Historic matchups set stage for three-day GHSA football championship marathon

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is back to host the GHSA Football and Flag Football State Championships with three must-see days of action on Dec. 15-17. The Championships returned to the Benz in 2023 for the first time since 2018 and this year will be bigger than ever with five flag football championships and eight football finals to present the first-ever 13-game championship slate.  

This year’s finalists for tackle football include four defending state champions with Class 2A’s Carver-Columbus, Class A Div. I’s Toombs County, Class A Div. II’s Bowdon and Class A-3A Private’s Hebron Christian. In addition to the reigning champs, all 16 teams in the finals have previously reached the championship round at least once—making this one of the most accomplished championship lineups in state history. They share a combined 60 state titles with Buford (14) and Carrollton (7) leading the way with 21 of the total. Class A-3A Private’s Calvary Day is the only team with an opportunity to win its first-ever state title and this is the Cavs second trip to the finals after a 2013 loss in the Georgia Dome.

On Monday, the Division I flag football matchup between Washington County and Harris County and Division 2 flag finals between Jenkins and Greenbrier sets the stage for Bowdon’s bid for a fourth-straight football state title against an undefeated Lincoln County team searching for its first state title since 2006 and 12th all-time crown. Monday concludes with the first-ever meeting between Creekside and Benedictine in the Class 4A championship. Creekside’s 803 points scored this season are already the most in state history and the Seminoles are one win away from its first title since 2013. Benedictine has won 11-straight games since an 0-2 start and is 4-0 all-time in championship appearances.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

The Division 3 (Whitewater vs. North Oconee) and Division 4 (Milton vs. Blessed Trinity) flag championships kick off the action on Tuesday with another pair of must-see matchups. Then at 2 p.m., Toombs County will face Worth County for the first time in their respective histories for a shot at the Class A Division II title. Toombs County won its first-ever title last season and Worth County is looking to cap a perfect season and capture its first since 1987. Defending Class 2A state champion Carver-Columbus will take on a red-hot Hapeville Charter team that is back in the finals for the first time since its 2017 victory. Tuesday’s nightcap will be the first-ever meeting between Buford and Carrollton. The Wolves are making their 22nd all-time finals appearance, while Carrollton is in the finals for the 16th time and second-consecutive season. Last year, Carrollton defeated Buford 30-17 in the semifinals.

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

On Wednesday, the final four games open with the first-ever Division 5 flag football matchup and it will pin defending Division 4 champion McEachern against two-time defending Division 3 champion Pope. At 1 p.m. defending Class A-3A Private state champion Hebron Christian will face Calvary Day for the first time in program history. The Lions (Kenny Dallas) and Cavaliers (Jason Cameron) are both led by first-year head coaches. In Class 3A, Jefferson is back in the finals for the second-straight season after falling to Calhoun last year. The Dragons are 1-4 all-time in the finals and will try to win their first championship since 2012. Their opponent Sandy Creek is undefeated heading into the finals and is 4-0 all-time in championship appearances.

The grand finale of the 2025 GHSA football season will be an epic clash between Gainesville and Thomas County Central in the rescheduled Class 5A championship. Originally slated for Tuesday, Class 5A swapped with Class 6A for the final spot after their semifinals were pushed back to this past Thursday, Dec. 11. In those semifinal wins, Gainesville dominated Rome on the road and forced a running clock in its 37-6 victory. Across the bracket, Thomson County Central outscored Roswell 28-7 in the second half of its 49-28 home victory. Thomas County Central and Gainesville will be the fifth first-ever matchup of the finals—joining Class 4A, 3A, A Division I and A-3A Private. Thomas County Central, Buford, Carrollton, Creekside, Sandy Creek, Carver-Columbus, Worth County and Lincoln County will all be taking flawless records into the finals.