Baylor vs. McCallie: Inside Chattanooga’s Biggest High School Football Rivalry

There are rivalry games, and then there’s Baylor versus McCallie. Tonight, Friday, October 2, at 7:30 p.m., two of Chattanooga’s most storied football programs renew a series that’s been running for more than a century, and once again, it’s expected to be one of the biggest nights on the local high school football calendar.

A Rivalry Over a Century in the Making

Baylor School and McCallie School sit on opposite sides of the Tennessee River, and for generations, their football game has been treated as the city’s marquee athletic event. Matchups between the two have drawn crowds of 10,000 to 15,000 or more when hosted at Finley Stadium, and the series has repeatedly decided more than just bragging rights, it’s sent teams to state championship games, sometimes against each other.

How the Last Few Years Have Gone

The rivalry’s recent history reads like a back-and-forth heavyweight fight. McCallie won back-to-back state championship meetings between the two programs before Baylor swept both of last year’s matchups. In the October 2025 regular-season game, Baylor outlasted McCallie 38-35 at McCallie’s Spears Stadium in a game with six lead changes and more than 470 combined rushing yards, Baylor’s first win on McCallie’s campus since 1996. Star running back David Gabriel Georges carried the load that night, rushing for 280 yards and three touchdowns on runs of 51, 53, and 60 yards.

The two teams met again in the playoffs less than two months later, their third straight postseason meeting, with Baylor winning 56-35 to punch its ticket to the state title game. It was a complete turnaround from the two previous postseasons, when McCallie had come out on top both times.

Tonight’s Chapter

Baylor enters this year’s game as one of the state’s top-ranked programs, currently sitting at No. 11 nationally per MaxPreps after a 45-17 win last week. With Gabriel Georges, the reigning MaxPreps National Player of the Year, still leading the Red Raiders’ offense, Baylor will look to carry its recent momentum in the series into another test against a McCallie program with just as much tradition and just as much motivation to reclaim the upper hand.

Whatever happens tonight, it’s safe to say Chattanooga’s biggest rivalry is about to add another chapter worth remembering.

Outfitting Chattanooga’s Biggest Programs

Games like this are a reminder of just how much talent and tradition run through Chattanooga high school football. The Athletic Shop is proud to outfit programs across the Chattanooga area with custom uniforms built through official Adidas and Under Armour uniform builders, along with practice gear, coaches’ apparel, and fan spirit wear built for rivalry week.

Whether your program is gearing up for a season-defining night like this one or building toward next year’s schedule, we can help you look the part.

Get Your Team’s Uniform Started

If your program is ready to build a uniform for this season, get a free quote from our team. Start your quote today.

FAQs About the Baylor-McCallie Rivalry

Q: When do Baylor and McCallie play this season?
A: The two teams meet Friday, October 2, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m.

Q: Who won the last few meetings between Baylor and McCallie?
A: Baylor won both of last season’s matchups, a 38-35 regular-season win in October 2025 and a 56-35 playoff win that December, after McCallie had won the two state championship meetings before that.

Q: How big is the Baylor-McCallie rivalry?
A: It’s one of Tennessee’s most storied high school football rivalries, with matchups at Finley Stadium historically drawing crowds of 10,000 to 15,000 or more.

Q: Does The Athletic Shop outfit private school football programs in Chattanooga?
A: Yes. We work with football programs across the Chattanooga area, including private and public school programs of every size.