(Photo by Danny Parker/5Star Preps)
By JESSE SMITHEY
Over the past 20 seasons, some 55 TSSAA state football championships were won by teams hailing from the 5Star Preps coverage area.
Maryville and Alcoa accounted for essentially half of that total with 27. Alcoa, which leads TSSAA in all-time football championships with 18, claimed 14 titles from 2000-19.
But not all championship squads ascend the same way. Some overcome loads of adversity. Others steamroll their way through.
And oftentimes, debates arise over which title-winning teams were the best.
That’s where we step in.
We’re going to settle this debate by offering our Top 12 Most DOMINANT Football Teams of the past 20 years — from our coverage area.
Define “dominant,” you ask.
Fine. “Dominant” is difficult to qualify, for sure.
First off, the team HAD to win state.
Secondly, we also ruled out any two-loss teams, regardless if they won state titles or not during this timeframe.
Thirdly, we had our eyes, first hand, on these teams over the past two decades; so, we’ll factor in our perceptions and evaluations along with stats, wins by 17 points or more, shutouts, results in postseason, margins of victory in postseason, next-level talents, coaching staffs and more.
Onto the rankings…
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