Tennessee private schools eye exit to avoid 'big three football factories' - USA Today
Massive changes to Tennessee's private school divisions could be coming sooner rather than later, according to a report from Stephen Hargis of the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
On Thursday, Hargis reported that at least a dozen private schools met on a Zoom call on Tuesday morning that lasted more than an hour. The topic of that conversation: gauging group interest in whether or not teams would play an independent schedule rather than compete in the state's highest private school classification, Division II-AAA.
The heart of the discussion revolved around avoiding having to play against the state's "big three football factories." Those teams being Baylor (Chattanooga), Brentwood Academy and McCallie (Chattanooga).
Brentwood Academy won back-to-back Division II-AA championships in 2015 and 2016. When Division II-AAA was introduced in 2017, the Eagles won the state championship in that classification, and again in 2018.
Since 2019, the Chattanooga private schools have dominated the classification.
McCallie won three consecutive titles between 2019 and 2021 before Baylor won its championship in 2022. From 2023-2024, Baylor and McCallie played each other for the Division II-AAA title, with McCallie winning each game.
Last year, Baylor returned to the top, beating Brentwood Academy 28-24 in the championship game.
There are currently 12 teams in Division II-AAA, and under TSSAA rules, that is the minimum number of teams that can play in the classification. If 12 teams don't voluntarily move up to the classification, any remaining openings will be filled based on a school's enrollment number.
This would, in turn, create a tricky domino effect.
A school that declines to move up will then play a non-region schedule, and the next school in line will move up. Any school that forgoes moving up to the class and choosing an independent schedule also forgoes an opportunity to play in the postseason.
Hargis noted in his report that TSSAA executive director Mark Reeves had not heard anything firsthand about the meeting but had heard from some public and private schools about any ramifications of playing a nonregion schedule.
Next week, the TSSAA will release its new classification breakdown, and schools will have only a week to decide whether to appeal the decision or play an independent schedule.
Baylor is currently ranked as the No. 13 team in the latest USA TODAY Sports Super 25 rankings and the No. 7 team in the latest Super 15 Southeast ranking. The Red Raiders opened the season beating Brentwood Academy 38-20, and they'll play at home against McCallie on October 2.
Brentwood Academy leads the three programs with 29 state championship appearances and 14 state championships. The Eagles have not beaten either Baylor or McCallie since 2020.
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