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How to watch Alcoa in Maryville on NFHS Network

How to watch Alcoa in Maryville on NFHS Network

One of the most anticipated high school football matchups in the state occurs each year between Maryville and Alcoa.

The two teams will compete in Maryville on Friday at 7 p.m. and can be streamed live on the NFHS Network.

Both teams were ranked among the top nine teams in the USA TODAY Sports Network national Super 25 rankings entering week 10 of the TSSAA season. Alcoa (5-1) is ranked No. 9, while Maryville (8-0) is ranked No. 6.

Stream Tennessee HS Football with the NFHS Network

Two teams with strong pedigree

These two teams represent the elite of high school football in Tennessee. Combined, Alcoa and Maryville have won 39 football state championships. Maryville has not finished a season with a losing record since 1963. The Rebels were 5-5 four times during that time and achieved double-digit wins in 26 straight seasons (1997-2022).

Alcoa has posted double-digit wins in 20 of its last 21 seasons, its last loss coming in 2002, and it has two state championship winning streaks (both in 4A), 2000-02 and 2004-07.

Both teams also have legendary coaches. Gary Rankin, who now coaches Boyd Buchanan, spent 16 years at Alcoa and won 13 state titles. He is the state's all-time leader in wins (492) and has 17 total state titles (four of them at Riverdale in Murfreesboro).

George Quarles led Maryville for 18 seasons, collecting 250 wins and winning 11 state championships during his time with the program (1999-2016). Quarles is now the tight ends coach at Austin Peay.

Alcoa's last hurray in Class 3A

This season is Alcoa's last in 3A. From 2025 the program will be switched to 4A. Alcoa is correctly placed in Class 3A with an enrollment of 677, but moving to 4A will allow the Tornadoes to find a home with more regional opponents, making scheduling easier for a team that doesn't have many schools outside the region ready to play.

The Tornadoes have won the last nine consecutive 3A state championships, a state record in football. They also have the second-most consecutive state titles, albeit in Class 2A (7, from 2004 to 2010).

Maryville's advantage in a storied rivalry

These two teams have played 95 times. Maryville leads 65-27 overall and there have been three ties. Alcoa has only had four wins against Maryville since 2001, the last coming in 2022 with a 27-14 victory.

Maryville battled Alcoa from 1985 to 1993. The Rebels lost six of nine games during that time. But since 1993, they have had a winning streak of six or more games against Alcoa three times.

3 Alcoa players you should know

QB Eli Graf. Graf did a little bit of everything for the Tornadoes. He threw for 897 yards with 11 touchdowns, ran for 418 yards and four touchdowns and led the team with 1,418 all-purpose yards.

TE Eli Owens. The Michigan commit has 20 receptions for 281 yards and three touchdowns. He is the No. 15 player in the state of Tennessee for the 2025 class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

RB Micah Jones. Jones won the game on the ground with 72 carries for 379 yards and six touchdowns.

3 Maryville players to know

QB Will Jones. Jones is 102 of 132 for 1,316 yards and 17 touchdowns with just three interceptions. He is completing an impressive 77% of his passes this season.

RB Price Davis. Davis is one of the more dangerous defenders in East Tennessee. He has 140 carries for 832 yards and 15 touchdowns. He averages 104 yards per game.

LB Matthew Covert. Covert was a disruptive force in Maryville's defense with 54 tackles, including seven for a loss, an interception, two forced fumbles, a blocked field goal, a safety and a defensive touchdown.

Reach sportswriter George Robinson at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X Platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.

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