St. John Paul II Forfeits Playoff Game
The winless Double-A team will not play its first-round AHSAA playoff matchup against Briarwood Christian, citing player safety.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Football
St. John Paul II, which finished the season 0-10, has notified Briarwood Christian it will forfeit their scheduled Friday first-round AHSAA Double-A playoff game. The school cited player safety after injuries reduced its roster.
Why it matters
The forfeit leaves St. John Paul II as the first winless team to reach the AHSAA postseason since Gaylesville in 1990, and it raises questions about roster depth for schools competing in the state's new separated playoff system. Alabama high school football fans are watching how the first year of public and private school postseason separation plays out.
St. John Paul II's roster fell from 22 players before its Danville game to a projected 16 for the playoff game, against Briarwood Christian's 11-0 record and No. 1 Double-A ranking. Each of the 16 Double-A teams qualified for the playoffs, and the outcome of any AHSAA review remains unstated.
The players
St. John Paul II
A Catholic private school in Alabama whose football team finished winless at 0-10 and forfeited its first-round AHSAA Double-A playoff game.
Briarwood Christian School
A private school in Birmingham whose football team is ranked No. 1 in the AHSAA Double-A division and advanced by forfeit.
The details
St. John Paul II notified Briarwood Christian that it would forfeit the scheduled Friday game, with the school citing the priority of its student athletes' safety and well-being. Briarwood Christian, which defeated St. John Paul II 56-7 on Oct. 1, will instead advance to the second round to face the winner of Randolph and John Carroll on Nov. 13.
Timeline
Oct. 1: Briarwood Christian defeated St. John Paul II 56-7.
Oct. 9: Briarwood Christian defeated John Carroll 48-0.
Oct. 16: Briarwood Christian defeated Randolph 49-14.
Friday, Nov. 6 (approximate): Scheduled first-round playoff game forfeited.
Nov. 13: Briarwood Christian scheduled to play the second round.
Season Trajectory
The forfeit comes in the first year of the AHSAA's separated public and private school postseason, in which all 16 Double-A teams qualified for the playoffs. St. John Paul II is the first winless team to reach the AHSAA postseason since Gaylesville in 1990, placing it in a rare position within Alabama's playoff history.
Briarwood Christian advances to the second round without playing, which leaves its 11-0 record and playoff schedule unchanged for Nov. 13. For fantasy and bracket watchers, the forfeit removes the scheduled first-round matchup from the Double-A bracket.
The takeaway
The forfeit shows how roster shortages from injuries can override a team's postseason standing, a factor that could shape how other programs plan depth under the AHSAA's new format.
What happens next
Briarwood Christian is scheduled to play the winner of Randolph and John Carroll in the second round on Nov. 13.
Further reading
Explore more Alabama high school football coverage for context on the state's playoff picture.
