GIAA Releases Football Playoff Bracket

The Georgia Interscholastic Athletic Association published its state football playoff bracket, with Stratford and Windsor earning top seeds in their classifications.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Football

The GIAA released its state football playoff bracket, with Stratford holding the top seed in Class 4A and Windsor the top seed in Class A. Tattnall, ranked No. 9, missed the eight-team Class 4A field after a Friday loss to Stratford.

Why it matters

Only 28 of 44 eligible teams, or 63.6 percent, made this year's playoffs, down from 70 percent two years ago. The bracket shows how tightly the state's rating rankings determine who advances.

Tattnall's rating fell from 36.68 to 34.71 after its loss, while George Walton's rose from 34.53 to 35.50, shifting their positions in the state rankings. Mount de Sales finished 11th at 25.88, the closest team outside the field.

The players

Georgia Interscholastic Athletic Association (GIAA)

The GIAA is the governing body that organizes and administers interscholastic athletic competition, including high school football, across Georgia.

MaxPreps

MaxPreps is a national high school sports website that publishes team rankings and ratings widely used to compare teams across states.

The details

The GIAA splits teams into classifications from the regular season through the playoffs, and Class A has only four eligible teams, so top seed Windsor plays winless Robert Toombs. The first round of playoffs begins Friday, with the Class AAA championship on November 20 and the Class A, AA, and 3A championships on November 21, all hosted at Georgia Southern.

Nov. 1, 2026: Tattnall loses to Stratford.
Friday: First round of the state playoffs begins.
Nov. 20, 2026: Class AAA championship game.
Nov. 21, 2026: Class A, AA, and 3A championship games.

Season Trajectory

The bracket is built on MaxPreps ratings, so a single loss can move a team's standing enough to cost it a playoff spot. Tattnall's drop from 36.68 to 34.71 shows how quickly that math can reshape the field.

Fantasy and recruiting watchers should note that Tattnall's rating drop and George Walton's gain change which teams face each other in the first round. Fans planning to attend the championships at Georgia Southern can expect the finals to be held there on November 20 and 21.

The takeaway

Playoff access in Georgia now depends on rating movement as much as on wins, so a single late-season result can decide a team's season. Watch the first-round matchups closely if your school is near the cutoff.

What happens next

The first round of the state playoffs begins Friday, followed by the Class AAA championship on November 20 and the Class A, AA, and 3A championships on November 21 at Georgia Southern.