Marietta is the first team with a losing record from the previous season to be ranked No. 1 in a preseason since 1982, when The Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution merged their polls. Marietta is the first team since Southwest DeKalb in 2009 to be ranked No. 1 after finishing unranked in the final rankings the previous season. Below are teams since 1982 that have gone from unranked one season to No. 1 the next, followed by teams that have been ranked No. 1 after having winning percentages of .750 or lower from the previous season.
2019 Marietta
2009 Southwest DeKalb
2007 Wilcox County
1998 Washington-Wilkes
1993 Dougherty
1992 Stephens County
*1991 Clinch County
1986 Thomas County Central
1984 Cairo
2019 Marietta (5-6)
2016 Westminster (11-4)
*2015 ELCA (7-7)
2015 Archer (11-4)
2009 Southwest DeKalb (9-4)
2007 Wilcox County (9-3)
2006 Griffin (10-4)
2002 Bowdon (10-5)
1999 Cairo (9-5)
1998 Washington-Wilkes (5-5)
1993 Dougherty (8-3)
*1991 Clinch County (8-4)
1986 Thomas Co. Central (7-3)
1984 Cairo (6-4)
1983 Mary Persons (11-4)
*1982 Bainbridge (5-5)
*Won state championships
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