Before the 2009 football season even started, the Gainesville Red Elephants were thought to be one of the best teams in Class AAA in the state.

That thought is now a fact. Well, sort of.

The Red Elephants (3-0) were named the No. 1 team in Class AAA on Tuesday by the Associated Press, the Atlanta Journal Constitution and gasports.com, marking the first time that the program has been the unanimous No. 1 team in its classification since 1983.

Although there is some prestige that comes with the No. 1 ranking, however, everyone in the Gainesville camp is not buying into the statewide notoriety.

“I don’t really worry about it and I don’t think about it,” said Gainesville coach Bruce Miller, whose 2003 team was the last Red Elephants’ squad ranked No. 1 by the AP.

“I’m so concentrated on the next game and what you got to do to truly be the No. 1 team.”

Miller knows that first hand, as his 2003 team was awarded the No. 1 ranking Oct. 29, but finished the season with a second-round loss to unranked Westminster.

“We thought the other team couldn’t play with us because we were ranked No. 1,” Miller said. “I think it’s probably good that I’ve been there before because I know it means nothing.”

His players know it too.

“It’s a good thing, but I think it’s more for our fans,” senior Teryan Rucker said of the ranking. “It doesn’t really mean anything until the end of the 15 weeks. If we’re still No. 1 then, that’s when it means the most.”

Gainesville knows that it will have its work cut out for it in order to remain No. 1 from now until the Class AAA title game in Week 15.

“It feels good to be No.1 and we’re thankful for the Lord giving us strength to play every Friday,” quarterback Blake Sims said. “But we’re not going to just let everyone know we’re No. 1, we’re going to prove it.”

The first chance to prove it comes Friday against rival North Hall.

“Right now, we’re liking it, but on Friday night we play to stay No. 1,” Rucker said. “That’s different from last week when we were playing to be No. 1.”

Gainesville was awarded the No. 1 ranking after it defeated White County 42-20 and former top-team Carver-Columbus, which knocked the Red Elephants out of the playoffs last year, lost to Class AAAA Northside-Warner Robins.

The Red Elephants also benefited from Flowery Branch’s loss to Creekview last Friday as the Falcons were ranked No. 2 in several polls.

Miller was first approached by the concept of being No. 1 after Friday’s contests, and his theory then was the same as when the ranking was announced Tuesday.

“It’s good PR for the school and good PR for the players, but I just want our players to play like they’re No. 1,” Miller said. “I want them to take that as a challenge that we need to maintain to be No. 1 and don’t think we got it made just because we’re ranked No. 1.”

Combined with the losses by the aforementioned teams and after rolling to wins in their first three games by outscoring their opponents 117-20, there was little doubt that the Red Elephants would rise to the top spot in Class AAA.

Once they got there Tuesday, it didn’t amplify the pressure of having a successful season.

“Our kids have handled it great and they’re playing tough,” Miller said. “All you can do is ask for your kids to play hard and to have a great attitude. If they can take care of those two things, I really think winning and losing takes care of itself.”

According to Rucker, the attitude in the locker room is nothing but positive and the players are keeping their sights on the ultimate goal.

“Our confidence is high, but we’re humble,” he said. “We know we can win it all, but we try to keep our cool so we don’t get cocky.”

If they do, Miller knows that will spell trouble.

“I’m glad for our community, but our guys need to realize that it’s not very far from the penthouse to the outhouse,” he said. “You can get there overnight.”