah Bade, who along with 121 tackles had three blocked punts last season.
9. Coffee
Coffee and head coach Mike Coe will be back after a year of developing some of their younger talent in 2025. Returning to make Coffee a team to watch this year will be ITG Next’s 2026 Coffee High School Male Athlete of the Year, Kadrien Wooten. He is an especially vicious defender who will be one of the primary leaders on that side of the ball, along with up-and-coming running back Bobby Reynolds on offense. Returning 2025 sack leader and Coastal Carolina commit Jasiah McRae is back along with Savannah State-bound wide receiver Tre Smith.
10. Woodward Academy
Woodward Academy will return quarterback Ryan Harrigan, who threw for 2,074 yards and 28 touchdowns last season with just one interception. He also had three rushing touchdowns. Harrigan has recently committed to UNC Charlotte.
