Triple Threat Sportscast | Season 2 • Week 9
Middle Tennessee High School Football | October 21, 2026

Four voters. Sixty points. One official Top 10.

The playoff picture is heating up, championship contenders are separating themselves and the debate over Middle Tennessee’s best high school football teams is getting louder by the week.

Welcome back to another edition of the Triple Threat Sportscast Wednesday Rankings, where records matter, strength of schedule matters and what happens between those white lines matters most.

After another week of football, the Triple Threat Sportscast crew — Triple Threat D, Triple Threat Trey, JG and Coach Daniel — submitted their official Top 10 ballots.

The result?

A familiar team remains on top.

Riverdale is closing the gap.

Brentwood Academy continues making one of the strongest strength-of-schedule arguments in the area.

And undefeated Antioch remains one of the biggest debates in the voting room.

Official TTS Week 9 Top 10

Rank	Team	Record	Points
1	Battle Ground Academy	7-1	16
2	Riverdale	7-1	13
3	Brentwood Academy	6-2	12
4	Montgomery Bell Academy	7-1	10
5	Antioch	8-0	6
6	Lipscomb Academy	6-2	3
7	Oakland	7-1	0
8	Brentwood	7-1	0
9	Beech	7-1	0
10	Page	7-1	0

The voting system is simple. Each of our four analysts awards five points to their No. 1 team, four points to No. 2, three to No. 3, two to No. 4 and one to No. 5.

Only the first five selections earn points.

Positions 6 through 10 serve as receiving-consideration selections, with ballot appearances and average placement helping determine the final order when teams finish with zero points.

All 60 available points have been accounted for.

No. 1 — Battle Ground Academy Wildcats

Record: 7-1 | 16 Points

The Wildcats keep answering the call.

Battle Ground Academy improved to 7-1 after shutting out Pope John Paul II 35-0 on October 16, giving BGA its fourth consecutive victory.

The Wildcats have already demonstrated their offensive firepower in victories over Pearl-Cohn 49-6, Franklin Road Academy 41-36 and Davidson Academy 56-7.

But against Pope John Paul II, this was not simply about putting points on the board.

BGA delivered a complete performance.

Junior Max Curry led the offensive charge with 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, while also adding 65 receiving yards and another score.

Senior Fletcher Fields contributed 90 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts.

Sophomore receiver Maddox Porter continues to provide another dangerous option in the passing game, while linebacker Mannie Fentress helps anchor the defense.

What Makes BGA Dangerous?

Options.

BGA has multiple offensive weapons, can generate explosive plays and has shown the ability to overwhelm opponents once the Wildcats find their rhythm.

There are still questions when the competition rises.

The 42-21 loss to Milton remains an important measuring stick, while the narrow 41-36 victory over FRA showed that quality opponents can push this team deep into a four-quarter fight.

TTS Verdict

BGA received two first-place votes and consistent support across all four ballots.

The Wildcats are not a unanimous No. 1.

But they are still the crew’s No. 1 team.

Next challenge: Goodpasture Christian, October 23.

No. 2 — Riverdale Warriors

Record: 7-1 | 13 Points

Seven straight wins.

Riverdale is coming.

If one program is putting serious pressure on BGA for the top position, it is the Riverdale Warriors.

Riverdale extended its winning streak to seven games with a dominant 51-0 victory over Siegel.

The Warriors have not lost since falling to Knoxville Catholic 19-14 in the season opener.

Since then, Riverdale has defeated Father Ryan, Blackman, LaVergne, Stewarts Creek, Columbia Central, Smyrna and Siegel.

Quarterback Gavin Hampton completed 9 of 11 passes for 173 yards and three touchdowns against Siegel.

The defense deserves equal attention.

Holding Siegel scoreless added another shutout to an already impressive defensive résumé.

What Makes Riverdale Dangerous?

Balance.

The Warriors are combining explosive offensive production with consistent defense.

TTS Verdict

Riverdale received one first-place vote, one second-place vote, one third-place vote and one fifth-place vote.

That produced 13 points, just three behind BGA.

Next challenge: Rockvale, October 23.

And one game continues looming on the schedule:

Riverdale vs. Oakland — October 30.

No. 3 — Brentwood Academy Eagles

Record: 6-2 | 12 Points

Do not let those two losses fool you.

Brentwood Academy checks in at No. 3 despite carrying what may be one of the strongest overall schedules among the teams near the top.

The Eagles’ two losses came against Baylor, 38-20, and national powerhouse St. Joseph’s Prep, 31-23.

Since falling to St. Joseph’s Prep, Brentwood Academy has responded with five consecutive victories.

That stretch includes:

43-7 over Christian Brothers

24-0 over Ensworth

63-14 over Memphis University School

42-7 over Briarcrest Christian

What Makes Brentwood Academy Dangerous?

Physicality.

Explosiveness.

And experience against high-level competition.

TTS Verdict

JG ranked Brentwood Academy No. 1, while the other three analysts placed the Eagles third or fourth.

That combination produced 12 points.

Is Brentwood Academy actually the best team in Middle Tennessee despite having two losses?

There is an argument.

Next challenge: Father Ryan, October 23.

No. 4 — Montgomery Bell Academy Big Red

Record: 7-1 | 10 Points

The Big Red continue building their résumé.

MBA enters Week 9 at 7-1, with its only loss coming against undefeated Baylor.

Against Franklin Road Academy, MBA survived a 40-36 shootout.

Against Christian Brothers, the Big Red escaped with a 22-21 victory.

Against Christ Presbyterian Academy, they won a 14-10 defensive battle.

Most recently, MBA handled Father Ryan 35-7.

What Makes MBA Dangerous?

Toughness.

Discipline.

And experience against quality opponents.

The 45-17 loss to Baylor remains an important measuring stick.

TTS Verdict

MBA received 10 points, placing the Big Red fourth overall.

Next challenge: McCallie, October 23.

No. 5 — Antioch Bears

Record: 8-0 | 6 Points

Eight games.

Eight victories.

Not one loss.

And Antioch is still only No. 5.

The Bears remained unbeaten with a dramatic 34-31 victory over Franklin Road Academy.

Earlier this season, Antioch dominated West Creek, McGavock, Cane Ridge and Overton.

They also survived a 28-26 victory over East Nashville.

Quarterback Andre Adams has driven much of Antioch’s offensive production.

Running back Evan Davis gives the Bears another threat on the ground, while defensive standout Fred Ntumba has been among the team’s impact players.

What Makes Antioch Dangerous?

Momentum.

Confidence.

Explosiveness.

And the belief that this team can find a way when a game gets close.

TTS Verdict

Triple Threat Trey ranked Antioch second.

JG and Coach Daniel each ranked the Bears fifth.

Triple Threat D placed Antioch eighth.

That produced six points and a fifth-place finish.

Next challenge: Clarksville, October 23.

Receiving Consideration: Teams 6-10

No. 6 — Lipscomb Academy (6-2 | 3 Points)

Lipscomb Academy just defeated Christian Brothers 33-7, giving the Mustangs five consecutive victories.

That streak also includes wins over Ravenwood, Memphis University School, Ensworth and Father Ryan.

Lipscomb’s two losses came by a combined four points against McCallie and Knoxville Catholic.

All three of Lipscomb’s points came from Triple Threat D, who ranked the Mustangs third.

Is Lipscomb being undervalued by the voting system?

No. 7 — Oakland Patriots (7-1 | 0 Points)

Oakland responded to its early loss against Smyrna by winning five consecutive games, including a 42-0 shutout of LaVergne on October 16.

Junior running back Jacob Vaughn remains one of the Patriots’ major offensive weapons, while linebacker Chevy Armour has contributed defensively.

Oakland’s only loss was a one-point defeat to Smyrna.

With Riverdale waiting on October 30, Oakland will have a major opportunity to change the conversation.

No. 8 — Brentwood Bruins (7-1 | 0 Points)

Brentwood’s only loss came against Brentwood Academy.

The Bruins have since built an impressive winning streak with victories over Page, Henry County, Coffee County Central and Franklin.

The 20-14 head-to-head victory over Page gives Brentwood an important advantage when comparing the two programs.

No. 9 — Beech Buccaneers (7-1 | 0 Points)

Seven straight victories.

Beech continues building momentum.

The Buccaneers defeated Gallatin 46-17 on October 16.

Running back DK Williams has emerged as one of the team’s most exciting performers, combining explosive rushing production with two-way versatility.

Beech has also defeated Mt. Juliet, Henry County, East Nashville, Upperman, Hunters Lane and Station Camp.

The Buccaneers’ only loss came against Green Hill in the season opener.

No. 10 — Page Patriots (7-1 | 0 Points)

Page rounds out the rankings at 7-1.

The Patriots have demonstrated outstanding defensive ability throughout the season, including shutout victories over Green Hill, Centennial and Lawson.

Page’s 7-3 victory over Independence showed it can also survive when the game becomes a defensive grind.

Its only loss came against Brentwood, 20-14.

How the TTS Crew Voted

Rank	Triple Threat D	Triple Threat Trey	JG	Coach Daniel
1	Riverdale	BGA	Brentwood Academy	BGA
2	BGA	Antioch	MBA	Riverdale
3	Lipscomb	Brentwood Academy	Riverdale	MBA
4	Brentwood Academy	MBA	BGA	Brentwood Academy
5	MBA	Riverdale	Antioch	Antioch
6	Oakland	Brentwood	Oakland	Lipscomb
7	Brentwood	Beech	Lipscomb	Oakland
8	Antioch	Page	Beech	Nolensville
9	Page	Nolensville	Brentwood	Beech
10	Pearl-Cohn	Oakland	Page	Brentwood

The Biggest Debates Heading Into Week 10

Does BGA deserve to remain No. 1?

The Wildcats still lead the official poll, but Riverdale is only three points behind and Brentwood Academy has its own legitimate argument.

Is Brentwood Academy better than its 6-2 record suggests?

When strength of schedule becomes part of the discussion, the Eagles have one of the strongest cases in Middle Tennessee.

Is Lipscomb Academy ranked too low?

Five consecutive victories, two narrow losses against quality opponents and several strong wins make the Mustangs one of the most intriguing teams outside the Top Five.

How much respect does Antioch deserve for going undefeated?

Eight victories without a loss cannot be dismissed, but the TTS crew remains divided over how much weight should be placed on record versus strength of schedule.

Which team outside the Top Five is most likely to make the next jump?

Oakland, Brentwood, Beech and Page all have opportunities to force their way higher.

And keep watching Ravenwood and Nolensville as the regular season winds down.

Final Word: November Is Coming

BGA still owns the crown.

But nobody is running away with this thing.

Riverdale has won seven straight.

Brentwood Academy has survived one of the most challenging schedules among the contenders.

MBA keeps stacking quality wins.

Antioch has yet to lose.

Lipscomb is making it increasingly difficult to justify leaving the Mustangs outside the Top Five.

And several teams underneath them are waiting for their opportunity.

Soon, the arguments will matter less.

The ballots will matter less.

The teams themselves will settle the debate.

Until then, BGA remains No. 1.

But the pressure behind the Wildcats is getting stronger.

Who is ranked too high?

Who is being overlooked?

And if you had to win one game tomorrow, which Middle Tennessee team would you trust?

Drop your Top Five or Top 10 in the comments.

The TTS crew wants to hear it.

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