The season is four weeks away, and we are looking forward to the November and December championships. Here is what you need to know.
The Georgia High School Association's (GHSA) new playoff format will change the way teams across the Coastal Empire approach the 2026 football season, placing greater emphasis on statewide power rankings, strength of schedule and overall results rather than simply finishing among the top teams in a region.
If you're a football coach, player, parent, or fan in the Coastal Empire, there is one thing you need to know heading into the 2026 season.
The playoff game has changed.
For years, the formula was simple. Finish in the top four of your region, and you will be playing football in November.
Not anymore.
The GHSA has rolled out a new playoff system, and it could completely change how teams approach their schedules and seasons.
Under the new format, only region champions automatically earn a playoff spot. Everybody else is competing for one of the remaining spots using a statewide power-ranking system.
What does that mean in plain English?
It means every game matters.
It means strength of schedule matters.
And it means who you play may be just as important as how many games you win.
A team that goes 7-3 against strong competition could find itself in a better playoff position than a team that goes 8-2 against weaker opponents.
That's because the formula looks at your record, your opponents' records, and even the records of the teams your opponents play.
Confused yet?
Don't worry. Most football fans probably are too.
The biggest thing to remember is this: the days of looking only at region standings are over.
For Prep Sports Report coverage - local teams like Benedictine, Richmond Hill, Jenkins, Calvary Day, Savannah Christian, Effingham County, South Effingham, New Hampstead, Beach, Savannah High, Johnson, Groves, Bradwell Institute, Bryan County, Liberty County, Islands, and Windsor Forest, the playoff conversation will begin in Week 1.
A loss won't necessarily kill your season.
A win doesn't guarantee anything.
Every Friday night becomes part of a much bigger statewide evaluation.
The good news?
If you win your region, you're in. Not only are you in, but you'll also host a first-round playoff game.
For Calvary Day and Savannah Christian, the private-school playoff structure remains in place as part of the combined GHSA private-school division.
Meanwhile, Savannah Country Day and St. Andrew's will compete in the Georgia Independent Athletic Association (GIAA), where playoff seeding is based on MaxPreps rankings rather than region finishes.
Simply put, the higher your ranking, the better your seed.
And don't forget about Bethesda Academy.
The defending South Carolina Independent Schools Association (SCISA) Class 2A State Champions are moving up to Class 3A this season. The competition gets tougher, but if there's one thing we've learned about the Blazers, it's that they don't back down from a challenge.
There are also a few National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) rule changes fans should know about this fall.
The rule against slapping an opponent's helmet now applies to all players. Teams can wear play-call cards on their belts and wrists. Mouth guards can no longer have decorative attachments, and new arm-sleeve standards are on the way for 2027.
So what's the biggest takeaway?
The playoff race no longer starts when region play begins.
It starts on opening night.
Every game counts.
Every opponent counts.
Every schedule decision counts.
And when November arrives, we'll find out which Coastal Empire teams played the numbers game well enough to keep their championship dreams alive.
NOTE: LOCAL TEAM SCHEDULES - Circle the Dates Now: The Games Everyone Around Savannah Will Be Talking About
https://prepsportsreport.com/p/circle-the-dates-now-the-games-everyone-around-savannah-will-be-talking-about
Photos courtesy of proshot_sports_ on Instagram
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Prep Sports Report Football Coverage Presented by Optim Orthopedics
Optim Orthopedics wants you in the game.
Keeping Savannah-area athletes healthy and ready for gameday all season long.
Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).
