🏈 Playoff Pairings Are In, TN Promise Closes Monday, and Valley Schools Get Ready to Thank Their Veterans

Or: Who We Play Next Friday, the One Form Seniors Can’t Forget, and How to Bring a Veteran to School

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Saturday, October 31, 2026

Happy Halloween, and good Saturday morning. The National Weather Service says mostly cloudy today, with a high near 74, and a cloudy night around 51. That’s dry weather for trick-or-treating. And before bed tonight, set your clocks back one hour. Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m., we “fall back.”

A Saturday with no school is like the first cup of coffee on the porch before the chores start. It’s the best time to look down the road and see what’s coming.

Here’s the roundup: The regular season is over, and the state playoff brackets came out Friday. The Indians open the Class 3A playoffs at Chattanooga Prep next Friday, Nov. 6, and Marion County, Bledsoe County, South Pittsburg and Whitwell all drew home games. For high school seniors, Monday, Nov. 2, is the last day to apply for TN Promise, the free community and technical college scholarship. Schools from Dunlap to Pikeville to Spencer are planning Veterans Day lunches, a breakfast and a roll call, and some of the sign-ups are due soon. We also put Monday night’s Sequatchie County school board agenda into plain English, and statewide, a Tennessee college-readiness program just earned a national honor.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Tonight: Clocks fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday. Change them before bed.
• Next Friday, Nov. 6: Sequatchie County at Chattanooga Prep, first round of the 3A playoffs. TSSAA says 7 p.m. local time. Chattanooga runs on Eastern time, so that’s 6 p.m. on Dunlap clocks.
• Tickets: $8 in advance on GoFan, $10 at the gate.
• Monday, Nov. 2: Last day for seniors to apply for TN Promise. It takes a few minutes online.
• Also Monday: Names for Bledsoe County High’s veterans roll call are due.
• Monday, 6 p.m.: Sequatchie County school board meets at 878 Cordell Drive.
• Coming up: Veteran lunches at Griffith (Nov. 10) and Pikeville Elementary (Nov. 13), a Van Buren breakfast (Nov. 11) and a Bledsoe High program (Nov. 12).

🏁 Friday Night’s Final Scores: The Indians Close at 5-5

The Indians finished the regular season Friday night at Indians Stadium, and Giles County won, 42-14. The Bobcats finished 7-3, and Sequatchie County closed at 5-5, a .500 season with a playoff ticket in hand. Around the Valley, Bledsoe County beat Monterey 42-7, Marion County beat York Institute 31-0 to finish 10-0, and Grundy County beat Jackson County 20-14. On Thursday, South Pittsburg beat Whitwell 69-7.

What it means for you: A tough night doesn’t erase a season. It’s a lot like a garden that loses a row to a late frost. The rest of the crop is still standing. The Indians’ playoff spot was settled before Friday’s kickoff, and their seniors still have at least one more Friday night. If your child plays, cheers or marches, this is a good weekend to tell them you’re proud of the whole season, not just one game.

👉 Read more (MaxPreps: Giles County vs. Sequatchie County recap)

🏈 The Playoff Road: Who Plays Whom Next Friday

The TSSAA set the brackets Friday. All first-round games are Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. local time. Advance tickets are $8 on GoFan and $10 at the gate, and more than 40 games will stream on the NFHS Network. Here’s how the Valley and our neighbors line up:

• Class 3A: Sequatchie County (5-5) at Chattanooga Prep (4-6). The winner plays the Unicoi County–McMinn Central winner in the second round. Giles County earned a first-round bye.
• Class 2A: Trousdale County at Marion County (10-0).
• Class 2A: Jackson County at Bledsoe County (8-2).
• Class 2A: Grundy County (7-3) at Gordonsville (9-1).
• Class 1A: Red Boiling Springs at South Pittsburg (9-1).
• Class 1A: Robertson Innovation at Whitwell (4-6).
• Hamilton County, a few examples: Livingston Academy at Red Bank, East Ridge at Macon County, Signal Mountain at White County, and Sale Creek at Jo Byrns.

The later rounds come on Nov. 13, Nov. 20 and Nov. 27, and the BlueCross Bowl state finals are Dec. 3–5 at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.

What it means for you: Playoff Fridays are like a family reunion that moves to a new cousin’s house each year. You’ll want directions before you leave. Chattanooga Prep is in Chattanooga, on Eastern time, so a 7 p.m. kickoff there means leaving Dunlap earlier than you’d think. Buy tickets on GoFan ahead of time to save $2 and skip the line. And check the school’s posts for the exact field before you go.

👉 Read more (TSSAA: Football playoff brackets set for 2026)

🎓 Last Call: TN Promise Applications Close Monday

Statewide update. We’ve reminded you before, and this is the last reminder: Monday, Nov. 2, is the deadline for high school seniors to apply for TN Promise. TN Promise is a “last-dollar” scholarship. It pays the tuition and required fees that Pell, HOPE and other state grants don’t cover at community colleges, TCATs and other eligible schools. Students apply through the state’s THEC student portal, and they’ll need their name exactly as it appears on their Social Security card, their Social Security number, date of birth and a personal email address (not a school email). The application also connects students to Tennessee Direct Admissions, which offers seniors a spot at dozens of Tennessee colleges.

What it means for you: This one is like the sign-up sheet for the church Christmas dinner. It’s free, it’s easy, but once the sheet comes down, it’s down. Signing up doesn’t commit your senior to college. It just keeps the door open. Sit down together this weekend, while it’s quiet, and finish it.

👉 Read more (WSMV: One week left for seniors to apply for TN Promise)

🇺🇸 Veterans Day at Valley Schools: Lunches, a Breakfast and a Roll Call

Veterans Day is Wednesday, Nov. 11, and schools around the Valley are inviting veterans in to be thanked. Here’s what’s posted so far:

• Griffith Elementary, Dunlap: Students can make a poster for a veteran in their life, with a photo, the branch of service and the years served. They can also invite that veteran to a Veterans Day lunch on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Send the lunch application (English or Spanish) back with the poster.
• Van Buren County Schools, Spencer: A breakfast at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the Van Buren County High cafeteria, then a recognition program at 9 a.m. in the gym. Veterans and active-duty service members are invited. RSVP by Nov. 6 at 931-946-2242.
• Bledsoe County High, Pikeville: A Veterans Program with a Roll Call Ceremony, Thursday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m. Families can submit any veteran’s name, including veterans who can’t attend or have passed away. Names are due Monday, Nov. 2. Veterans attending should arrive by 12:30 p.m. for a small reception and registration.
• Pikeville Elementary: “Bring a Veteran to Lunch,” Friday, Nov. 13. Return the form to your child’s teacher by Monday, Nov. 9.

What it means for you: A veteran at a school lunch table is like a grandparent at a Sunday dinner. The kids remember the stories long after the plates are cleared. If there’s a veteran in your family or down your road, this is an easy, happy way to say thank you. Two deadlines come first: Bledsoe High’s roll-call names on Monday and Van Buren’s RSVP by Nov. 6.

👉 Read more (Griffith Elementary: Honor a Veteran)

🏛️ Monday Night: What’s on the Sequatchie County School Board Agenda

The Sequatchie County Board of Education meets in regular session Monday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. at the board office, 878 Cordell Drive in Dunlap. The meeting is open to the public. The posted agenda includes:

• Coach Blevins and the Sequatchie County High girls’ soccer team will address the board. The Lady Indians finished a strong season this month.
• The bus garage on the south property: a roof bid and a road project are up for discussion.
• Discussion of selling property at 76 Jones Drive.
• An overview of internal school audits, a routine check of school money records.
• Policy updates: a first reading on testing programs, and final readings on medicines at school, the emergency allergy response plan and the policy for giving emergency overdose-reversal medicine.
• An agricultural facility addendum and routine personnel news.
• The next meeting is Monday, Dec. 7, with a work session Tuesday, Dec. 1, at 5:30 p.m.

What it means for you: Most of this is the board keeping the barn roof tight and the paperwork current. If your child takes medicine at school or has a serious allergy, the policy updates are worth a look. When the new versions are posted, check that your child’s forms are current with the school nurse.

👉 Read more (Sequatchie County Schools: School board agendas)

🌟 Statewide: A Tennessee “Head Start on College Math” Program Wins National Praise

Statewide. The Tennessee Board of Regents announced Friday that its SAILS program was named a “Promising Practice” by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Just over 100 programs nationwide made the list. SAILS lets high school seniors finish college-readiness math during their senior year, with English in some programs, so they can skip remedial, no-credit classes when they start college.

What it means for you: Remedial classes are like paying for a ticket to sit in the parking lot. They cost time and money and don’t count toward a degree. If your high schooler’s math scores are shaky, ask the school counselor whether SAILS is offered. It could save a semester later.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Board of Regents: SAILS earns national recognition)

🗓️ Dates to Pin

• Today, Sat., Oct. 31: Halloween. Set clocks back before bed.
• Sun., Nov. 1, 2 a.m.: Clocks fall back one hour.
• Mon., Nov. 2: TN Promise deadline. Bledsoe High roll-call names due. Sequatchie school board, 6 p.m.
• Tue., Nov. 3: Election Day. School in Sequatchie County. No school in Bledsoe County.
• Fri., Nov. 6: Van Buren veterans breakfast RSVP due. Playoff first round: Indians at Chattanooga Prep, 7 p.m. Eastern / 6 p.m. Central.
• Mon., Nov. 9: Pikeville Elementary veteran lunch forms due.
• Tue., Nov. 10: Griffith Elementary Veterans Day lunch.
• Wed., Nov. 11: Veterans Day. No school in Sequatchie and Marion counties. Van Buren breakfast 8 a.m., program 9 a.m.
• Thu., Nov. 12: Bledsoe County High Veterans Program, 1 p.m.
• Fri., Nov. 13: Pikeville Elementary veteran lunch. Playoff second round.

What it means for you: If you only remember one thing today, make it this: clocks back tonight, TN Promise and the Bledsoe roll-call names by Monday, and playoff football next Friday at 6 p.m. our time.

👉 Read more (Bledsoe County High School calendar)

🌦️ A Dry Halloween, a Few Showers Sunday, a Wetter Midweek

The National Weather Service forecast for Dunlap: mostly cloudy today, near 74, and cloudy tonight, around 51. Sunday brings a 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 1 p.m., with a high near 65. Monday is partly sunny, near 70, and Tuesday is partly sunny, near 73, with gusts up to 25 mph. Rain chances climb Tuesday night (50 percent) and Wednesday (70 percent), with a possible thunderstorm. Friday, playoff night, looks mostly sunny, near 71.

What it means for you: Monday’s bus stop will be lighter in the morning after the time change, and it’ll get dark an hour earlier in the evening. Pack a rain jacket in backpacks Wednesday. Next Friday’s early forecast looks kind to a road trip.

👉 Read more (NWS: Dunlap point forecast)

✅ Your Saturday Week-Ahead Checklist

• ✅ Tonight: set clocks back one hour, the stove and car clocks too.
• ✅ This weekend: sit with your senior and finish the TN Promise application before Monday.
• ✅ Bledsoe families: submit a veteran’s name for the roll call by Monday.
• ✅ Griffith families: start the veteran poster and send the lunch application back with it.
• ✅ Van Buren veterans: call 931-946-2242 by Nov. 6 to RSVP for breakfast.
• ✅ Football families: buy GoFan tickets early and remember 7 p.m. Eastern is 6 p.m. Central.
• ✅ Wednesday: rain jackets in backpacks.

Practical rule: When a deadline and a day off fall in the same week, do the deadline first. The rest of the week will take care of itself.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English School Glossary

• TSSAA: Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, the group that runs high school sports and the state playoffs.
• Bracket: The chart showing who plays whom in each round of the playoffs.
• First-round bye: A top team skips the first round and moves straight to round two.
• GoFan: The online ticket service TSSAA uses. You can show tickets on your phone at the gate.
• BlueCross Bowl: Tennessee’s high school football state championship games.
• TN Promise: A state scholarship that covers leftover tuition and fees at community and technical colleges.
• Last-dollar scholarship: It pays what’s left after other grants are applied.
• TCAT: Tennessee College of Applied Technology, the state’s hands-on job-training colleges.
• Roll Call Ceremony: A program where veterans’ names are read aloud to honor their service.
• First and second reading: A school board votes on a policy change twice before it becomes final.
• Remedial class: A catch-up college class that costs money but doesn’t count toward a degree.
• SAILS: Seamless Alignment and Integrated Learning Support, a program that lets high school seniors finish college-readiness work early.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Who do the Indians play in the playoffs, and when?

Sequatchie County plays at Chattanooga Prep on Friday, Nov. 6, in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. TSSAA says all first-round games start at 7 p.m. local time. Chattanooga is on Eastern time, so that’s 6 p.m. Central. Check the school’s posts for the exact field.

How much are playoff tickets?

$8 in advance on GoFan, or $10 at the gate, according to TSSAA.

Can I watch from home?

TSSAA says more than 40 playoff games will stream on the NFHS Network. Check the NFHS Network listing to see if your game is included.

Is it too late to apply for TN Promise?

No. The deadline is Monday, Nov. 2. Seniors apply online through the state’s student portal. Start at CollegeforTN.org.

What does a senior need to apply?

Their name exactly as it appears on their Social Security card, their Social Security number, date of birth and a personal email address.

How can my child honor a veteran at Griffith Elementary?

Make a poster with the veteran’s photo, branch and years served. To invite the veteran to lunch on Nov. 10, send the lunch application back to school with the poster.

Can I submit a veteran for Bledsoe County High’s roll call if they’ve passed away?

Yes. The school welcomes names of veterans who can’t attend or have passed away. Submissions are due Monday, Nov. 2.

Can the public attend Monday’s school board meeting?

Yes. The Sequatchie County board meets at 6 p.m. at 878 Cordell Drive, and the meeting is open to the public.

Do the clocks change tonight?

Yes. At 2 a.m. Sunday, clocks fall back one hour. Most phones change on their own. Stoves, cars and wall clocks don’t.

🔗 Other Resources

• TSSAA: Football playoff brackets set for 2026
• TSSAA Class 3A bracket
• TSSAA Class 2A bracket
• TSSAA Class 1A bracket
• The Tennessean: TSSAA first-round pairings
• MaxPreps: Giles County vs. Sequatchie County recap
• Chattanoogan.com: Tennessee football scores, week 11
• Chattanoogan.com: Local results, week 11
• WSMV: TN Promise deadline
• CollegeforTN.org
• Griffith Elementary: Honor a Veteran
• Dunlap.Today: Bledsoe County High roll call ceremony
• Bledsoe County High School
• Pikeville Elementary: Bring a Veteran to Lunch
• Dunlap.Today: Van Buren County Schools veterans breakfast
• Sequatchie County Schools: School board agendas
• Sequatchie County Board of Education: Nov. 2 agenda (PDF)
• Tennessee Board of Regents: SAILS national recognition
• Tennessee Board of Regents: About SAILS
• NWS Dunlap point forecast

🏠 Keep Learning — Stay Calm

One season closed, another one starts next Friday, a form to finish by Monday, and a few chances to thank the veterans among us. Nothing on this list calls for worry. A cup of coffee, a pen and a few minutes at the kitchen table this weekend, and your family is ready for the week ahead.

For more calm, practical Valley news you can use, keep reading Dunlap.Today.