Tough schedule awaits Jackets

The 2026 Jeff Davis High School football team will face a murderous schedule this year, playing in a tougher region, taking on strong non-region foes and playing only four home games. Eight of the 10 teams on the Yellow Jackets’ 2026 schedule made the state playoffs last year.
Lance Helton enters his 10th year as head coach of the Yellow Jackets. He has compiled a 60-40 record with the Yellow Jackets and got 7 of his 9 teams into the state playoffs.
The Georgia High School Association has changed its classifications again for 2026, ranging from Class 7A down to Class 1A. Jeff Davis will play in Class 2A.
Jeff Davis will play in Region 1-AA in 2026-27 and 2027-28. The region members are Jeff Davis, Bacon County, Berrien, Brooks County, Cook, Fitzgerald and Thomasville.
Jeff Davis’ non-region schedule opens Aug. 21 at home against Vidalia, followed by road games at Clinch County, Metter and McIntosh County Academy.
Despite its 1-9 record in 2025, Vidalia always proves to be a tough opponent for the Yellow Jackets. The Indians have struggled since Coach Lee Chomskis departed after the 2019 season, and have had only two winning seasons in the past six years.
Clinch County was 13-1 last season in Class A, Division 2. Its only loss was to eventual state champion Bowden in the state semifinals.
Metter was 5-5 last season playing in Class A, Division 2. That was a down year for the perennially strong Tigers and history indicates Metter will be a much stronger team in 2026.
McIntosh County Academy was 5-6 last year, three seasons after a 10-2 record in 2022.
Gone from last year’s Region 1, Class A, Division 1 is 2025 state champion Worth County as the Rams moved up to Class AAA. Jeff Davis, Berrien, Bacon County, Fitzgerald and Thomasville remain to form Region 1AA along with newcomers Cook and Brooks County.
Cook was 5-6 last season in Class AA and Brooks was 7-6, advancing to the third round of the playoffs in Class A, Division 2.
2026 Jeff Davis High
Football Schedule
(2025 Record)
Aug. 21 Vidalia (1-9) Home
Aug. 28 Clinch County (13-1) There
Sep. 4 Metter (5-5) There
Sep. 18 McIntosh County (5-6) There
Sep. 25 Fitzgerald (9-4) There
Oct. 9 Bacon County (5-6) Home
Oct. 16 Thomasville (8-4) There
Oct. 23 Cook (5-6) Home
Oct. 30 Berrien (4-8) There
Nov. 16 Brooks County (7-6) Home
Jeff Davis Football
Coach Lance Helton
2025 7-4
2024 8-4
2023 5-6
2022 1-9
2021 10-2
2020 9-2
2019 7-3
2018 7-5
2017 6-5