Hargis: Vols thrive off home fans’ energy in series win vs. Longhorns
It was sometime around 1990 when several buddies and I loaded up a car and headed to Neyland Stadium for the Orange & White spring football game.

It was sometime around 1990 when several buddies and I loaded up a car and headed to Neyland Stadium for the Orange & White spring football game.

South Pittsburg is graduating many of the key players from the team that won the school's eighth football state championship last fall, but the Pirates have more talent in store.

One of the state's smallest classifications is loaded with one of the largest groups of Chattanooga-area prep football teams capable of challenging for deep playoff runs.

With the bogeyman known as the Alcoa Tornadoes no longer around to terrorize them, the teams that remained in TSSAA Class 3A last year breathed a sigh of relief.

However their 2025 season turned out for the Chattanooga area's TSSAA Class 4A football teams, the return of experienced talent is a strength for all of them to some degree.

After four straight state runner-up finishes, Page High School rallied late for a dramatic 21-14 win over Sevier County in last year's TSSAA Class 5A BlueCross Bowl, which secured the Franklin program's first championship.

Bradley, Cleveland working to contend in top-heavy 6A

The mid-state continued its ownership of the mid-sized private school classification last fall as Battle Ground Academy won the TSSAA Division II-AA BlueCross Bowl in dominant fashion.

A familiar face will headline this year's Times Free Press Best of Preps awards banquet, one who once appeared among the athletes being honored.

What could possibly be better than Christmas in July? Well, football in May, of course.
