MONTGOMERY – A total of 208 high school football teams earned berths in the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s 58th annual State Football Playoffs which get underway with 28 first-round games scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 9 before the remaining 76 games will be played on Friday, Nov. 11.

Five teams from Baldwin County are featured in this year’s field between the Daphne Trojans (3 seed in Class 7A Region 1), Spanish Fort Toros (2 seed in Class 6A Region 1), Gulf Shores Dolphins (1 seed in Class 5A Region 1), Bayside Academy Admirals (3 seed in Class 4A Region 1) and St. Michael Cardinals (4 seed in Class 4A Region 1).

Gulf Shores is one of 20 teams in this year’s field that head into the state playoffs undefeated. Leroy (9-0) comes in with a 15-game winning streak dating back to the last game of the 2022 regular season.

Unbeaten teams entering the playoffs include, in Class 1A, Leroy (9-0), Elba (10-0) and Loachapoka (9-0). In Class 2A, B.B. Comer (10-0), Reeltown (9-0) and Locust Fork (10-0). In Class 3A, Mobile Christian (10-0), Lauderdale County (10-0) and Madison Academy (10-0).

In Class 4A, Montgomery Catholic (10-0), Jackson (9-0) and West Morgan (10-0). In Class 5A, Gulf Sores (10-0) and Central, Clay County (10-0). In Class 6A, Saraland (10-0), Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (10-0), Clay-Chalkville (10-0) and Muscle Shoals (9-0). And in Class 7A, Mary Montgomery (10-0) and Central-Phenix City (9-0).

Road to state

AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs set the official brackets Saturday morning for the first round with a meeting attended by all 208 participating schools at Alabama State University’s Abernathy Auditorium. The meeting was live-streamed over the NFHS Network and WOTM.tv with Susan Carothers, host of AHSAA TV Weekly, coordinating interviews with the coaches’ meeting and announced the pairings live. The show can be seen on a delayed basis at nfhs.com or wotm.tv.

The first round will include 16 games in each of the first six classifications and eight in Class 7A. The state playoffs will culminate December 6-7-8 at the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium with the 2023 Super 7 State Football Championships.

Also scheduled for that week will be two AHSAA Flag Football championships. The girls’ finals for 1A/5A will be at 1 p.m., on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and the 6A/7A finals at 3 p.m. The Class 7A boys’ Super 7 championship game will close out the first day’s action at the Super 7 Championships.

Familiar faces returning to postseason

All seven defending state champions and 2023 state runner-up teams are among the schools vying to reach the state finals. The defending champs include Leroy (1A), Fyffe (2A), Saint James (3A), Andalusia (4A), Ramsay (5A), Saraland (6A) and four-time defending state champion Thompson (7A).

The seven runners-up from 2022 back in the playoff hunt in round one include Pickens County (1A), B.B. Comer (2A), Piedmont (3A), Cherokee County (4A), Charles Henderson (5A), Mountain Brook (6A) and Auburn (7A).

Legendary coaches searching for more playoff success

Mark Freeman, who tied the AHSAA state coaching record (4) set by Rush Propst at Hoover (2002-2005) for consecutive state titles last season with Thompson’s 49-24 victory over Auburn in the 2022 Class 7A finals, has coached six state championship teams in the AHSAA (four at Thompson, two at Spanish Fort) and coached four at Bessemer Academy in the Alabama Independent School Association, giving him 10 state titles overall. He comes into this year’s playoffs with a 255-56 career record between 15 years in the AHSAA and 10 in the AISA.

Paul Benefield, Fyffe’s legendary Hall of Fame coach who became just the second AHSAA football coach in history to record 300 wins at one school, comes into the Class 2A playoffs with a 345-56 overall record and a state-leading 86.0% winning percentage for coaches with more than 400 games. He is also one win shy of tying Buddy Anderson for third-most wins in AHSAA history. Anderson, who spent his entire coaching career at Vestavia Hills, is the only other coach in state history to record 300 wins at the same school.

First-round pairings

All first-round games are scheduled for Nov. 10 unless otherwise noted; other playoff rounds are set for Nov. 17, Nov. 24, Dec. 1, with the Super 7 Championships at Tuscaloosa scheduled for Dec. 6-8.

Below are first-round pairings with local teams listed first, followed by the rest of the state.

Baldwin County teams’ opening-round matchups

Class 7A – South

R-1, No. 3: Daphne (6-4) at R-2, No. 2: Enterprise (8-2)

Class 6A – South

R-4, No. 3: Bessemer City (5-5) at R-1, No. 2: Spanish Fort (8-2)

Class 5A – South

R-4, No. 4: Beauregard (5-4) at R-1, No. 1: Gulf Shores (10-0)

Class 4A – South

R-1, No. 3: Bayside Academy (8-2) at R-4, No. 2: Jacksonville (8-2)

R-1, No. 4: St. Michael Catholic (6-4) at R-4, No. 1: Handley (9-1), Roanoke

Rest of the 2023 AHSAA State Football Playoffs

Class 7A – South

R-1, No. 4: Davidson (5-5) at R-2, No. 1: Central-Phenix City (9-0)

R-2, No. 3: Auburn (8-2) at R-1, No. 2: Baker (8-2), Mobile

R-2, No. 4: Dothan (8-2) at R-1, No. 1: Mary Montgomery (10-0), Semmes

Class 7A – North

R-3, No. 4: Hoover (4-6) at R-4, No. 1: James Clemens (7-3), Madison

R-4, No. 3: Bob Jones (5-5) at R-3, No. 2: Hewitt-Trussville (7-3)

R-4, No. 4: Florence (6-4) at R-3, No. 1: Thompson (8-1), Alabaster – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-3, No. 3: Vestavia Hills (8-2) at R-4, No. 2: Austin (8-2), Decatur

Class 6A – South

R-4, No. 4: McAdory (6-4) at R-1, No. 1: Saraland (10-0)

R-3, No. 3: Briarwood Christian (5-5) at R-2, No. 2: Carver-Montgomery (7-3)

R-1, No. 4: St. Paul’s Episcopal (7-3) at R-4, No. 1: Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (10-0)

R-2, No. 3: Wetumpka (5-5) at R-3, No. 2: Helena (8-2) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-2, No. 4: Sidney Lanier (5-5) at R-3, No. 1: Benjamin Russell (8-2), Alex City – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-1, No. 3: Theodore (7-3) at R-4, No. 2: Hueytown (7-3)

R-3, No. 4: Homewood (6-4) at R-2, No. 1: Pike Road (7-2)

Class 6A – North

R-8, No. 4: Mae Jemison (3-7) at R-5, No. 1: Parker (9-1), Birmingham – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-7, No. 3: Athens (8-2) at R-6, No. 2: Oxford (8-2)

R-5, No. 4: Gardendale (3-7) at R-8, No. 1: Gadsden City (7-3)

R-6, No. 3: Center Point (7-3) at R-7, No. 2: Hartselle (8-2)

R-6, No. 4: Pinson Valley (4-5) at R-7, No. 1: Muscle Shoals (9-0)

R-5, No. 3: Mortimer Jordan (8-2) at R-8, No. 2: Fort Payne (6-4)

R-7, No. 4: Cullman (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Clay-Chalkville (10-0)

R-8, No. 3: Buckhorn (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: Mountain Brook (7-3)

Class 5A – South

R-3, No. 3: Marbury (2-8) at R-2, No. 2: Charles Henderson (6-3), Troy

R-1, No. 4: UMS-Wright (6-4) at R-4, No. 1: Central, Clay County (10-0), Lineville

R-2, No. 3: Headland (8-2) at R-3, No. 2: Holtville (7-3)

R-2, No. 4: Carroll (4-6) at R-3, No. 1: Demopolis (8-2) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-1, No. 3: B.C. Rain (7-3) at R-4, No. 2: Valley (7-3)

R-3, No. 4: Shelby County (2-8) at R-2, No. 1: Eufaula (7-3) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-4, No. 3: Elmore County (8-2) at R-1, No. 2: Faith Academy (7-3), Mobile

Class 5A – North

R-8, No. 4: West Point (5-5) at R-5, No. 1: Ramsay (8-2), Birmingham – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-7, No. 3: Arab (8-2) at R-6, No. 2: Leeds (8-2)

R-5, No. 4: Fairfield (4-6) at R-8, No. 1: Russellville (8-2)

R-6, No. 3: Moody (8-2) at R-7, No. 2: Scottsboro (8-2)

R-6, No. 4: Springville (5-5) at R-7, No. 1: Guntersville (9-1)

R-5, No. 3: John Carroll Catholic (8-2) at R-8, No. 2: Fairview (9-1)

R-7, No. 4: Boaz (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Southside (8-2), Rainbow City

R-8, No. 3: Lawrence County (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: Pleasant Grove (8-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

Class 4A – South

R-4, No. 4: Cleburne County (4-6) at R-1, No. 1: Jackson (9-0)

R-3, No. 3: Sipsey Valley (6-4) at R-2, No. 2: Andalusia (9-1)

R-2, No. 3: B.T. Washington (6-4) at R-3, No. 2: American Christian (8-2), Tuscaloosa

R-2, No. 4: Montgomery Academy (4-6) at R-3, No.1: Bibb County (9-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-3, No. 4: West Blocton (6-4) at R-2, No. 1: Montgomery Catholic (10-0)

R-4, No. 3: Anniston (6-3) at R-1, No. 2: T.R. Miller (7-3), Brewton

Class 4A – North

R-8, No. 4: Priceville (4-6) at R-5, No. 1: Dora (8-2)

R-7, No. 3: Brooks (6-4) at R-6, No. 2: Oneonta (7-2)

R-5, No. 4: Oak Grove (6-4) at R-8, No. 1: Westminster Christian (8-2), Huntsville

R-6, No. 3: Fultondale (4-6) at R-7, No. 2: Deshler (7-3), Tuscumbia – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-6, No. 4: Etowah (3-7) at R-7, No. 1: West Morgan (10-0), Trinity – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-5, No. 3: Corner (9-1) at R-8, No. 2: Randolph (6-4), Huntsville

R-7, No. 4: Central-Florence (6-4) at R-6, No. 1: Cherokee County (9-1), Centre – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-8, No. 3: North Jackson (4-6) at R-5, No. 2: Haleyville (7-3)

Class 3A – South

R-4, No. 4: Beulah (4-6) at R-1, No. 1: Mobile Christian (10-0)

R-3, No. 3: Alabama Christian (6-4) at R-2, No. 2: Houston Academy (9-1), Dothan

R-1, No. 4: Flomaton (6-4) at R-4, No. 1: Walter Wellborn (7-3), Anniston

R-2, No. 3: Providence Christian (5-5) at R-3, No. 2: Trinity Presbyterian (9-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-2, No. 4: Opp (4-6) at R-3, No. 1: Saint James (8-2), Montgomery – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-1, No. 3: W.S. Neal (6-4) at R-4, No. 2: Randolph County (9-1), Wedowee

R-3, No. 4: Southside-Selma (7-3) at R-2, No. 1: Straughn (9-1)

R-4, No. 3: Dadeville (4-4) at R-1, No. 2: Thomasville (8-1)

Class 3A – North

R-8, No. 4: Phil Campbell (4-6) at R-5, No. 1: Gordo (9-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-7, No. 3: Susan Moore (6-4) at R-6, No. 2: Geraldine (9-1)

R-5, No. 4: Fayette County (6-4) at R-8, No. 1: Lauderdale County (10-0), Rogersville

R-6, No. 3: Piedmont (5-5) at R-7, No. 2: J.B. Pennington (8-2), Blountsville

R-6, No. 4: Hokes Bluff (5-5) at R-7, No. 1: Madison Academy (10-0)

R-5, No. 3: Oakman (7-3) at R-8, No. 2: Mars Hill Bible (9-1), Killen – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-7, No. 4: Vinemont (4-6) at R-6, No. 1: Sylvania (8-2)

R-8, No. 3: Colbert County (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: Winfield (9-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

Class 2A – South

R-4, No. 4: Vincent (6-4) at R-1, No. 1: Clarke County (5-5), Grove Hill – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-3, No. 3: Goshen (8-2) at R-2, No. 2: G.W. Long (7-3), Skipperville – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-1, No. 4: Washington County (4-6) at R-4, No. 1: B.B. Comer (10-0), Sylacauga

R-2, No. 3: Ariton (6-4) at R-3, No. 2: Highland Home (9-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-2, No. 4: Wicksburg (5-5) at R-3, No. 1: Reeltown (9-0)

R-1, No. 3: Chickasaw (5-5) at R-4, No. 2: Thorsby (8-2) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-3, No. 4: Luverne (7-3) at R-2, No. 1: Cottonwood (8-1)

R-4, No. 3: Isabella (8-2) at R-1, No. 2: St. Luke’s Episcopal (6-4), Mobile – Thursday, Nov. 9

Class 2A – North

R-8, No. 4: Red Bay (6-4) at R-5, No. 1: Tuscaloosa Academy (8-2)

R-7, No. 3: Collinsville (8-2) at R-6, No. 2: Southeastern (6-3), Remlap

R-5, No. 4: Lamar County (7-3) at R-8, No. 1: Tanner (7-3) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-6, No. 3: Pleasant Valley (5-5) at R-7, No. 2: Pisgah (9-1)

R-6, No. 4: West End (5-5) at R-7, No. 1: Fyffe (9-1)

R-5, No. 3: Aliceville (5-5) at R-8, No. 2: Lexington (6-4)

R-7, No. 4: North Sand Mountain (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Locust Fork (10-0)

R-8, No. 3: Hatton (7-3) at R-5, No. 2: Sulligent (8-2) – Thursday, Nov. 9

Class 1A – South

R-4, No. 4: Calhoun (3-6) at R-1, No. 1: Leroy (9-0)

R-3, No. 3: Keith (6-3) at R-2, No. 2: Georgiana (8-1)

R-1, No. 4: Southern Choctaw (4-6) at R-4, No. 1: Loachapoka (9-0), at Beulah HS – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-2, No. 3: Brantley (6-4) at R-3, No. 2: Linden (6-2)

R-2, No. 4: Florala (7-3) at R-3, No. 1: Sweet Water (8-1)

R-1, No. 3: Choctaw County (5-3) at R-4, No. 2: Maplesville (6-4) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-3, No. 4: University Charter School (5-4) at R-2, No. 1: Elba (10-0)

R-4, No. 3: Notasulga (5-4) at R-1, No. 2: Millry (8-2) – Thursday, Nov. 9

Class 1A – North

R-8, No. 4: Shoals Christian (5-5) at R-5, No. 1: Lynn (9-1)

R-7, No. 3: Coosa Christian (5-5) at R-6, No. 2: Spring Garden (8-2)

R-5, No. 4: Marion County (5-5) at R-8, No. 1: Hackleburg (9-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-6, No. 3: Ragland (6-4) at R-7, No. 2: Valley Head (7-3)

R-6, No. 4: Winterboro (5-5) at R-7, No. 1: Decatur Heritage (9-1)

R-5, No. 3: Pickens County (7-3) at R-8, No. 2: Addison (8-2)

R-7, No. 4: Cedar Bluff (5-5) at R-6, No. 1: Wadley (9-1) – Thursday, Nov. 9

R-8, No. 3: Meek (6-4) at R-5, No. 2: South Lamar (7-3), Millport