Significant change is coming for Tennessee prep football teams competing in Division II-AAA, with the potential to affect some DII-AA programs as well.
During its annual spring meeting Wednesday in Hermitage, the TSSAA Board of Control voted unanimously to alter the way the association determines which football teams are placed in DII-AAA, the state’s classification for its largest private schools.
Since the TSSAA introduced its first classification system in 1969, teams in every sport — both public and private — have been divided based solely on enrollment. Once the new rule goes into effect, beginning with the 2025 season, a four-part formula will be used to dictate the teams competing in DII-AAA and DII-AA.
The rule does not change how classification is determined for any other sport besides football.
The deciding factors will be: 80% based on enrollment (grades 9-12), 10% on postseason wins (number of wins beginning with the first round of the state playoffs of each season), 5% on region wins and 5% on region scoring margin.