CHATTANOOGA — Pick an offensive statistic — any one — on the all-time TSSAA football leaderboard and there’s a good chance you’ll see Jared Curtis there.
The Vanderbilt signee finishes his career second in total touchdowns (177). Tied for second in passing touchdowns (128). Third in total offense (12,010 yards). Seventh in passing yards (9,733). Tenth in completions (624). If Curtis hadn’t missed two games due to a lower leg injury this year, he may probably top a couple of those lists.
Advertisement
Nashville Christian won both games its star quarterback sat, 58-0 over Clarksville Academy and 71-6 over Mt. Juliet Christian. Without Curtis, the Eagles might have still been one of the best teams in Division II-A.
With him? They were historic.
MORE: TSSAA football playoffs championships scores for 2025
MORE: What Vanderbilt commit Omarii Sanders said about Jared Curtis, Owen Cabell flips
Curtis, the nation’s No. 1 quarterback and overall top recruit in the class of 2026 per the 247Sports Composite, led Nashville Christian (13-0) to a 59-7 rout of University School of Jackson in the DII-A state championship game on Dec. 4. In his final game before assuming his new role as hometown hero for the suddenly buzzing Commodores, he completed 14 of 19 passes for 205 yards and five touchdowns and added four carries for 78 yards and another TD.
Advertisement
“We just came out here and executed the way we’re supposed to,” Curtis said.
The Eagles’ victory over the Bruins (11-1), their second straight TSSAA football state championship, was never remotely in doubt. They led 49-0 at halftime, setting a BlueCross Bowl record for points in a half, and only a running clock and last-minute USJ touchdown prevented them from breaking the records for points in a game (68) and margin of victory (54).
“I don’t think you anticipate it like that,” said Nashville Christian coach Jeff Brothers. “What I knew, and was confident in, was the preparation our guys put in. I was very confident that our team was prepared to play their best game of the year.”
Nashville Christian’s Jared Curtis (2) celebrates during the fourth quarter of their Division II-A championship victory against USJ at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn., Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.
In doing so, Nashville Christian made a firm statement that it’s more than Curtis. Running back TJ Ward, a TCU commit, turned his nine touches into 89 yards and three touchdowns. Eight different Eagles caught passes, led by Kaden Grigsby’s four for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Advertisement
On the other side of the ball, edges Michael Hoskins (nine tackles, one fumble recovery) and Colt McClary (two TFLs) were everywhere. The Bruins gained less than two yards per play during the first half. Running back Jackson Pugh, a Mr. Football semifinalist, had a season-low 21 yards.
“They’re a zone-scheme team,” Brothers said. “… If you’ve got one guy out of position, or one guy misses a tackle, or one guy not staying in his gap, then you’re opening yourself up to big gains. Our guys were expertly well-trained and prepared.”
Nashville Christian went unbeaten for the first time, and outside of DII-AAA Ensworth (42-41) and Class 3A Tyner (49-42), none of those wins were close. It defeated its DII-A opponents by an average of 43 points.
How did the Eagles sustain that dominance over their own classification every week? One of their mantras, Brothers said, was not to rise to the occasion, but to be the occasion.
Advertisement
“Don’t let it get to you,” Curtis said. “You go out there with poise and confidence and just relax, and the game will come to you.”
Curtis left the game for good with 10:56 left in the fourth quarter, earning a standing ovation and a series of celebratory lifts from his team before throwing on Brothers’ Vanderbilt jacket. His time at Nashville Christian is over. But his legacy, and that of the 2025 Eagles, will endure.
“I think we definitely left them a good standard and good base to go off of,” said senior Zane Crampton, who caught two of Curtis’ touchdowns. “And they’re gonna get better and better.”
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt signee Jared Curtis wins TSSAA football state championship
