MONTGOMERY – A total of 208 high school football teams earned berths in the AHSAA 58th annual State Football Playoffs which get underway next week with 28 first-round games scheduled for Thursday night, November 9. The remaining 76 games will be played Friday, November 11.
The big shift in Thursday games is mainly due to next weekend being the Veterans Day holiday weekend with many schools closing on Friday.
The first round will include 16 games in each of the first six classifications and eight in Class 7A. The state playoffs will culminate December 6-7-8 at the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium with the 2022 Super 7 State Football Championships. Also scheduled for that week will be two AHSAA Flag Football championships. The girls’ finals for 1A/5A will be at 1 p.m., on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and the 6A/7A finals at 3 p.m. The Class 7A boys’ Super 7 championship game will close out the first day’s action at the Super 7 Championships.
All seven defending state champions and 2023 state runner-up teams are among the schools vying to reach the state finals. The defending champs include Leroy (1A); Fyffe (2A); Saint James (3A); Andalusia (4A); Ramsay (5A); Saraland (6A); and four-time defending state champion Thompson (7A).
The seven runners-up from 2022 back in the playoff hunt in round one include: Pickens County (1A); B.B. Comer (2A); Piedmont (3A); Cherokee County (4A); Charles Henderson (5A); Mountain Brook (6A); and Auburn (7A).
AHSAA TV Network executive producer Vince Earley of WOTM TV announced the AHSAA TV Network/WOTM TV Game of the Week for the first round will be a Class 5A batted at Lineville featuring UMS-Wright (6-4) versus Central of Clay County (10-0). This game pits the state’s top two winningest prep coaches against each other. Terry Curtis, who became the AHSAA’s all-time leader in 2022, comes in with a 359-97 career record. Central head coach Danny Horn moved into the number two spot this season passing now retired long-time wins leader Buddy Anderson of Vestavia Hills. Horn’s career mark is 350-96-0. Combined, the two coaches had 709 wins, only 193 losses and a sterling 78.6% winning percentage. The pair also have the distinction of sharing the AHSAA state record for most stat titles coached. Each have eight.
Mark Freeman, who tied the AHSAA state coaching record (4) set by Rush Propst at Hoover (2002-2005) for consecutive state titles last season with Thompson’s 49-24 victory over Auburn in the 2022 Class 7A finals, has coached six state championship teams in the AHSAA (four at Thompson, two at Spanish Fort) and coached four at non-AHSAA team Bessemer Academy in the AISA giving him 10 state titles overall. He comes into this year’s playoffs with a 255-56 career record – 15 years in the AHSAA and 10 in the AISA.
Paul Benefield, Fyffe’s legendary Hall of Fame coach who became just the second AHSAA football coach in history to record 300 wins at one school, comes into the Class 2A playoffs with a 345-56-0 overall record and a state-leading 86.0% winning percentage for coaches with more than 400 games. He is also one win shy of tying Anderson for third-most wins in AHSAA history. Anderson, who spent his entire coaching career at Vestavia Hills, is the only other coach in state history to record 300 wins at the same school.
A second small-school Game of the Week, which will be shown on a delayed basis over the AHSAA TV Network, features B.B. Comer (10-0) and Washington County (4-6) at Sylacauga Friday night.
Approximately 75 games are expected to be aired live over the NFHS Network’s school broadcast program this week.
AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs set the official brackets Saturday morning for the first round with a meeting attended by all 208 participating schools at Alabama State University’s Abernathy Auditorium. The meeting was live-streamed over the NFHS Network and WOTM.tv with Susan Carothers, host of AHSAA TV Weekly, coordinating interviews with the coaches’ meeting and announced the pairings live. The show can be seen on a delayed basis at www.nfhs.com or www.wotm.tv
A total of 20 teams in this year’s field head into the state playoffs undefeated. Leroy (9-0) comes in with a 15-game winning streak dating back to the last game of the 2022 regular season.
Unbeaten teams entering the playoffs include: (Class 1A) Leroy (9-0); Elba (10-0); Loachapoka (9-0); (Class 2A) B.B. Comer (10-0); Reeltown (9-0); Locust Fork (10-0); (Class 3A) Mobile Christian (10-0); Lauderdale County (10-0); Madison Academy (10-0); (Class 4A) Montgomery Catholic (10-0); Jackson (9-0); West Morgan (10-0); (Class 5A) Gulf Sores (10-0); Central, Clay County (10-0); (Class 6A) Saraland (10-0); Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (10-0); Clay-Chalkville (10-0); Muscle Shoals (9-0); and (Class 7A) Mary Montgomery (10-0) and Central-Phenix City (9-0).
The first-round playoff pairings are listed.
AHSAA 2023 STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(First round games Nov. 10 unless otherwise noted; other playoff rounds
are Nov. 17, Nov. 24, Dec. 1, and Super 7 Championships at Tuscaloosa, Dec. 6-7-8)
CLASS 1A
South
R-4, No. 4: Calhoun (3-6) at R-1, No.1: Leroy (9-0)
R-3, No. 3: Keith (6-3) at R-2, No.2: Georgiana (8-1)
R-1, No. 4: Southern Choctaw (4-6) at R-4, No. 1: Loachapoka (9-0), at Beulah HS, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-2, No. 3: Brantley (6-4) at R-3, No. 2: Linden (6-2)
R-2, No. 4: Florala (7-3) at R-3, No.1: Sweet Water (8-1)
R-1, No. 3: Choctaw County (5-3) at R-4, No.2: Maplesville (6-4), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-3, No. 4: University Charter School (5-4) at R-2, No. 1: Elba (10-0)
R-4, No. 3: Notasulga (5-4) at R-1, No. 2: Millry (8-2), Thursday, Nov. 9
North
R-8, No. 4: Shoals Christian (5-5) at R-5, No.1: Lynn (9-1)
R-7, No. 3: Coosa Christian (5-5) at R-6, No.2: Spring Garden (8-2)
R-5, No. 4: Marion County (5-5) at R-8, No. 1: Hackleburg (9-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-6, No. 3: Ragland (6-4) at R-7, No. 2: Valley Head (7-3)
R-6, No. 4: Winterboro (5-5) at R-7, No.1: Decatur Heritage (9-1)
R-5, No. 3: Pickens County (7-3) at R-8, No. 2: Addison (8-2)
R-7, No. 4: Cedar Bluff (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Wadley (9-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-8, No. 3: Meek (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: South Lamar (7-3), Millport
CLASS 2A
South
R-4, No. 4: Vincent (6-4) at R-1, No.1: Clarke County (5-5), Grove Hill, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-3, No. 3: Goshen (8-2) at R-2, No.2: G.W. Long (7-3), Skipperville, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-1, No. 4: Washington County (4-6) at R-4, No. 1: B.B. Comer (10-0), Sylacauga
R-2, No. 3: Ariton (6-4) at R-3, No. 2: Highland Home (9-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-2, No. 4: Wicksburg (5-5) at R-3, No.1: Reeltown (9-0)
R-1, No. 3: Chickasaw (5-5) at R-4, No.2: Thorsby (8-2), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-3, No. 4: Luverne (7-3) at R-2, No. 1: Cottonwood (8-1)
R-4, No. 3: Isabella (8-2) at R-1, No. 2: St. Luke’s Episcopal (6-4), Mobile, Thursday, Nov. 9
North
R-8, No. 4: Red Bay (6-4) at R-5, No.1: Tuscaloosa Academy (8-2)
R-7, No. 3: Collinsville (8-2) at R-6, No.2: Southeastern (6-3), Remlap
R-5, No. 4: Lamar County (7-3) at R-8, No. 1: Tanner (7-3), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-6, No. 3: Pleasant Valley (5-5) at R-7, No. 2: Pisgah (9-1)
R-6, No. 4: West End (5-5) at R-7, No.1: Fyffe (9-1)
R-5, No. 3: Aliceville (5-5) at R-8, No.2: Lexington (6-4)
R-7, No. 4: North Sand Mountain (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Locust Fork (10-0)
R-8, No. 3: Hatton (7-3) at R-5, No. 2: Sulligent (8-2), Thursday, Nov. 9
CLASS 3A
South
R-4, No. 4: Beulah (4-6) at R-1, No.1: Mobile Christian (10-0)
R-3, No. 3: Alabama Christian (6-4) at R-2, No.2: Houston Academy (9-1), Dothan
R-1, No. 4: Flomaton (6-4) at R-4, No. 1: Walter Wellborn (7-3), Anniston
R-2, No. 3: Providence Christian (5-5) at R-3, No. 2: Trinity Presbyterian (9-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-2, No. 4: Opp (4-6) at R-3, No.1: Saint James (8-2), Montgomery, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-1, No. 3: W.S. Neal (6-4) at R-4, No.2: Randolph County (9-1), Wedowee
R-3, No. 4: Southside-Selma (7-3) at R-2, No. 1: Straughn (9-1)
R-4, No. 3: Dadeville (4-4) at R-1, No. 2: Thomasville (8-1)
0
North
R-8, No. 4: Phil Campbell (4-6) at R-5, No.1: Gordo (9-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-7, No. 3: Susan Moore (6-4) at R-6, No.2: Geraldine (9-1)
R-5, No. 4: Fayette County (6-4) at R-8, No. 1: Lauderdale County (10-0), Rogersville
R-6, No. 3: Piedmont (5-5) at R-7, No. 2: J.B. Pennington (8-2), Blountsville
R-6, No. 4: Hokes Bluff (5-5) at R-7, No.1: Madison Academy (10-0)
R-5, No. 3: Oakman (7-3) at R-8, No.2: Mars Hill Bible (9-1), Killen, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-7, No. 4: Vinemont (4-6) at R-6, No. 1: Sylvania (8-2)
R-8, No. 3: Colbert County (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: Winfield (9-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
CLASS 4A
South
R-4, No. 4: Cleburne County (4-6) at R-1, No.1: Jackson (9-0)
R-3, No. 3: Sipsey Valley (6-4) at R-2, No.2: Andalusia (9-1)
R-1, No. 4: St. Michael Catholic (6-4) at R-4, No. 1: Handley (9-1), Roanoke
R-2, No. 3: B.T. Washington (6-4) at R-3, No. 2: American Christian (8-2), Tuscaloosa
R-2, No. 4: Montgomery Academy (4-6) at R-3, No.1: Bibb County (9-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-1, No. 3: Bayside Academy (8-2) at R-4, No.2: Jacksonville (8-2)
R-3, No. 4: West Blocton (6-4) at R-2, No. 1: Montgomery Catholic (10-0)
R-4, No. 3: Anniston (6-3) at R-1, No. 2: T.R. Miller (7-3), Brewton
North
R-8, No. 4: Priceville (4-6) at R-5, No.1: Dora (8-2)
R-7, No. 3: Brooks (6-4) at R-6, No.2: Oneonta (7-2)
R-5, No. 4: Oak Grove (6-4) at R-8, No. 1: Westminster Christian (8-2), Huntsville
R-6, No. 3: Fultondale (4-6) at R-7, No. 2: Deshler (7-3), Tuscumbia, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-6, No. 4: Etowah (3-7) at R-7, No.1: West Morgan (10-0), Trinity, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-5, No. 3: Corner (9-1) at R-8, No.2: Randolph (6-4), Huntsville
R-7, No. 4: Central-Florence (6-4) at R-6, No. 1: Cherokee County (9-1), Centre, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-8, No. 3: North Jackson (4-6) at R-5, No. 2: Haleyville (7-3)
CLASS 5A
South
R-4, No. 4: Beauregard (5-4) at R-1, No.1: Gulf Shores (10-0)
R-3, No. 3: Marbury (2-8) at R-2, No.2: Charles Henderson (6-3), Troy
R-1, No. 4: UMS-Wright (6-4) at R-4, No. 1: Central, Clay County (10-0), Lineville
R-2, No. 3: Headland (8-2) at R-3, No. 2: Holtville (7-3)
R-2, No. 4: Carroll (4-6) at R-3, No. 1: Demopolis (8-2), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-1, No. 3: B.C. Rain (7-3) at R-4, No. 2: Valley (7-3)
R-3, No. 4: Shelby County (2-8) at R-2, No. 1: Eufaula (7-3), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-4, No. 3: Elmore County (8-2) at R-1, No. 2: Faith Academy (7-3), Mobile
North
R-8, No. 4: West Point (5-5) at R-5, No. 1: Ramsay (8-2), Birmingham, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-7, No. 3: Arab (8-2) at R-6, No. 2: Leeds (8-2)
R-5, No. 4: Fairfield (4-6) at R-8, No. 1: Russellville (8-2)
R-6, No. 3: Moody (8-2) at R-7, No. 2: Scottsboro (8-2)
R-6, No. 4: Springville (5-5) at R-7, No.1: Guntersville (9-1)
R-5, No. 3: John Carroll Catholic (8-2) at R-8, No.2: Fairview (9-1)
R-7, No. 4: Boaz (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Southside (8-2), Rainbow City
R-8, No. 3: Lawrence County (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: Pleasant Grove (8-1), Thursday, Nov. 9
CLASS 6A
South
R-4, No. 4: McAdory (6-4) at R-1, No.1: Saraland (10-0)
R-3, No. 3: Briarwood Christian (5-5) at R-2, No.2: Carver-Montgomery (7-3)
R-1, No. 4: St. Paul’s Episcopal (7-3) at R-4, No. 1: Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (10-0)
R-2, No. 3: Wetumpka (5-5) at R-3, No. 2: Helena (8-2), Thursday, Nov. 9
R-2, No. 4: Sidney Lanier (5-5) at R-3, No.1: Benjamin Russell (8-2), Alex City, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-1, No. 3: Theodore (7-3) at R-4, No.2: Hueytown (7-3)
R-3, No. 4: Homewood (6-4) at R-2, No. 1: Pike Road (7-2)
R-4, No. 3: Bessemer City (5-5) at R-1, No. 2: Spanish Fort (8-2)
North
R-8, No. 4: Mae Jemison (3-7) at R-5, No.1: Parker (9-1), Birmingham, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-7, No. 3: Athens (8-2) at R-6, No.2: Oxford (8-2)
R-5, No. 4: Gardendale (3-7) at R-8, No. 1: Gadsden City (7-3)
R-6, No. 3: Center Point (7-3) at R-7, No. 2: Hartselle (8-2)
R-6, No. 4: Pinson Valley (4-5) at R-7, No. 1: Muscle Shoals (9-0)
R-5, No. 3: Mortimer Jordan (8-2) at R-8, No. 2: Fort Payne (6-4)
R-7, No. 4: Cullman (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Clay-Chalkville (10-0)
R-8, No. 3: Buckhorn (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: Mountain Brook (7-3)
CLASS 7A
South
R-1, No. 4: Davidson (5-5) at R-2, No.1: Central-Phenix City (9-0)
R-2, No. 3: Auburn (8-2) at R-1, No.2: Baker (8-2), Mobile
R-2, No. 4: Dothan (8-2) at R-1, No. 1: Mary Montgomery (10-0), Semmes
R-1, No. 3: Daphne (6-4) at R-2, No. 2: Enterprise (8-2)
North
R-3, No. 4: Hoover (4-6) at R-4, No. 1: James Clemens (7-3), Madison
R-4, No. 3: Bob Jones (5-5) at R-3, No. 2: Hewitt-Trussville (7-3)
R-4, No. 4: Florence (6-4) at R-3, No. 1: Thompson (8-1), Alabaster, Thursday, Nov. 9
R-3, No. 3: Vestavia Hills (8-2) at R-4, No. 2: Austin (8-2), Decatur
