The regular season is over, the brackets are set, and the road to an Alabama high school football state championship begins this week.
The 2026 Alabama High School Athletic Association playoffs bring a new look to the postseason. Class 6A is now the highest public-school classification, with eight teams receiving first-round byes, while private schools compete in separate Single-A and Double-AA divisions.
High School On SI breaks down the first-round matchups, predicting the winner of each game and assigning a projected win probability.
The predictions range from a virtual toss-up between Appalachian and Sulligent, with Appalachian given a 52% chance of winning, to overwhelming favorites such as Addison and UMS-Wright, both projected to win with 97% confidence.
One game won’t be played. St. John Paul II has forfeited to Briarwood Christian, sending Briarwood into the second round. Eight Class 6A teams also received first-round byes, including undefeated Prattville and…
Source: www.si.com — Read the original article
