Underrated Teams with State Title Potential: Division II-AA

We're in the deep part of the high school football offseason, where the portal has somewhat calmed down, and schools are beginning their prep for spring ball. With a lot of pieces coming in and veterans graduating, I thought it would be fun to talk about some sleeper state championship squads for every classification.   Next in this series, let's discuss five teams in the Division II-AA state title picture who aren't getting talked about enough.   BGA and FRA are the clear programs to beat at the moment, but that doesn't mean there aren't teams that can stop them.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/12/Photo-Dec-17-2025-4-19-28-PM-crop-1059x696-1766010192-crop-713x468-1769828856.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2117482" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo Boyd-Buchanan RB [player_tooltip player_id='1617464' first='TJ' last='McReynolds'] after a touchdown. Photo by BB athletics.</figcaption></figure>   Boyd-Buchanan School – 11-1 in 2025   The Boyd-Buchanan Buccaneers were a dominant team last year, led by the GOAT of Tennessee high school football, Gary Rankin. Their lone loss came at the hands of BGA, the eventual state champions.   But they still had a very successful season and will return many starters from 2025. Three of their running backs who saw meaningful snaps will form a three-headed monster, led by 2029 [player_tooltip player_id='1617464' first='TJ' last='McReynolds'], who was excellent as a true freshman.   The Bucs lose some key defenders. However, they still have a solid group of underclassmen on that side of the ball who will step up and help make that unit elite next season.   There are a few minor questions around Boyd-Buchanan, but when you have the greatest coach in Tennessee history, you get a pass. This will be one of the best squads in the state next season.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/12/astinson-crop-700x460-1766562556.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2088857" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: GCA (Knox) RB Ajabeon Stinson during a game.</figcaption></figure>   Grace Christian Academy (Knox) – 9-3 in 2025   Grace Christian Academy is my favorite team that nobody is talking about. They have arguably the most returning production of anybody in this classification, including freshman sensation Ajabeon Stinson, who rushed for 1,444 yards and 16 scores.   The Rams also bring back their starting quarterback and several big-time receivers, led by 2027 ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1629937' first='Kaden' last='Webber'].   They do lose a few good players on defense, but their best guys are back, along with a lot of young talent that's dying to get on the field. When you look at this roster on paper, it's a group that could be very tough to beat.   There are more talented teams, but I'm not sure that there's this much proven production on any team in the classification besides BGA.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/05/lawbritt2.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-1668254" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Lausanne ATH [player_tooltip player_id='1556594' first='Lawrence' last='Britt'] warms up before a game.</figcaption></figure>   Lausanne Collegiate School – 8-4 in 2025   Lausanne was already a good team that made a deep run in 2025, but they'll be even better next season with the addition of 2028 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1037302' first='Thomas' last='Heffner'].   The dual-threat QB comes from Melrose, where he was a Mr. Football candidate. Pairing him with [player_tooltip player_id='1556594' first='Lawrence' last='Britt'], the No. 1 ATH in 2027, is a game-changing move that should strike fear in everyone. [player_tooltip player_id='506678' first='Keon' last='Cooper'] is another name to know, as he's their best true running back.   Their offense will be loaded, but the defense is sneaky good. Six of their top 10 tacklers from a season ago will be back, along with their best pass rushers. The biggest question is their secondary, but if they can figure that out, beware of the Lynx.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/10/goodpasture-crop-421x277-1769829155.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-2117487" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Goodpasture WR [player_tooltip player_id='903798' first='Slim' last='Leavell'] (#14) with his teammates.</figcaption></figure>   Goodpasture Christian School – 7-4 in 2025   Goodpasture Christian is an exciting team that could be a lot of fun to watch next season with a plethora of dynamic offensive weapons and a veteran quarterback.   They return nearly everyone on that offense besides their running back, which is a significant loss. It'll be interesting to see what they do at that position, but if they can get a stable run game going, watch out.   [player_tooltip player_id='903798' first='Slim' last='Leavell'] is one of the top returning wide receivers and will make a huge impact once again for his team.   The biggest question about this team is whether they can improve on defense. GCS has a solid unit in 2025, but surrendered over 40 points per game in three of their four matchups against top teams. While they can still be an excellent team in 2025, getting better play on that side of the ball could vault them into legitimate state championship talks.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/09/cjenne.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1907102" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Silverdale Baptist QB [player_tooltip player_id='1535798' first='Connor' last='Jenne'].</figcaption></figure>   Silverdale Baptist Academy – 7-5 in 2025   Silverdale Baptist is one of the most intriguing teams in this classification. They were a good but not great team last year, but return one of the best quarterbacks in Tennessee.   [player_tooltip player_id='1535798' first='Connor' last='Jenne'] is underrated, but he's an absolute star who should be on everyone's preseason Mr. Football boards. There's a decent amount of talent around him, but he's a player who could carry SBA by himself.   The Seahawks return their top three pass catchers from a season ago, led by [player_tooltip player_id='1629888' first='Cannon' last='Rogers'], who is quietly one of the better players in the state.   Jackson Deitch is a solid tailback, as he's rushed for 654 yards on 7.8 YPC in his career. The defense will have several quality players, which makes them a serious dark-horse contender for the 2026 Division II-AA State Championship.

We're in the deep part of the high school football offseason, where the portal has somewhat calmed down, and schools are beginning their prep for spring ball. With a lot of pieces coming in and veterans graduating, I thought it would be fun to talk about some sleeper state championship squads for every classification.