Top 25 Indiana high school football rankings (9/28/2023)

Brownsburg moves up after knocking off Westfield

Some upsets scramble the rankings this week, as Brownsburg and Crown Point move into the top four while Homestead and Decatur Central enter the SBLive Indiana Power 25.

SBLive Indiana Power 25 high school football rankings

• PREVIOUS RANKINGS: PRESEASON | AUG. 23 | AUG. 30 | SEPT. 7 | SEPT. 14 | SEPT. 21 

September 28, 2023

Top 25 Indiana high school football rankings

1. Ben Davis (5-1)

Previous rank: 1 Last week: Def. No. 23 Lawrence North 62-14

Thomas Gotkowski accounted for seven touchdowns and the Giants' defense picked off five passes en route to the dominant win.

Next game: vs. No. 9 Carmel, Sept. 29

2. Center Grove (5-1)

Previous rank: 2 Last week: Def. Lawrence Central 31-7

Playing an in-state opponent for the first time this season, the Trojans had a big night from the pass-catch duo of Tyler Cherry (203 passing yards, two TDs) and Noah Coy (10 catches, 132 yards, TD). Rylan Cook ran for one TD and caught a pass for a second score.

Next game: at Pike, Sept. 29

3. Brownsburg (6-0)

Previous rank: 4 Last week: Def. No. 3 Westfield 37-7

The Bulldogs dominated the Hoosier Crossroads Conference showdown from the start, as Garrett Sherrell broke off a 57-yard TD run in the first minute. By halftime, he had 156 rushing yards, Jake Dunn had three TDs (two on the ground and one through the air) and Brownsburg led 30-0.

Next game: vs. No. 23 Zionsville, Sept. 29

4. Crown Point (6-0)

Previous rank: 7 Last week: Def. Valparaiso 19-14

Larry Ellison's three touchdowns helped rally the Bulldogs from a 7-0 halftime deficit in the Duneland Athletic Conference showdown.

Next game: vs. LaPorte, Sept. 29

5. Westfield (5-1)

Previous rank: 3 Last week: Lost 37-7 to No. 4 Brownsburg

The Shamrocks were limited to Jackson Gilbert's 39-yard TD pass to Maximus Nosler in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference loss.

Next game: at Avon, Sept. 29

6. Hamilton Southeastern (5-1)

Previous rank: 5 Last week: Def. No. 24 Zionsville 34-24

The Royals rallied from a 14-0 deficit to earn the Hoosier Crossroads Conference win. Chandler Weston threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns to DJ Hamilton, including a 64-yarder.

Next game: vs. Noblesville, Sept. 29

7. Fort Wayne Carroll (4-2)

Previous rank: 8 Last week: Def. Fort Wayne Wayne 17-10

Nate Starks ran for a TD and Jimmy Sullivan threw a touchdown pass to Brayden Seeley, both in the second quarter, as the Chargers held on for a Summit Athletic Conference win.

Next game: vs. No. 20 Homestead, Sept. 29

8. Fishers (4-2)

Previous rank: 9 Last week: Def. Avon 21-13

Bennett Gorak threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns – two to Noah McPeak and one to JonAnthony Hall (seven catches, 163 yards) – in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference win.

Next game: vs. Franklin Central, Sept. 29

9. Carmel (4-2)

Previous rank: 10 Last week: Def. Indianapolis North Central 27-6

Senior receiver Norvil Tucker scored three touchdowns for the Greyhounds in the homecoming victory.

Next game: at No. 1 Ben Davis, Sept. 29

10. Penn (5-1)

Previous rank: 11 Last week: Def. Mishawaka Marian 41-13

Nolan McCullough completed 10 of 12 passes for 143 yards and three scores as the Kingsmen rolled in the Northern Indiana Conference.

Next game: vs. South Bend St. Joseph, Sept. 29

11. Bishop Chatard (6-0)

Previous rank: 12 Last week: Def. Guerin Catholic 13-7 (OT)

The Trojans held an opponent to single digits for the third time this season en route to winning the Circle City Conference title.

Next game: vs. Andrean, Sept. 29

12. Valparaiso (4-2)

Previous rank: 18 Last week: Lost to Crown Point 19-14

The Vikings were the first team all season to test Duneland Athletic Conference leader Crown Point, holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the first half. Travis Davis had 106 yards and a TD before halftime before leaving with an injury. Justin Clark added a TD pass to Scotty Bradney in the fourth quarter.

Next game: vs. Merrillville, Sept. 29

13. Fort Wayne Snider (5-1)

Previous rank: 6 Last week: Lost to Homestead 23-20 (OT)

A week after ending Carroll's 19-game Summit Athletic Conference winning streak, the Panthers let a 14-0 lead slip away in the overtime loss. That creates a four-way tie atop the SAC's A Division with Snider, Carroll, Homestead and Dwenger all at 3-1 in league play.

Next game: vs. Fort Wayne Northrop, Sept. 29

14. Bloomington North (6-0)

Previous rank: 13 Last week: Def. New Albany 49-14

The Cougars led 42-0 at halftime and improved to 6-0 for the first time in program history.

Next game: vs. Columbus East, Sept. 29

15. Merrillville (5-1)

Previous rank: 14 Last week: Def. LaPorte 40-0

Trey Stephens ran for two touchdowns and returned a fumble for another as the Pirates cruised to the Duneland Athletic Conference victory.

Next game: at Valparaiso, Sept. 29

16. Cathedral (4-2)

Previous rank: 15 Last week: Def. Frederick Douglass (Ky.) 28-19

Playing the third of five straight road games, the Fighting Irish knocked off a top-20 team in Kentucky.

Next game: at Cincinnati LaSalle, Sept. 29

17. Bloomington South (5-1)

Previous rank: 16 Last week: Def. Southport 59-0

Gavin Adams and Duke Conrad had big games as the Panthers coasted to the Conference Indiana victory.

Next game: at Columbus North, Sept. 29

18. Mishawaka (5-1)

Previous rank: 19 Last week: Def. Warsaw 34-11

Brady Fisher and Novell Miller each scored two touchdowns as the Cavemen won in the Northern Lakes Conference.

Next game: at NorthWood, Sept. 29

19. East Central (6-0)

Previous rank: 21 Last week: Def. South Dearborn 51-0

Josh Ringer pushed his season rushing totals to 1,064 yards and 23 TDs on just 106 carries as the Trojans won their third straight shutout.

Next game: vs. Connersville, Sept. 29

20. Homestead (3-3)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Def. Fort Wayne Snider 23-20 (OT)

Brett Fuchs scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime as the Spartans won for the third time in four games after an 0-2 start.

Next game: at No. 7 Fort Wayne Carroll, Sept. 29

21. Warren Central (3-3)

Previous rank: 22 Last week: Def. Pike 23-6

The Warriors led 17-0 at halftime en route to a Metropolitan Conference victory.

Next game: at No. 22 Lawrence North, Sept. 29

22. Lawrence North (4-2)

Previous rank: 23 Last week: Lost 62-14 to No. 1 Ben Davis

The Wildcats dropped their second straight game to a top-10 opponent and face another ranked team this week in Warren Central.

Next game: vs. No. 21 Warren Central, Sept. 29

23. Zionsville (3-3)

Previous rank: 24 Last week: Lost 34-24 to No. 5 Hamilton Southeastern

Receiver Eugene Hilton Jr., one of the state's top juniors, caught three passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the Hoosier Crossroads loss.

Next game: at No. 3 Brownsburg, Sept. 29

24. West Lafayette Harrison (5-1)

Previous rank: 25 Last week: Def. Lafayette Jefferson 32-13

The Raiders led 15-0 at halftime and went on to remain unbeaten in the North Central Conference.

Next game: at Indianapolis Tech, Sept. 29

25. Decatur Central (4-2)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Def. Plainfield 26-23

Ashton Vogel kicked a program-record 49-yard field goal in the Hawks' Mid-State Conference win.

Next game: at Greenwood, Sept. 29

Vote: Who should be SBLive's Indiana High School Athlete of the Week (9/25/2023)?

Indiana high school football: Top standouts, best performances in Week 6

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