Week Three: Key Matchups Around The State

Week Three of the Tennesse HS Football season has several intriguing matchups to keep your eye on.

Written By: Jay Pace (@TheRealJayPace)

The Week That Will Be: Week Three Tennessee HS Football

Battleground Academy (2-0) vs. Pearl-Cohn (0-2)

Don't be fooled by Pearl-Cohn's slow start. The Firebirds are one of the state's most respected programs for a reason. They are still loaded with talent, they can still compete with anyone and they’re just one full season removed from a state championship. This early season gauntlet is all part of the plan, as the Firebirds prepare for region play and the state playoffs.

 Pearl-Cohn has faced a challenging schedule in the first two weeks and it won't get any easier Friday night when they face one of the top private school powerhouses in the state in Battleground Academy. The Wildcats, led by a bevy of underclassmen enter week three as one of the hottest teams in the state, regardless of classification. 

Cleveland (0-2) at Tullahoma (2-0)

The Blue Raiders haven’t started 0-2 since 2014. A loss here would mark their first 0-3 start in over a decade, dating back to 2011.Tullahoma, meanwhile, looks steady and confident, leaning on its defense and a balanced ground game.This game is crucial for Cleveland’s season, win and you’re back in the mix, lose and history says the hole may be too deep to have a chance to make the playoffs.

Brainerd (0-1) vs East Ridge (2-0) 

In its week one win over Howard, it was the defense that saved the day for a sputtering East Ridge offense, as the Pioneers won 8-0. Last week, the offense was clicking, as it rolled up 52 points in a blowout victory. A win this week puts East Ridge at 3-0 for the first time since 2017.

McCallie (2-0) vs. Father Ryan (1-1)

McCallie has taken 13 of the last 15 games in this series, including five straight by an average of three touchdowns. After suffocating Hebron Christian last week, the Blue Tornadoes’ defense is locked and loaded as Father Ryan travels to Spears Stadium on Friday night.

East Hamilton (2-0) vs. Chattanooga Central (0-2)

Aaron Nance has East Hamilton right back where it left off in 2024. The defending 4-AAAAA champs, now a member of Region Three following realignment, have outscored the opposition 78-42 through the first two weeks of the season. Central, on the other hand, has started slow in the first two weeks after a playoff run in 2024. Being outscored 70-7 in two weeks should tell you all you need to know.

McMinn County (2-0) at Walker Valley (1-1)

These programs are no stranger to each other as they've met in 15 of the previous 17 seasons. McMinn County has dominated the series winning 14 of those 15 matchups. Fortunately for Walker Valley, several of its seniors were members of the only Mustangs team to ever beat McMinn County, stealing a 17-14 win in 2023. This is a non-region game and therefore has no real postseason implications attached. However, it should serve as a good barometer for both teams as they eye region play down the stretch run of the 2025 season.

Baylor (2-0) at Brentwood Academy (2-0)

Top ranked Baylor hits the road for the first time this season as it heads north to tangle with private school blue blood Brentwood Academy. The Eagles, winners of 14 state championships, have revenge on their mind after being eliminated by the Red Raiders in last year's II-AAA semifinal.