The Tellico Plains Bears received a wild card bid to the TSSAA Class 2A playoffs, but will get to host their first-round game. The Bears will play host to Oliver Springs, who can't host a playoff game due to TSSAA sancations with the basketball program.

Tellico is the No. 6 seed (out of six teams) in the Northeast quadrant of the 2A playoffs. Should Tellico win against Oliver Springs, they would travel to play top-seeded Hampton, who received a first-round bye for being one of the top two seeds in the quadrant, the next week.

Other teams in the quadrant include Rockwood, Unaka, and Oneida.

Oneida was a semi-finalist in the 1A playoffs a season ago.

Despite their 7-3 overall record, the Bears finished in a three-way tie with Harriman and Rockwood in District 3-A. Rockwood beat Hariman 35-7 on Friday night and received the automatic playoff bid for Class 2A from the district despite having a 3-2 district record like the Bears and losing to Tellico 21-6 on Sept. 18.

However, the Rockwood win over Harriman created a tie in the final standings and the Tigers received the automatic bid based on a series of tiebreakers that included best overall record. Rockwood did not lose a non-district game this season while Tellico's only non-district loss came to the undefeated Polk County Wildcats, which was the difference in the Bears receiving a No. 3 seed, which went to Rockwood, and the No. 6 seed.

Kickoff time for the Bears' first-round game will be at 7 p.m.

Check The Advocate & Democrat for complete coverage of the Tellico Plains Bears as they play in the state playoffs for the first time since 2001.