MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A total of 208 high school football teams earned berths in the AHSAA 58th annual State Football Playoffs which get underway Friday, Nov. 8.
The first round will include 16 games in each of the first six classifications and eight in Class 7A. The state playoffs will culminate Dec. 4-6 0at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium with the 2024 Super 7 State Football Championships.
Six of the seven defending state champions are among the schools vying to reach the state finals. The 2023 champs include Leroy (1A); Fyffe (2A); Mobile Christian (3A); Montgomery Catholic (4A); Clay-Chalkville (6A); and Central-Phenix City (7A). However, Fyffe has moved up to Class 3A, Mobile Christian to 4A, and Montgomery Catholic to 5A. 2024 Class 5A state champion Gulf Shores moved to 6A this classification period and did not make the playoffs.
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 2A battle between Loachapoka (5-4) and Ariton (5-5). The game will be at the newly renovated Loachapoka Field.
Among this year’s participants is the AHSAA’s winning school, Class 3A T.R. Miller (10-0), which has a 736-335-20 record since 1926. The Tigers of Coach Brent Hubbert have won 10 or more games 16 times since 2000. Hoover (8-2), the Class 7A, Region 3 region champion, has compiled a state-record 107-36-1 playoff slate with 39 appearances in school history. St. Michael Catholic Coach Philip Rivers and his Cardinals (9-1) are hosting Handley in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs. It is the school’s first home playoff game in its short history.
“This is very big for us,” said Rivers, who was one of top quarterbacks in NFL history. “We made the playoffs for the first time last year and had to travel to Roanoke. This year we get to Host Handley at home on our own field.”
Approximately 75 games are expected to be aired live over the NFHS Network’s subscriber-based school broadcast program this week.
The official brackets were set Saturday morning for the first round with a meeting attended by all 208 participating schools at Auburn University-at Montgomery.
The first-round playoff pairings are listed:
FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
(All games, Friday, Nov. 8, 7 p.m. kickoff, unless otherwise noted)
CLASS 1A
Region 4 No. 4: Keith (5-5) at Region 2 No. 1: McKenzie (9-1)
Region 1 No. 3: Millry (6-4) at Region 3 No. 2: University Charter School (7-2)
Region 2 No. 4: Florala (7-3) at Region 4 No. 1: Maplesville (8-1)
Region 3 No. 3: Choctaw County (5-4) at Region 1 No. 2: Sweet Water (8-2)
Region 3 No. 4: Pickens Academy (2-8) at Region 1 No. 1: Leroy (9-1)
Region 2 No. 3: Georgiana (6-4) at Region 4 No. 2: Autauga Academy (9-1)
Region 1 No. 4: Southern Choctaw (5-5) at Region 3 No. 1: Linden (7-2)
Region 4 No. 3: Verbena (8-2) at Region 2 No. 2: Elba (8-2)
Region 8 No. 4: Valley Head (6-4) at Region 6 No. 1: Wadley (8-0)
Region 5 No. 3: Hubbertville (8-2) at Region 7 No. 2: Meek (7-3)
Region 6 No. 4: Victory Christian (5-4) at Region 8 No. 1: Spring Garden (10-0)
Region 7 No. 3: Addison (6-4) at Region 5 No. 2: Berry (9-1)
Region 7 No. 4: Cherokee (4-5) at Region 5 No. 1: Lynn (9-1)
Region 6 No. 3: Donoho (4-5) at Region 8 No. 2: Appalachian (8-2)
Region 5 No. 4: Pickens County (4-6) at Region 7 No. 1: Hackleburg (9-1)
Region 8 No. 3: Ragland (5-4) at Region 6 No. 2: Winterboro (7-2)
CLASS 2A
Region 4 No. 4: Lanett (5-5) at Region 2 No. 1: Cottonwood (10-0)
Region 1 No. 3: Washington County (6-4) at Region 3 No. 2: Goshen (8-2)
Region 2 No. Houston County (6-4) at Region 4 No. 1: Reeltown (9-1)
Region 3 No. 3: Luverne (5-5) at Region 1 No. 2: J.U. Blacksher (7-3)
Region 3 No. 4: Zion Chapel (7-2) at Region 1 No. 1: Clarke County (7-3)
Region 2 No. 3: Ariton (5-5) at Region 4 No. 2: Loachapoka (5-4)
Region 1 No. 4: St. Luke’s Episcopal (4-5) at Region 3 No. 1: Highland Home (10-0)
Region 4 No. 3: Horseshoe Bend (5-4) at Region 2 No. 2: Providence Christian (9-1)
Region 8 No. 4: Red Bay (3-7) at Region 6 No. 1: Southeastern (8-2)
Region 5 No. 3: Sulligent (6-4) at Region 7 No. 2: Pleasant Valley (8-2)
Region 6 No. 4: Cold Springs (5-5) at Region 8 No. 1: Winston County (10-0)
Region 7 No. 3: Sand Rock (5-5) at Region 5 No. 2: Vincent (8-2)
Region 7 No. 4: North Sand Mountain (5-5) at Region 5 No. 1: Tuscaloosa Academy (8-2)
Region 6 No. 3: Susan Moore (5-5) at Region 8 No. 2: Decatur Heritage (7-2)
Region 5 No. 4: Aliceville (5-5) at Region 7 No. 1: Pisgah (9-1)
Region 8 No. 3: Lexington (5-5) at Region 6 No. 2: Falkville (6-4)
CLASS 3A
Region 4 No. 4: Dadeville (3-7) at Region 2 No. 1: Montgomery Academy (9-1)
Region 1 No. 3: Hillcrest-Evergreen (8-2) at Region 3 No. 2: Southside-Selma (8-2)
Region 2 No. 4: Alabama Christian (6-4) at Region 4 No. 1: Glenwood (9-0)
Region 3 No. 3: Hale County (7-3) at Region 1 No. 2: Bayside Academy (7-3)
Region 3 No. 4: Thorsby (4-6) at Region 1 No. 1: T.R. Miller (10-0)
Region 2 No. 3: Trinity Presbyterian (7-3) at Region 4 No. 2: Randolph County (7-3)
Region 1 No. 4: Excel (6-4) at Region 3 No. 1: Thomasville (10-0)
Region 4 No. 3: Beulah (6-4) at Region 2 No. 2: Houston Academy (9-1)
Region 8 No. 4: Collinsville (7-3) at Region 6 No. 1: Piedmont (10-0)
Region 5 No. 3: Vinemont (7-3) at Region 7 No. 2: Lauderdale County (7-3)
Region 6 No. 4: Ohatchee (6-4) at Region 8 No. 1 Fyffe (7-2)
Region 7 No. 3: Rogers (7-3) at Region 5: No. 2: Gordo (9-1)
Region 7 No. 4: Colbert County (5-5) at Region 5 No. 1: Winfield (9-1)
Region 6 No. 3: Weaver (4-6) at Region 8 No. 2: Sylvania (8-2)
Region 5 No. 4: Midfield (5-4) at Region 7 No. 1: Mars Hill Bible (9-1)
Region 8 No. 3: Geraldine (8-2) at Region 6 No. 2: Locust Fork (8-2)
CLASS 4A
Region 4 No. 4: Fairfield (6-3) at Region 2 No. 1: Dale County (8-2)
Region 1 No. 3: W.S. Neal (4-6) at Region 3 No. 2: Saint James (6-4)
Region 2 No. 4: Straughn (5-5) at Region 4 No. 1: Pleasant Grove (8-1)
Region 3 No. 3: Handley (6-3) at Region 1 No. 2: St. Michael Catholic (9-1)
Region 3 No. 4: Bullock County (5-5) at Region 1 No. 1: Jackson (9-1)
Region 2 No. 3: Opp (7-3) at Region 4 No. 2: Bibb County (7-3)
Region 1 No. 4: Mobile Christian (3-6) at Region 3 No. 1: Tallassee (7-2)
Region 4 No. 3: Oak Grove (8-2) at Region 2 No. 2: Ashford (5-5)
Region 8 No. 4: Westminster Christian at Region 6 No. 1: Cherokee County (9-1)
Region 5 No. 3: Hamilton (8-2) at Region 7 No. 2: Central-Florence (8-2)
Region 6 No. 4: Alexandria (7-3) at Region 8 No. 1: West Morgan (10-0)
Region 7 No. 3: Brooks at Region 5 No. 2: Dora (6-4)
Region 7 No. 4: Hatton (6-4) at Region 5 No. 1: Good Hope (9-1)
Region 6 No. 3: Anniston (5-5) at Region 8 No. 2: Randolph (7-3)
Region 5 No. 4: Fayette County (5-5) at Region 7 No. 1: West Morgan (10-0)
Region 8 No. 3: Madison Academy at Region 6 No. 2: Hokes Bluff (7-2)
CLASS 5A
Region 4 No. 4: Holtville (4-6) at Region 2 No. 1: Montgomery Catholic (9-0)
Region 1 No. 3: Citronelle (8-2) at Region 3 No. 2: Shelby County (8-2)
Region 2 No. 4: Greenville (6-4) at Region 4 No. 1: Central, Clay County (10-0)
Region 3 No. 3: Northside (7-2) at Region 1 No. 2: Williamson (9-1)
Region 3 No. 4: Sipsey Valley (6-4) at Region 1 No. 1: Vigor (9-1)
Region 2 No. 3: Eufaula (5-5) at Region 4 No. 2: Beauregard (5-4)
Region 1 No. 4: UMS-Wright (4-6) at Region 3 No. 1: Demopolis (7-2)
Region 4 No. 3: Elmore County (7-2) at Region 2 No. 2: Andalusia (6-4)
Region 8 No. 4: Arab (6-4) at Region 6 No. 1: Moody (8-2)
Region 5 No. 3: Wenonah (7-3) at Region 7 No. 2: Russellville (7-2)
Region 6 No. 4: Jacksonville (6-4) at Region 8 No. 1: Scottsboro (8-2)
Region 7 No. 3: Ardmore (7-3) at Region 5 No. 2: Ramsay (6-3)
Region 7 No. 4: Lawrence County (6-3) at Region 5 No. 1: Corner (9-1)
Region 6 No. 3: Center Point (5-4) at Region 8 No. 2: Boaz (8-2)
Region 5 No. 4: Carver-Birmingham (4-4) at Region 7 No. 1: Fairview (9-0)
Region 8 No. 3: Guntersville (9-1) at Region 6 No. 2: Leeds (7-3)
CLASS 6A
Region 4 No. 4: Bessemer City (6-3) at Region 2 No. 1: Pike Road (7-3)
Region 1 No. 3: St. Paul’s Episcopal (8-2) at Region 3 No. 2: Helena (7-3)
Region 2 No. 4: Percy Julian (5-4) at Region 4 No. 1: Hueytown (7-3)
Region 3 No. 3: Benjamin Russell (5-5) at Region 1 No. 2: Spanish Fort (8-2)
Region 3 No. 4: Chelsea (6-4) at Region 1 No. 1: Saraland (9-0)
Region 2 No. 3: Wetumpka (7-3) at Region 4 No. 2: McAdory (7-2)
Region 1 No. 4: McGill-Toolen (6-4) at Region 3 No. 1: Spain Park (10-0)
Region 4 No. 3: Northridge (7-3) at Region 2 No. 2: Russell County (8-2)
Region 8 No. 4: Buckhorn (6-4) at Region 6 No. 1: Oxford (10-0)
Region 5 No. 3: Minor (5-5) at Region 7 No. 2: Hartselle (8-2)
Region 6 No. 4: Pell City (6-4) at Region 8 No. 1: Fort Payne (8-2)
Region 7 No. 3: Athens (8-2) at Region 5 No. 2: Homewood (8-2)
Region 7 No. 4: Cullman (5-5) at Region 5 No. 1: Parker (9-1)
Region 6 No. 3: Mountain Brook (7-3) at Region 8 No. 2: Southside (6-4)
Region 5 No. 4: Mortimer Jordan (3-7) at Region 7 No. 1: Muscle Shoals (7-2)
Region 8 No. 3: Gadsden City (6-3) at Region 6 No. 2: Clay-Chalkville (8-2)
CLASS 7A
Region 4 No. 4: Bob Jones (6-4) at Region 2 No. 1: Auburn (9-0)
Region 1 No. 3: Daphne (7-3) at Region 3 No. 2: Thompson (7-3)
Region 2 No. 4: Enterprise (6-4) at Region 4 No. 1: Austin (9-1)
Region 3 No. 3: Hewitt-Trussville (8-2) at Region 1 No. 2: Baker (7-2)
Region 3 No. 4: Vestavia Hills (5-5) at Region 1 No. 1: Mary Montgomery (9-1)
Region 2 No. 3: Central-Phenix City (7-2) at Region 4 No. 2: James Clemens (6-4)
Region 1 No. 4: Fairhope (5-5) at Region 3 No. 1: Hoover (8-2)
Region 4 No. 3: Florence (5-5) at Region 2 No. 2: Opelika (8-2)