615 Preps Week 1 Area Rankings: Let the arguments begin
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We’ve made it. Week 1 is upon us, and no more scrimmages, jamborees or 7-on-7 to try and figure out who the area’s top teams are heading into the 2026 TSSAA high school football season.
The 615 Preps staff has put together a list of the top 10 large, medium, and small class teams in our coverage area. Large Class teams include the 30 Class 6A and Division II-AAA teams in our coverage area. Medium Class teams include 5A, 4A, and Division II-AA, totaling 24 squads. Small Class teams include 3A, 2A, 1A, and Division II-A, which contain 29 teams.
Large Class
- Brentwood Academy: The Eagles enter 2026 looking to avenge their lone loss in last year’s championship game and they get an immediate chance to do so, traveling to Baylor on Thursday to kick things off.
- Oakland: Pats fans might not like being second, but they get to stake their claim to No. 1 on Saturday when they travel to CPA. But don’t ask them what happened the last time they went there.
- Riverdale: The gap to Oakland is smaller than it has been in some time. The Warriors got an influx of transfer talent to an already-talented group, and it has generated a lot of buzz. They’ll begin 2026 on the road Saturday at Knoxville Catholic.
- Ravenwood: Another massive senior class has eyes on a trip to Chattanooga, starting with a visit from Madison Ridgeland Academy on Friday.
- CPA: The Lions learned a lot from their first season in Division II-Class AAA in 2025, and their first assignment in 2026 is a top-five matchup with Oakland.
Rest of the top 10
6. Blackman
7. MBA
8. Lipscomb Academy
9. Lebanon
10. Antioch
Waiting in the wings: Brentwood, Green Hill
Medium Class
- BGA: There’s a new quarterback leading the offense, but the firepower is still very much there as the Wildcats look to run it back in 2026.
- FRA: Much like Ravenwood, the Panthers came back from Chattanooga with black eyes in last year’s championship weekend. However, most of their key players are back looking to take that final step.
- Page: Rudderville finally gets to raise a state championship banner, but the Patriots must push the reset button as they’ll get everyone’s best shot this year.
- Pearl-Cohn: The Firebirds didn’t like getting silver in 2025, and they might be a stronger unit this time around.
- Springfield: To think, Jermaine Cobbins still gets two more years at this level to improve, and don’t sleep on Kason Woodson as one of the area’s top quarterbacks.
Rest of the top 10
6. Beech
7. Station Camp
8. Nolensville
9. Macon County
10. Centennial
Waiting in the wings: Goodpasture
Small Class
- Nashville Christian: Tate Mathis gets his shot to lead the Eagles’ offense coming off one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory.
- Friendship Christian: The best competition for NCS may come from Lebanon as the Commanders have attracted some talented reinforcements.
- East Nashville: It was an up-and-down year for the Eagles in 2025, and they’re aiming to have more ups than downs this time around.
- East Robertson: East Robertson’s season has ended against the eventual state champion in the playoffs each of the last four years. New head coach Chris Keylon would love nothing more than to be the last one standing in Class 2A this time around.
- Gordonsville: The Tigers have made the playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons and won at least one playoff game in nine of them. Can they build off that consistency and make a deeper run?
Rest of the top 10
6. Whites Creek
7. Providence Christian
8. White House Heritage
9. Fairview
10. MTCS
Waiting in the wings: DCA, Franklin Christian, Westmoreland
