Written by Travis “Triple Threat Tray” Hunter

Season 2 is here.

After laying the foundation during our first year, Triple Threat Sportscast is back for its sophomore season — bigger, sharper and ready to take our coverage of Middle Tennessee high school sports to another level.

And we’re kicking off the 2026 high school football season with something new: the Official TTS Top 5.

This isn’t one person’s list.

Each member of the TTS crew submitted an individual preseason Top 5, and those votes were combined to determine our official five best teams in Middle Tennessee heading into the season.

The formula is simple: a No. 1 vote is worth five points, No. 2 is worth four, No. 3 is worth three, No. 4 is worth two and No. 5 is worth one.

With four TTS voters, there are 60 total points available.

The crew had different opinions throughout the preseason field, especially once the voting moved beyond the first three spots.

But when it came to the teams at the top?

Everybody was on the same page.

No. 1 Brentwood Academy — 20 Points

Brentwood Academy begins the season as the unanimous No. 1 team in the TTS Preseason Top 5.

Every member of the TTS crew placed the Eagles at the top of their preseason ballot, giving BA a perfect 20 out of 20 possible points.

And there’s a reason Brentwood Academy enters 2026 with a target on its back.

BA went 11-0 on its way to the 2025 Division II-AAA state championship game, where the Eagles’ undefeated run ended with a 28-24 loss to Baylor.

Now, the revenge tour begins.

Brentwood Academy returns with plenty of talent to make another run. The offense starts with Larry Sanders II at running back and Crews Jenkins at quarterback. Kesean Bowman provides another weapon at wide receiver, while Judah Lancaster gives the Eagles a target at tight end.

Defensively, Romel Koon Jr. is a name to watch at cornerback, while Kenneth Simon II gives the Eagles another presence at linebacker.

Players to Watch

Larry Sanders II — RB
Crews Jenkins — QB
Kesean Bowman — WR
Judah Lancaster — TE
Romel Koon Jr. — CB
Kenneth Simon II — LB/OLB

TTS Take: BA came four points away from finishing 2025 undefeated and on top. The Eagles enter our sophomore season as the unanimous No. 1.

The revenge tour starts now.

No. 2 Oakland — 16 Points

The second position brought another unanimous decision from the TTS crew.

All four voters placed Oakland at No. 2, giving the Patriots 16 points and a firm hold on the second spot in our preseason rankings.

Unlike Brentwood Academy, Oakland finished the job in Chattanooga.

The Patriots completed a perfect 15-0 season by defeating Ravenwood 62-21 to capture the 2025 Class 6A state championship.

That means the road to the top of Middle Tennessee still runs through a defending champion.

At quarterback, sophomore Kamryn “Kam” Morton is one of the young players we’re especially interested in seeing. The Patriots also feature Donte Cameron, a versatile athlete who can contribute out of the backfield, along with Velon Henderson, who gives Oakland another two-way playmaker at wide receiver and cornerback.

Different names.

Same Oakland expectations.

Players to Watch

Kamryn “Kam” Morton — QB
Donte Cameron — ATH/RB
Velon Henderson — WR/CB

TTS Take: Oakland enters 2026 as the defending 6A champion but starts at No. 2 on our board. The Patriots know how to win.

Now we’ll see whether they can make their case for No. 1.

No. 3 Battle Ground Academy — 12 Points

Three teams. Three unanimous placements.

Every TTS ballot had Battle Ground Academy at No. 3, completing a unanimous Top 3 across the entire crew.

And the Wildcats enter 2026 as the defending Division II-AA state champions.

BGA finished 13-1 last season and capped its run by defeating Franklin Road Academy 61-27 in the state championship game.

Several important pieces from that championship team are back.

Quarterback Bo Bryan returns behind center. Fletcher Fields gives BGA another weapon at running back and athlete, Justice Pittman returns along the defensive line, and Koehn Dial brings experience back to the offensive line.

But then there’s the duo that could make this BGA offense special.

Maximus Curry and Maddox Porter Give BGA an Explosive Duo

Two receivers. One dangerous combination.

Maximus Curry broke out during BGA’s championship season with 57 catches for 1,404 yards and 20 touchdowns.

And somehow, Maddox Porter was doing this as a freshman.

Porter finished his freshman campaign with 78 receptions, 1,547 receiving yards and 27 touchdowns, helping BGA bring home the championship.

His performance earned him 2025 MaxPreps National Freshman Football Player of the Year, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award.

And they showed up when the lights were brightest.

In BGA’s 61-27 state championship victory, Curry finished with nine catches for 176 yards and three touchdowns, while Porter added nine catches for 152 yards and another score.

That’s 328 receiving yards and four touchdowns between the two on championship day.

Now they’re back together.

Curry and Porter aren’t just two players we’re watching — they’re one of the biggest reasons BGA begins the season firmly inside the TTS Top 3.

Players to Watch

Bo Bryan — QB
Fletcher Fields — RB/ATH
Justice Pittman — DL
Koehn Dial — OL
Maximus Curry — WR
Maddox Porter — WR

TTS Take: Don’t let the No. 3 ranking fool you. BGA is the defending champion and returns important pieces from that championship group.

And with Curry and Porter back together on the outside, this could be one of the most explosive duos in Middle Tennessee.

The Wildcats aren’t just defending a championship. They’re coming for the top of this list.

No. 4 Pearl-Cohn — 4 Points

This is where the preseason voting started getting interesting.

Pearl-Cohn received two fourth-place votes from the TTS crew, giving the Firebirds four points and the No. 4 position.

But their 2025 story tells you exactly why TTS isn’t overlooking them.

Pearl-Cohn started last season 0-4 after facing a brutal early schedule.

Then the Firebirds caught fire.

Pearl-Cohn ripped off 10 consecutive victories, marched through the Class 4A playoffs and reached the state championship game before falling 47-27 to Alcoa.

They finished 10-5 and state runner-up.

That playoff run showed what Pearl-Cohn can become when everything starts clicking.

LJ Funk gives the Firebirds a presence at quarterback, while Kyron Caruthers brings versatility to the defense at linebacker and defensive end.

Pearl-Cohn also features the Saulter duo. Stephen Saulter can contribute at wide receiver and cornerback, while Stephon Saulter provides versatility in the secondary at cornerback and free safety.

Players to Watch

LJ Funk — QB
Kyron Caruthers — LB/DE
Stephen Saulter — WR/CB
Stephon Saulter — CB/FS

TTS Take: Pearl-Cohn showed last season that a rough start doesn’t define a season. Ten straight wins carried the Firebirds all the way to Chattanooga.

They start at No. 4 — but they know what a championship run looks like.

No. 5 Riverdale — 3 Points

Riverdale grabs the final position in the preseason TTS Top 5.

The Warriors received a fifth-place vote from Triple Threat Tray and a fourth-place vote from Coach Daniel, giving them three total points and the edge for No. 5.

The Warriors have an intriguing combination on offense with quarterback Gavin Hampton and wide receiver Brylan Oduor.

Hampton gives Riverdale a player to build around behind center, while Oduor adds another weapon on the outside.

And unlike the four teams sitting ahead of them, Riverdale didn’t play in a state championship last December.

That’s part of what makes No. 5 interesting.

The Warriors enter 2026 with an opportunity to crash a group loaded with teams coming off championship appearances.

Players to Watch

Gavin Hampton — QB
Brylan Oduor — WR

TTS Take: Riverdale starts inside the five. Hampton and Oduor give the Warriors offensive firepower, but several programs are waiting right behind them.

Earning No. 5 was one thing.

Keeping it will be another.

TTS Staff Picks

Here’s how the TTS crew voted in the preseason:

Rank	Triple Threat Tray	Triple Threat D	JG	Coach Daniel
1	Brentwood Academy	Brentwood Academy	Brentwood Academy	Brentwood Academy
2	Oakland	Oakland	Oakland	Oakland
3	BGA	BGA	BGA	BGA
4	Pearl-Cohn	FRA	Pearl-Cohn	Riverdale
5	Riverdale	Ravenwood	Antioch	Nashville Christian

The Top 3 were unanimous across the board.

After that?

That’s where the debate begins.

Tray and JG both had Pearl-Cohn at No. 4. Coach Daniel gave Riverdale his fourth-place vote, while Triple Threat D went with Franklin Road Academy.

The fifth spot brought even more variety, with Riverdale, Ravenwood, Antioch and Nashville Christian each receiving a vote.

Those differences are exactly what make the Official TTS Top 5 a crew ranking instead of one person’s opinion.

TTS Preseason Voting Results

Here’s exactly how all 60 available points were distributed:

Team	Points	Result
Brentwood Academy	20	TTS No. 1
Oakland	16	TTS No. 2
BGA	12	TTS No. 3
Pearl-Cohn	4	TTS No. 4
Riverdale	3	TTS No. 5
Franklin Road Academy	2	Outside Top 5
Ravenwood	1	Outside Top 5
Antioch	1	Outside Top 5
Nashville Christian	1	Outside Top 5
Ensworth	0	Receiving Consideration
TOTAL	60	All Points Accounted For

How the 60 Points Work

Only a Top-5 selection on an individual staff ballot earns points.

Each ballot awards five points for No. 1, four for No. 2, three for No. 3, two for No. 4 and one for No. 5.

That’s 15 available points per ballot.

With four TTS voters:

15 × 4 = 60 total points.

And every preseason point is accounted for:

20 + 16 + 12 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 0 = 60.

A team can receive voting points without finishing in the Official TTS Top 5. After all four ballots are combined, the five teams with the strongest point totals become the Official TTS Top 5.

No extra points.

No half-points.

Every vote counts.

The TTS Preseason Field

Our initial TTS preseason field features 10 Middle Tennessee programs:

Brentwood Academy, Oakland, BGA, Pearl-Cohn, Riverdale, Franklin Road Academy, Ravenwood, Antioch, Nashville Christian and Ensworth.

Only five earn the right to call themselves ranked in the Official TTS Top 5.

The rest?

They’re coming for a spot.

And once the games start, nobody’s spot is safe.

How the TTS Top 5 Works

Every week, each of the four TTS crew members will submit an individual Top 10 ballot.

The Top 10 gives the crew a complete field of teams to evaluate, but only a voter’s Top 5 earns ranking points.

Positions No. 6 through No. 10 receive zero points, but those teams remain on the TTS radar and can move into scoring position on future ballots.

The four ballots are combined, all 60 available points are counted, and the five teams with the strongest voting results become the Official TTS Top 5.

So when you see the TTS Top 5 each week, understand: this isn’t one person’s opinion. This is the crew’s vote.

Every week, the ballots go back in. Every week, the points get counted. And every week, those five spots are up for grabs.

Our Sophomore Season: We Coming

Year one laid the foundation.

Year two, we’re building on it.

And look at the group sitting at the top entering Year 2: two defending state champions, two state runners-up and Riverdale trying to crash the party.

Brentwood Academy starts on top. Oakland and BGA are right behind them. Pearl-Cohn and Riverdale complete the first five.

But preseason rankings only tell us where everybody starts.

The games determine where they finish.

Our Sophomore Season. Season 2. We Coming.

#TTS | #Season2 | #WeComing

Written by Travis “Triple Threat Tray” Hunter
Triple Threat Sportscast

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