Class 5A Blog: How the four semifinalists stack up against the past five 5A champions

Of the past five Class 5A championships, three teams were undefeated; the other two lost no more than one game. Every team scored more than 35 points per game, and none of them gave up more than 20 ppg.

The 2024 champion was Milton. The Eagles won their second straight title. The team went 15-0, scoring 44 ppg while giving up only 13.13. They finished as the top-ranked public school in the nation and were one of the most dominant teams in state history. The Eagles ended the season on a 25-game winning streak that dated back to 2023. They had eight senior FBS prospects, including 4-stars CJ Wiley, Brayden Jacobs, Luke Nickel, and Ethan Barbour.

The 2023 champion was Coffee. One of the most dominant defenses in state history, the Trojans never gave up more than 18 points and allowed only 6.67 ppg on their way to a 15-0 record and the school’s first state championship. Led by 2,400-yard rusher Fred Brown, the team bullied its way to a state title.

In 2022, Ware County won its first championship. The Gators were led by a dominant defense that gave up only 7.36 ppg. The team went 14-0 and dominated two-time defending champion Warner Robins 38-13 in the state championship game. They were led by the running back duo of RJ Boyd and Dae’Jeaun Dennis, who combined for more than 2,000 yards rushing.

In both 2021 and 2020, Warner Robins won the championship. The Demons went 13-1 in 2020 and 14-1 in 2021, the culmination of the team’s six straight championship appearances. Players like Isaiah Gibson, Isaiah Canion, and Vic Burley punctuated those teams. The 2020 team scored 47.73 ppg and gave up only 18.27, while the 2021 team scored 39.36 ppg and allowed only 15.43 ppg.

Of the four teams remaining, only one meets the three parameters set by the last five champions: Thomas County Central, which is 13-0, has scored over 53 ppg, and has given up only 9.23 ppg. The other three finalists are each missing one of the three. Gainesville and Rome have scored more than 35 and given up less than 20 but have two losses. Roswell has scored enough and has only one loss but has given up more than 20 ppg. Any of the four can win the championship; however, to find a team that broke the mold, you have to go back to 2018 Bainbridge, a team that lost five games and scored only 23.93 points per game.

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