Top 25 Historical Teams in Tennessee

[CU06]

...at a time when you had to win your district to get into the play-offs, which consisted of a total of 48 teams in the entire state. 

Actually, when they expanded the playoffs to five rounds before the 1985 season, that also included that district runner-ups as qualifiers for the playoffs along with the district champion. So 32 teams qualified from the 16 districts in each of the 3 classes.  There were some really good playoff games in those days.  Prior to that, the playoffs format from 1977-1984 consisted of 4 rounds with only the 16 district champions qualifying from each classification. From 1972-76 the playoffs began in the quarterfinals with 8 teams qualifying, and from 1969-71 only four teams qualified.  I've not ever been able to uncover how teams qualified for the playoffs in those days.  

 

More recently, when TSSAA expanded to five classifications in 1993, they took the top three teams from each region (now there were 8 regions in the state and not 16 districts) with the regular season champion getting a first round bye.  That lasted a year, before 4 teams qualified from each region and everyone playing a first round game.  Three years after that, in 1997, they pulled privates out into their own classification, which was later split into two private classifications.

 

The Clinic Bowl was an annual bowl game played in Nashville at Vanderbilt prior the playoff system.  In 1982, the TSSAA decided to play all three state title games in the same day at Vandy and continued to call the games, "the Clinic Bowl".  Prior to that, all state title games were played on campus sites (I believe the higher seed or ranking was chosen to host).  The "Blue Cross Bowl" was the title sponsor when the championships moved to MTSU before the 2000 season.

 

In my opinion, I wish TN would go back to playing a similar playoff system as when they had with 5 classifications for the publics and 2 classes for privates.  Top 4 teams seeded from each region play qualify for the playoffs.  In the public division, you would have 55-59 teams per class with 7-8 teams per region.  This would solve a lot of scheduling and traveling headaches that we have now.  Just wishful thinking though, as I know it will never happen because of gate money at the number of playoff games we have now.  But we would see a lot more intriguing, competitive playoff matchups and more at stake during the regular season as well.

[CU06]

More on this, here's a list of state champions while competing in the highest classification:

2016: Whitehaven

2015: Ravenwood

2014: Maryville

2013: Maryville

2012: Whitehaven

2011: Maryville

2010: Maryville

2009: White Station

2008: Oakland

2007: Smyrna

2006: Smyrna

2005: Ravenwood

2004: Riverdale

2003: Germantown

2002: Brentwood

2001: Riverdale

2000: Red Bank

1999: Sevier County

1998: Oakland

1997: Riverdale

1996: Brentwood Academy

1995: Brentwood Academy

1994: Riverdale

1993: Lincoln County

1992: Gallatin

1991: Oak Ridge

1990: Lincoln County

1989: Gallatin

1988: Dickson County

1987: Jefferson County

1986: Knoxville Halls

1985: Hillcrest

1984: Oakland

1983: Germantown

1982: Lincoln County

1981: John Overton

1980: Oak Ridge

1979: Oak Ridge

1978: Gallatin

1977: Christian Brothers

1976: Bradley Central

1975: Oak Ridge

1974: Father Ryan

1973: Baylor

1972: Tennessee

1971: Tennessee

1970: Murfreesboro Central

1969: Morristown East

 

Source: www.tennprepdb.com

[madmolly]

From the 1940's thru the early 1970's nobody had a easy time much with the Springfield Yellow Jackets Never saw a better game than the 1967 Springfield-Clarksville game played at Springfield that ended in a tie. Anybody else remember that one.

[madmolly]

One season at one school the 1970 Murfreesboro Central Tigers would be hard to beat. How many guys went to college off that team?

[alt1958]

90's

The Clinic Bowl was an annual bowl game played in Nashville at Vanderbilt prior the playoff system.  In 1982, the TSSAA decided to play all three state title games in the same day at Vandy and continued to call it, "Clinic Bowl".  Prior to that, all state title games were played on campus sites (I believe the higher seed or ranking was chosen to host).  The "Blue Cross Bowl" was the title sponsor when the championships moved to MTSU before the 2000 season.

 

 

Actually they played the  Championship game at a neutral field from pretty much the beginning. And they played all 3 divisions games the same day even back then as well.

 

Bradley, in 1976, played at home the first round, then neutral site in Sevier County 2nd round and at MTSU 3rd round. The Class A and AA games were played there as well, and I remember having to wait until the AA game's fans cleared out before they allowed us in for the AAA game.

 

While I am not going to plug Bradley Central as one of the top 25, (really good list and hard to argue) being an honorable mention would be in order with 2 Championships (1 voted 1962, one won 1976) 585 wins, 423 losses and 29 ties, and a 14-14 post season mark in playoffs and bowl games in 100 seasons of playing football. Biggest drawback is a huge number of those losses came during the late 80's and 90's during a period of time things just did not go well.

 

I can sympathize with some of the DB fans tho because it seems most every team in the area wants to beat Da Bears. Must be something to do with being around a long time.

Edited April 20, 2017 by alt1958

[fooseball95]

Haha

[BlackHavenSenator]

I love it

More on this, here's a list of state champions while competing in the highest classification:

2016: Whitehaven

2015: Ravenwood

2014: Maryville

2013: Maryville

2012: Whitehaven

2011: Maryville

2010: Maryville

2009: White Station

2008: Oakland

2007: Smyrna

2006: Smyrna

2005: Ravenwood

2004: Riverdale

2003: Germantown

2002: Brentwood

2001: Riverdale

2000: Red Bank

1999: Sevier County

1998: Oakland

1997: Riverdale

1996: Brentwood Academy

1995: Brentwood Academy

1994: Riverdale

1993: Lincoln County

1992: Gallatin

1991: Oak Ridge

1990: Lincoln County

1989: Gallatin

1988: Dickson County

1987: Jefferson County

1986: Knoxville Halls

1985: Hillcrest

1984: Oakland

1983: Germantown

1982: Lincoln County

1981: John Overton

1980: Oak Ridge

1979: Oak Ridge

1978: Gallatin

1977: Christian Brothers

1976: Bradley Central

1975: Oak Ridge

1974: Father Ryan

1973: Baylor

1972: Tennessee

1971: Tennessee

1970: Murfreesboro Central

1969: Morristown East

[MLREB]

Had a chuckle regarding your Maryville synopsis. I can assure you that 99% of the teams in the state would LOVE to have Maryville's struggles of late.

[Governm]

Had a chuckle regarding your Maryville synopsis. I can assure you that 99% of the teams in the state would LOVE to have Maryville's struggles of late.

I would have agreed with you a few years ago. How long has it been since Maryville won a state title? Edited April 22, 2017 by Governors91

[rebelwoman87]

I would have agreed with you a few years ago. How long has it been since Maryville won a state title?

How long has it been since WB had a winning season? 😜 Maryville has won a State Championship since WB has won 5 football games. Edited April 22, 2017 by rebelwoman87

[STARSNBARS]

How long has it been since WB had a winning season? Maryville has won a State Championship since WB has won 5 football games.

 .....

 

[strongx]

I would have agreed with you a few years ago. How long has it been since Maryville won a state title?

I think I was 48. Don't seem that long ago.