Top 25 California high school football rankings (8/26/2024)

Five new teams enter our statewide California rankings after a wild Week 0 bonanza

Utah bound Taniela Tupou had two big catches, including a 21-yard touchdown catch in Friday's 63-20 win over Long Beach Poly. / Photo: Ralph Thompson

Unlike college football, California's high school game offers big tests out of the gate. The top teams tend to take on other top teams, making for a big jump often in early rankings.

Such was the case for the SBLive California Top 25 rankings which featured six games last week involved two ranked teams.

It led to some big drops — Lincoln of San Diego from No. 8 to 19, Corona Centennial to No. 2 to 7 and Sierra Canyon from No. 6 to 11.

• CALIFORNIA WEEK 0 SCORES: Thursday | Friday | Saturday
• BY SECTION: San Diego | Southern | LA City | Central l Sac-Joaquin

The remaining five sections — North Coast, Central Coast, San Francisco, Oakland and Northern — get underway this week.

The big Top 25 matchups include No. 14 Grant Union traveling to No. 9 De La Salle, No. 3 Folsom hosting No. 25 San Mateo Serra and No. 21 Oaks Christian and No. 11 Sierra Canyon.

The biggest climber of the week was JSerra Catholic from No. 11 to No. 5 after a resounding win over Sierra Canyon. Five teams entered the Top 25, topped by Chaparral at No. 17.

TOP 25 CALIFORNIA FOOTBALL RANKINGS

Aug. 26, 2024

1. Mater Dei (1-0)

Dash Beierly throws the ball for Mater Dei against Corona Centennial on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. / Greg Stein

Monarchs defense flexes in Week 0, tops Centennial 42-25

Next game: Sept 6 vs. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Previous rank: 1

2. St. John Bosco (1-0)

St. John Bosco will face an early-season test against Florida power Chaminade-Madonna. Photo by Heston Quan / Photo by Heston Quan

The Braves go to Florida and take down nationally-ranked Chaminade-Madonna 34-27

Next game: Friday vs. Texas Eastwood
Previous rank: 3

3. Folsom (1-0)

Folsom junior quarterback Ryder Lyons passes during Friday's season-opening victory over visiting Long Beach Poly. / Photo: Todd Shurtleff

The Bulldogs had contributions all around, led by 5-star junior QB Ryder Lyons in a 63-20 win over previous No. 18 Long Beach Poly

Next game: Friday vs. No. 25 Serra-San Mateo
PR: 4

4. Mission Viejo (2-0)

The Diablos shutdown Santa Margarita in 35-7 victory Saturday night,

Next game: Sept. 6 vs. Liberty (Henderson, Nev.)
PR: 4

5. JSerra (1-0)

QB Ryan Hopkins stellar in debut. He scored on runs of 83 and 12 yards while completing 11 for 19 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown in a 35-7 win over Sierra Canyon

Next game: Friday at Aquinas
PR: 11

6. Orange Lutheran (1-0)

Sophomore Jae Nembhard steps up with 78 yards rushing on 24 carries and four catches for 28 yards in a gutty 21-13 win at Gardena Serra

Next game: Friday at Rancho Cucamonga
PR: 7

7. Corona Centennial (0-1)

No Husan Longstreet against Mater Dei, but junior running back Malachi Roby made an impressive debut, vs. Santa Margarita

Next game: Friday vs. No. 15 Santa Margarita
PR: 2

8. Murrieta Valley (1-0)

No Bear Bachmeier, no problem. The offensive line plowed the way for Dorian Hoze to score five TDs in a 35-19 win over Rancho Cucamonga

Next game: Friday vs. No. 24 Servite
PR: 12

9. De La Salle (0-0)

Spartans looked sharp and showed impressive physicality in scrimmage with Jesuit-Carmichael

Next game: Friday vs. No. 13 Grant Union
PR: 9

10. Pittsburg (0-0)

Pirates possess unique combination of hunger, humility and talent. Especially from its senior class.

Next game: Friday at Monterey Trail
PR: 10

11. Sierra Canyon (1-1)

The Trailblazers get rolled in Orange County and shutout in the second half

Next Game: Friday vs. No. 20 Oaks Christian
PR: 6

12. Gardena Serra (0-1)

The Cavaliers are going to be good. Had Orange Lutheran on the ropes. CJ McBean is an All-CIF player at WR and DB

Next game: Friday vs. HM Warren
PR: 13

13. Grant Union (1-0)

Brandon Lambert scored on runs of 33, 10 and 7 yards and Luke Alexander completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Aric Anderson in a 28-7 home win over Edison-Stockton

Next game: Friday at No. 9 De La Salle
PR: 15

14. Santa Margarita (0-1)

The Eagles get an early wake up call in 35-7 loss at Mission Viejo

Next game: Friday at No. 7 Centennial
PR: 12

15. Los Alamitos (1-0)

The Griffins roll over Anaheim Western 71-0,

Next game: Friday vs. Narbonne
PR: 16

16. Chaparral (1-0)

Pumas provide one of the biggest stunners of Week 0 (rankings-wise), edging San Clemente 17-16 in OT

Next game: Friday at Apple Valley
PR: Not rated

17. Granite Hills (1-0)

Max Turner rushes for 206 yards and three scores in a 28-17 win over San Diego No. 4 team Mission Hills

Next game: Friday at Mater Dei Catholic
PR: Not rated

18. Lincoln-San Diego (0-1)

Despite 12 catches for 300 yards and four touchdowns by Ty Olsen and 371 yards passing and five total TDs by Oregon-bound QB Akili Smith, Lincoln was stunned by Las Vegas power Arbor View, 45-44

Next game: Friday at HM Long Beach Poly
PR: 8

19. Archbishop Riordan (0-0)

Riordan's offensive line averages more than 300 pounds and has three D1 recruits

Next game: Friday at McClymonds
PR: 20

20. Oaks Christian (1-0)

Lions take down Chaminade 24-17, but did not score in the second half

Next game: Friday at No. 11 Sierra Canyon
PR: 22

21. Central-Fresno (1-0)

Sophomore QB Jelani Dippel completed 20 of 26 for 293 yards and two touchdowns and two touchdowns and Brandon Smith rushed 13 times for 187 yards and three scores in a game that ended early in the fourth quarter due to a fight on the field.

Next game: Friday vs. Davis East Anchorage
PR: 24

22. Palos Verdes (1-0)

Palos Verdes beat Iolani in Hawaii 27-21

Next game: Friday at Carlsbad
PR: Not rated

23. Servite (1-0)

Seraphs steamroll East High of Utah 45-0. Leo Hannan threw five TDs

Next game: Friday at Murrieta Valley
PR: Not rated

24. Oak Hills (1-0)

QB Jacob Webster accounted for 310 yards, running for 163 and two TDs in a 23-8 win over Aquinas.

Next game: Friday at Palmdale Highland
PR: Not rated

25. Serra-San Mateo (0-0)

Despite losing 17 starters due to graduation, the Padres hope to represent Northern California for a fourth straight year in the Open Division

Next game: Friday at No. 3 Folsom
PR: 25

Honorable mention: Long Beach Poly (0-1), Oxnard Pacifica (1-0), Upland (1-0), Warren (0-1)