Top 25 Indiana high school football rankings (10/4/2023)

Northridge, New Palestine enter this week's Power 25 rankings

Northridge and New Palestine enter the rankings ahead of the next-to-last week of the regular season.

SBLive Indiana Power 25 high school football rankings

• PREVIOUS RANKINGS: PRESEASON | AUG. 23 | AUG. 30 | SEPT. 7 | SEPT. 14 | SEPT. 21 | SEPT. 28 

Top 25 Indiana high school football rankings

October 4, 2023

1. Ben Davis (6-1)

Previous rank: 1 Last week: Def. No. 9 Carmel 45-16

A week after being part of seven touchdowns vs. Lawrence North, Thomas Gotkowski threw four more touchdown passes against Carmel.

Next game: at Lawrence Central, Oct. 6

2. Center Grove (6-1)

Previous rank: 2 Last week: Def. Pike 48-17

Tyler Cherry threw three touchdown passes – two to freshman Drake McClurg (who also had a touchdown run) – and Matthew Yoder ran for three scores as the Trojans opened a 48-7 halftime lead and coasted home.

Next game: vs. No. 20 Lawrence North, Oct. 6

3. Brownsburg (7-0)

Previous rank: 3 Last week: Def. Zionsville 59-21

Garrett Sherrell scored four touchdowns and Aiden Jobe added a pair as the Bulldogs rolled in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference.

Next game: at Noblesville, Oct. 6

4. Crown Point (7-0)

Previous rank: 4 Last week: Def. LaPorte 42-0

Noah Ehrlich threw for 172 yards and had three total TDs before halftime for the Bulldogs, while Larry Ellison ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters.

Next game: at Chesterton, Oct. 6

5. Westfield (6-1)

Previous rank: 5 Last week: Def. Avon 38-14

The Shamrocks pulled away from a 14-7 halftime lead and remained tied for second in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference with Hamilton Southeastern at 4-1.

Next game: vs. Fishers, Oct. 6

6. Hamilton Southeastern (6-1)

Previous rank: 6 Last week: Def. Noblesville 43-22

Jalen Alexander and Azariah Wallace each ran for two second-quarter TDs as the Royals pulled away for the Hoosier Crossroads Conference win.

Next game: vs. Franklin Central, Oct. 6

7. Fort Wayne Carroll (5-2)

Previous rank: 7 Last week: Def. Homestead 41-20

Jimmy Sullivan piled up 435 total yards (235 passing, 200 rushing) and Jihaun Green had three TDs in the Summit Athletic Conference win.

Next game: at Fort Wayne Northrop, Oct. 6

8. Fishers (5-2)

Previous rank: 8 Last week: Def. Franklin Central 29-23

Carter Imes and Jake Prewitt had pick-sixes in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference win, while Khobie Martin ran for 157 yards.

Next game: at Westfield, Oct. 6

9. Carmel (4-3)

Previous rank: 9 Last week: Lost 45-16 to No. 1 Ben Davis

Norvil Tucker had his fourth TD in two games, but the Greyhounds lost to an in-state rival for the first time this season.

Next game: vs. Warren Central, Oct. 6

10. Penn (6-1)

Previous rank: 10 Last week: Def. South Bend St. Joseph 28-0

Nolan McCullough passed for two TDs and the Kingsmen defense posted its third shutout in four games en route to the Northern Indiana Conference win.

Next game: at New Prairie, Oct. 6

11. Bishop Chatard (7-0)

Previous rank: 11 Last week: Def. Andrean 41-0

Joe Bridenstine had three TDs in the first half as the Trojans cruised in non-conference action.

Next game: vs. Indianapolis Shortridge, Oct. 6

12. Valparaiso (5-2)

Previous rank: 12 Last week: Def. Merrillville 26-24

Thomas Burda ran for two scores as the Vikings held on for the Duneland Athletic Conference win.

Next game: at Portage, Oct. 6

13. Fort Wayne Snider (6-1)

Previous rank: 13 Last week: Def. Fort Wayne Northrop 49-7

Snider led 49-0 at halftime en route to its 27th straight win in the series. The Panthers remain tied with Carroll atop the Summit Athletic Conference A Division.

Next game: at Fort Wayne Dwenger, Oct. 6

14. Bloomington North (7-0)

Previous rank: 14 Last week: Def. Columbus East 42-0

The Cougars extended the best start in program history by posting their first shutout of the season.

Next game: vs. Columbus North, Oct. 6

15. Cathedral (5-2)

Previous rank: 16 Last week: Def. Cincinnati LaSalle 39-26

The Fighting Irish ran for 338 yards, averaging just over 10 yards per carry, en route to the road win.

Next game: at Roncalli, Oct. 6

16. Bloomington South (6-1)

Previous rank: 17 Last week: Def. Columbus North 49-14

Jarrin Alley passed for 302 yards and four touchdowns in the first half of the Panthers' Conference Indiana victory.

Next game: at Brebeuf, Oct. 6

17. East Central (7-0)

Previous rank: 19 Last week: Def. Connersville 64-0

Cole Burton threw his 50th and 51st career TD passes as the Trojans extended their winning streak to 13 games and won their fourth straight shutout.

Next game: vs. Greensburg, Oct. 6

18. Merrillville (5-2)

Previous rank: 15 Last week: Lost 26-24 to Valparaiso

Dontae Pope had TD passes of 31 and 68 yards in the Duneland Athletic Conference loss.

Next game: at Lake Central, Oct. 6

19. Mishawaka (5-2)

Previous rank: 18 Last week: Lost 43-42 (OT) to NorthWood

The Cavemen fell into a three-way tie for the Northern Lakes Conference lead with Northridge and Warsaw. All three teams are 4-1 in the league, a game ahead of 3-2 NorthWood.

Next game: vs. Concord, Oct. 6

20. Lawrence North (5-2)

Previous rank: 22 Last week: Def. Warren Central 48-7

A 28-0 first-half run carried the Wildcats to the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference win.

Next game: at No. 2 Center Grove, Oct. 6

21. West Lafayette Harrison (6-1)

Previous rank: 24 Last week: Def. Indianapolis Tech 38-6

The Raiders won their fifth straight and held an opponent to single digits for the fourth time this season.

Next game: vs. Logansport, Oct. 6

22. Warren Central (3-4)

Previous rank: 21 Last week: Lost 48-7 to Lawrence North

All four of the Warriors' losses have been to ranked teams, including 31-28 to No. 1 Ben Davis.

Next game: at Carmel, Oct. 6

23. Decatur Central (5-2)

Previous rank: 25 Last week: Def. Greenwood 63-42

N'po Dodo scored four touchdowns as the Hawks rallied from 21 points down to earn the Mid-State Conference win.

Next game: vs. Perry Meridian, Oct. 6

24. Northridge (6-1)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Def. Concord 21-14

The Raiders have won four straight since suffering their lone loss of the season to Mishawaka.

Next game: vs. Plymouth, Oct. 6

25. New Palestine (5-2)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Def. Shelbyville 49-7

The Hoosier Heritage Conference leader has won five straight since opening the season with losses to Westfield and Decatur Central.

Next game: vs. New Castle, Oct. 6

Indiana high school football computer rankings (10/4/2023)

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Indiana high school football: Top standouts, best performances in Week 7

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- Mike Clark | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveIN