Many Georgia High School Football programs have released all or part of their football schedules for the upcoming 2026 season, and while there are some gems that fans will surely enjoy, there’s also a lot of yawners that may be due in part to the new Georgia playoff formula, known as the Post Season Ranking (PSR) formula, that goes into effect this year for all classifications.
You’ve likely heard about the new Georgia Playoff Formula that will determine playoff teams based on a seeding of the top 32 teams in each classification.
This formula, which has been used over the past two seasons to determine post season eligibility with half of the GHSA classifications, will now expand to all classifications effective this upcoming season as the old system of determining playoff teams based on region standings is out.
The exception applies to teams that win their region. Every Region champion is guaranteed to make the playoffs as a top 16 seed.
Other than that, all playoff teams will be determined by where they are seeded out of 32 eligible teams.
So, how will teams be seeded?
GHSA’s Post Season Ranking (PSR) formula will use a three-tier system that will award points for:
- A team’s winning percentage
- The winning percentage of its opponents
- The winning percentage of its opponents’ opponents
Last year, the GHSA began seeding teams as a dress rehearsal of sorts for this year’s, even though it did not factor into or determine playoff eligibility.
But, it did give football coaches and observers alike a glimpse into what teams can expect if they want to be one of their classification 32 playoff eligible teams in 2026.
Did The PSR Formula Affect Teams Planning Their 2026 Schedules?
Last season, the GHSA began seeding all teams in A D-II, 4A, 5A, and 6A, although it had no bearing on playoff eligibility.
But, it did provide us with how things may look in 2026 when it comes to how teams become eligible for the postseason.
One example from last season in particular shines an interesting light on how qualifying for the playoffs this season could look much different than the past.
The 2025 Camden County Wildcats
Camden County started last year with five straight non-region wins, including victories over four Florida programs.
However, once Camden began the region portion of their schedule, things took a turn south.
The Wildcats lost their first four region contests by an average of 21 points, giving up an average of 41 points to their region foes.
Camden would defeat Tift in the final game of the regular season, giving them a 6-4 overall record, but just 1-4 in region play.
Camden would not qualify for the playoffs.
However, because of their impressive wins to start the season, Camden was seeded #12 in Class 6A.
Not only would Camden County have made the playoffs, but the team that finished behind them, Tift County, would have been a 2025 playoff team. The Blue Devils finished as the #32 team in class 6A last year.
Interesting? You bet it is.
What Georgia High School Football Coaches are Saying about the New Playoff Formula
We spoke with a few Georgia high school coaches and a media member to get their take on the new Georgia Playoff Formula, and how it affects their outlook on the upcoming season, and beyond.
Milton Head Coach Ben Reaves
ITG Next: Coach Reaves, did the introduction of the new PSR formula affect your scheduling of teams for the 2026-2027 teams?
Reaves: “Yes it did. Historically winning the region is what mattered most. We would schedule the toughest non-region games possible in-state and nationally to forge and toughen our team before region play. Of course, you wanted to win those games, but if you didn’t, you still controlled your own playoff destiny going into region play. These tough, non-region games were also fun and entertaining for the fan bases as well.”
“With the new PSR model, you essentially have to schedule to beat the formula.”
“At the end of the day, winning matters more than anything. Due to that, there is less of an incentive to schedule tough non-region games; And, out- of- state games, as opposed to in-state games, can hurt you more than they can help you, and for some teams it’s made finding non-region games really tough because everyone just wants to find a win instead of a good matchup.”
We asked Lee County Head Football Coach Dean Fabrizio to give us his thoughts on the effects of the new PSR formula:
Fabrizio:
“ I feel the new PSR formula has devalued the importance of region play.”
“I think its made it a lot harder to put together your schedule, and I think it has incentivized coaches to schedule weaker teams and teams you know you can beat rather than challenging yourself and playing stronger teams as part of your non-region schedule.”
A representative of the outspoken high school football media site Fired Football Coaches of Georgia gave a few examples of shortcomings of the PSR formula:
“In my opinion, the new PSR has caused anyone to be wary of scheduling too many tough games at the risk of not having enough wins. So, if the PSR is going to penalize teams for playing harder games, what is the motivation?”
Fired Football Coaches also referenced the Camden situation of last year, and the lasting impact it has likely made on Georgia high school football coaches.
“Coaches will lose jobs because they don’t make the playoffs. Camden would have been a playoff team this year with the new PSR model.”
Unfortunately, former Camden coach Travis Roland was fired after Camden failed to make the postseason last year.
The theme for Georgia High School Football coaches in 2026 seems to have come down boil down to one simple fact:
Just win, baby.
Just win.
