Alabama’s top-ranked programs made a statement last week, and the scoreboard says it all. From a blowout victory in a rivalry game to a thrilling 56-42 game in the Auburn area, here’s how the state’s top teams fared and what it means heading into the next stretch of the season.
Thompson 41, Central 14
No. 1 seed Thompson defeated Central 41-14 in an out-of-region game on August 20, a rematch of what many considered Alabama’s game of the year in 2025, when Thompson escaped with a close 35-34 playoff victory. This time, there was nothing close about it. A 27-point margin against a program that had Thompson on the ropes just months earlier is precisely the kind of decisive win that keeps a team atop the state rankings heading into the toughest part of the season.
Clay-Chalkville 29, Creekside 20
Clay-Chalkville, the second-best team in the state, improved to 2-0 with a 29-20 victory over Creekside on August 21 at 8 p.m. While it wasn’t the blowout that Thompson handed them, a nine-point win in an out-of-region game against a quality opponent is a great way to build momentum early in the season without exposing too much of future opponents on video.
Hewitt-Trussville 56, Auburn 42
Hewitt-Trussville edged Auburn 56-42 in one of the highest-scoring games of the week statewide, a fast-paced encounter where both offenses scored repeatedly. Games like this often raise as many questions as they answer: a game with 98 combined points says as much about two weak defenses as it does about two explosive offenses, and it will be worth watching to see if either team improves their play before the start of the regional league.
What does this mean for the state standings?
Thompson began the season ranked No. 1 in the Alabama Sportswriters Association’s Class 7A preseason standings, while Clay-Chalkville started atop the 6A standings after a 15-0 record last season. Both teams did exactly what you’d expect from a top-tier team on a crucial week: win, and win comfortably. Hewitt-Trussville’s victory over Auburn in a high-scoring game is the kind of result that could influence this week’s regional and national standings, even if it wasn’t a flawless performance by either team.
Check our Scores page for full statewide results, and our Rankings page for the latest Alabama Top 10.