What we got wrong with our TSSAA football preseason region predictions in 2023
George Robinson predicted the order of every region in Middle Tennessee before the 2023 TSSAA football season.
With the regular season over and the TSSAA playoffs arriving Friday, we can finally see where he went wrong.
Every champion Class 2A
Robinson’s predictions: Region champions Bledsoe County (Region 2-2A), East Robertson (3-2A), Fayetteville (4-2A), Mt. Pleasant (5-2A).
Where they finished: Bledsoe (second), East Robertson (second), Fayetteville (second), Mt. Pleasant (third).
There were good teams lurking in these regions. York Institute (10-0), Smith County (8-2) and Marion County (10-0) were picked second but finished first. The big surprise was Loretto (10-0), which was picked fourth but captured its first unbeaten regular season since 1991. Region 5-2A turned out to be especially competitive, with the top four teams — Loretto, Lewis County, Mt. Pleasant and Waverly — combining to go 34-6.
Lincoln County, Region 5-5A
Robinson’s prediction: First
Where they finished: Sixth
The Falcons (3-7) suffered five double-digit losses and missed the playoffs. Instead it was Shelbyville (9-1) that won the region after being picked third.
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Henry County, Region 7-5A
Robinson’s pick: Second
Where they finished: First
The Patriots (9-1) have been great. Their only regular-season loss was 17-14 to Region 6-6A champion Brentwood. Henry County won the region, albeit narrowly, over the preseason No. 1 pick Beech by using a familiar trick play in a 46-45 overtime win.
Riverdale, Region 3-6A
Robinson’s pick: Second
Where they finished: First
Everyone probably got this wrong. Riverdale rallied for a 25-24 win against three-time defending Class 6A champion to snap Oakland’s streak of eight consecutive league titles. Riverdale quarterback Braden Graham was 31-of-40 passing for 310 yards and two TDs in that game. The win didn’t just snap Riverdale’s 12-game losing streak against the Patriots, it questions who the contender really is in Class 6A.
More: Riverdale football takes a leap forward in Large Class rankings entering TSSAA playoffs
Cane Ridge, Region 5-6A
Robinson’s pick: First
Where they finished: Fourth
The Ravens went 2-8 overall and 2-3 in the league, making the playoffs but suffering their worst season since 2011. Cane Ridge was dangerously close to having a winless year. It defeated La Vergne 3-0 and McGavock 17-14. Smyrna (6-4, 5-0) was picked second and won the region.
Nashville Christian, DII-A Middle
Robinson’s prediction: First
How they finished: Third
Nashville Christian has been to two consecutive DII-A state title games and returned five-star quarterback Jared Curtis. The Eagles ended up going 4-6 overall and 2-3 in the region. Depth and the loss of key skill players from last season ended up being issues. NCS just didn’t run the league like many expected.
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Lipscomb Academy, Brentwood Academy and MBA in DII-AAA East Region
Robinson’s predictions: Baylor, Lipscomb Academy, Brentwood Academy, McCallie, MBA, Knoxville Catholic.
How they finished: McCallie, Baylor, MBA, Lipscomb Academy, Knoxville Catholic, Brentwood Academy.
McCallie (9-1, 4-1) winning the region wasn’t a huge shock. But Brentwood Academy going 1-9 and 0-5 in the league stunned everyone. The Eagles nearly played for the state title last season. They returned five-star quarterback George MacIntyre and three-star defensive lineman and Wisconsin commitment Hank Weber. They also added three-star transfers T.T. Hill and Shavar Young to the lineup. None of it amounted to wins.
Lipscomb Academy was expected to contend too, but went 4-6, 3-2. That would’ve sounded absurd at the beginning of the year, when four-star quarterback Deuce Knight was in the lineup before returning to Mississippi. The Mustangs also had two of the top eight college football recruits in the state according to the 247Sports Composite in Tennessee commitments Kaleb Beasley and Edwin Spillman. And what about MBA? The Big Red was supposed to be a bottom dweller after losing a talented senior class, but went 3-2 in the region with wins over Lipscomb Academy and Brentwood Academy.
More: Lipscomb Academy plans legal injunction after TSSAA upholds two-year football playoff ban
Ensworth, DII-AAA West
Robinson’s pick: First
Where they finished: Second
This wasn’t too far off. The Tigers (8-2, 3-1) had a good season and could be a problem for someone in the playoffs. A 19-14 loss to region champion MUS (9-1, 4-0) was the deciding factor. Ensworth still has one of the area’s top defenses, led by four-star defensive lineman Ethan Utley. The Tigers are allowing 9.7 yards per game.
Reach sports writer Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA football: We were wrong on these 2023 preseason region predictions
