Road to Chattanooga: Area Teams Open the 2026 TSSAA Football Playoffs

The road to Finley Stadium starts this Friday. The 2026 TSSAA football playoffs open November 6, and every state championship game will be played right here in Chattanooga from December 3 through 5. For area teams, that means chasing a title on their own turf.

The Playoff Calendar

The Division I bracket runs on a weekly schedule: first round on Friday, Nov. 6, second round on Nov. 13, quarterfinals on Nov. 20, and semifinals on Nov. 27. The Division II bracket moves a round faster, with its Class AA title game set for Thursday, Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. State championship weekend at Finley Stadium looks like this for Division I:

• Friday, Dec. 4: Class 3A (11 a.m.), Class 1A (3 p.m.), and Class 5A (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, Dec. 5: Class 4A (11 a.m.), Class 2A (3 p.m.), and Class 6A (7 p.m.)

Chattanooga-Area First-Round Games

Here are the first-round matchups involving area teams, with kickoff on Friday, Nov. 6:

• Class A: Sale Creek at Jo Byrns, and Red Boiling Springs at South Pittsburg
• Tyner and Chattanooga Prep: Tyner hosts Watertown, and Chattanooga Prep hosts its first-round game at home
• Class 4A: East Ridge at Macon County, Livingston Academy at Red Bank, and Signal Mountain at White County
• Class 5A: Soddy-Daisy at Columbia
• Class 6A: West Ridge at Cleveland
• Division II Class AA: Silverdale and St. George’s meet, and Boyd Buchanan visits FRA
• Division II Class AAA: Father Ryan at McCallie

Storylines to Watch

Tyner enters at 9-1 as the top seed from its region, and it was tabbed a state title contender before the season began. South Pittsburg is also 9-1 and hosts Red Boiling Springs as the top seed in its bracket.

East Ridge is one of the season’s better turnarounds. The Pioneers went 5-5 in 2025, their first five-win season since 2020, and they’re 8-2 heading into the playoffs. Red Bank finished 5-5 overall but went 5-0 in district play to take the region’s top spot, and the Lions closed the regular season with a 30-15 win over Loudon.

In Division II, Silverdale (6-3) and Boyd Buchanan (6-3) both carry strong records into a tough Class AA bracket, while McCallie hosts Father Ryan in Class AAA.

Playoff Spirit Wear and Next Season’s Gear

Every year, the same thing happens around playoff time: students, parents, and booster clubs want shirts, hoodies, and hats that mark the run, and they want them fast. Playoff weeks move quickly, so if your school or booster club is planning gear, reach out as early as you can and we’ll tell you what’s realistic for your timeline. We handle the design and production in-house with screen printing for bold team names and numbers, plus embroidery for coaches’ and staff apparel.

A playoff run is also a good time to think about next season. Our online team store builder lets families order spirit wear and gear directly, and we build custom football uniforms through official Adidas and Under Armour uniform builders.

Get a Quote

Whether you need spirit wear for the stretch run or want a head start on next year’s uniforms, our team can help. Start your quote today.

FAQs About the 2026 TSSAA Football Playoffs

Q: When do the TSSAA football playoffs start?
A: First-round games are Friday, November 6.

Q: Where are the state championship games?
A: All state championship games are played in Chattanooga, with Division II Class AA on Thursday, Dec. 3 and Division I titles on Friday, Dec. 4 and Saturday, Dec. 5.

Q: Which area teams are in the playoffs?
A: Teams include Tyner, South Pittsburg, Sale Creek, Chattanooga Prep, East Ridge, Red Bank, Signal Mountain, Soddy-Daisy, McCallie, Silverdale, and Boyd Buchanan, among others.

Q: Can The Athletic Shop make playoff spirit wear for a school or booster club?
A: Yes. We design and produce custom spirit wear and can set up an online store so families order and pay directly.