Top 25 Indiana high school football rankings (11/29/2023)

Ben Davis No. 1 in final Indiana high school football rankings

Class 6A champ Ben Davis completed an impressive run to its first state title since 2017 to finish the season No. 1, while 2A winner Fort Wayne Luers joins the rankings.

SBLive Indiana Power 25 high school football rankings

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Indiana high school football rankings

November 29, 2023

1. Ben Davis (13-1)

Previous rank: 1 Last week: Def. Crown Point 38-10 in Class 6A state final

Miami (Ohio) commit Thomas Gotkowski threw for 152 yards and two TDs with one interception as the Giants won their 10th state title.

Look: Ben Davis defeats Crown Point to win Indiana 6A football title

2. Center Grove (11-2)

Previous rank: 2

The Trojans dropped their opener to Ohio power St. Edward before running off 11 straight wins. They fell 37-34 in overtime to eventual Class 6A champ Ben Davis in the semistate.

3. Brownsburg (9-1)

Previous rank: 5

The Bulldogs won the state's deepest conference, the Hoosier Crossroads, before falling 28-25 to eventual 6A champ Ben Davis in the sectional semifinals.

4. Crown Point (13-1)

Previous rank: 3 Last week: Lost 38-10 to Ben Davis in Class 6A state final

Nick Soley caught four passes for 106 yards in the Bulldogs' first state championship appearance.

5. Westfield (11-2)

Previous rank: 4

The Shamrocks finished second in the tough Hoosier Crossroads Conference to Brownsburg and won Class 6A sectional and regional titles before falling to Crown Point in double overtime at the sectional.

6. Bishop Chatard (15-0)

Previous rank: 8 Last week: Def. Heritage Hills 35-7 in Class 3A state final

Riley Kinnett had 25 carries for 158 yards and four touchdowns as the Trojans rolled to their IHSAA-record 17th state title.

Look: Bishop Chatard beats Heritage Hills in Indiana 3A football title game

7. Cathedral (8-4)

Previous rank: 12

The Fighting Irish pushed 6A champ Ben Davis before falling 27-24 in the regional. They also lost by a TD to Center Grove, by a field goal to unbeaten 3A champ Chatard and by 14 to Brownsburg.

8. Fort Wayne Snider (13-1)

Previous rank: 9 Last week: Def. Decatur Central 33-6 in Class 5A state final

Uriah Buchanan accounted for 261 total yards and three touchdowns as the Panthers won their third state title.

Look: Snider downs Decatur Central to win Indiana 5A state football title

9. Penn (10-2)

Previous rank: 7

The Kingsmen went 5-0 in the Northern Indiana Conference. Their only losses were to Cathedral and 34-33 to Crown Point in the Class 6A regional.

10. East Central (15-0)

Previous rank: 10 Last week: Def. NorthWood 42-14 in Class 4A state final

Miami (Ohio) recruit Josh Ringer capped a career and season to remember by carrying 34 times for 251 yards and three TDs. He had 2,880 rushing yards and 60 total TDs this season to finish with 6,640 rushing yards and 118 total scores.

11. Hamilton Southeastern (9-3)

Previous rank: 6

The Royals finished third in the tough Hoosier Crossroads Conference, losing to Brownsburg and Westfield by a combined nine points. They also won a sectional before losing 24-21 to Westfield in a 6A regional.

12. Decatur Central (11-3)

Previous rank: 11 Last week: Lost 33-6 to Fort Wayne Snider in Class 5A state final

Marvin Campbell had a solid defensive game with five tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery.

13. Merrillville (10-3)

Previous rank: 13

The Pirates won their fourth straight regional, avenging a regular-season loss to Valparaiso. Their other defeats were against 6A runner-up Crown Point and Fort Wayne Snider.

14. Bloomington South (11-2)

Previous rank: 14

The Panthers finished second in Conference Indiana after losing in overtime to crosstown rival Bloomington North. But they avenged that loss in the Class 5A sectional semifinals, winning a sectional and regional before falling to Decatur Central at the semistate.

15. Fishers (7-4)

Previous rank: 15 

The Tigers finished fourth in the Hoosier Crossroads. Their losses all came against teams in the top 11, including against Hamilton Southeastern in a sectional final.

16. Valparaiso (9-3)

Previous rank: 16

The 2002 Class 5A champs were runner-up to 6A finalist Crown Point in the Duneland Athletic Conference. Their other losses were to Penn in Week 1 and to Merrillville in the regional.

17. Mishawaka (9-3)

Previous rank: 17

Two of the Cavemen's three losses were by a single point, to NorthWood in overtime and to eventual 5A champ Fort Wayne Snider at the regional. Their other defeat came vs. Penn.

18. New Palestine (11-3)

Previous rank: 18

The Hoosier Heritage Conference champs started 0-2 with losses to Westfield and Decatur Central before running off 11 straight wins. Their other defeat came against 4A champ East Central in the semistate.

19. Warsaw (9-2)

Previous rank: 19

The Tigers fell to Penn in a 6A sectional final after an 8-1 regular season.

20. Bloomington North (9-1)

Previous rank: 20

The Cougars had an unbeaten regular season, highlighted by the Conference Indiana title, before falling to local rival Bloomington South in a 5A sectional opener.

21. Lawrence North (7-4)

Previous rank: 21

The Wildcats took second in the Metropolitan Conference behind 6A champ Ben Davis. They were knocked out of the 6A playoffs by Cathedral in the sectional final.

22. Fort Wayne Carroll (7-3)

Previous rank: 22

The Chargers went 3-1 in the Summit Athletic Conference and fell to Warsaw in a 6A sectional semifinal.

23. NorthWood (12-3)

Previous rank: 23 Last week: Lost 42-14 to East Central in Class 4A state final

Georgia commit NiTareon Tuggle had nine catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

24. Heritage Hills (13-2)

Previous rank: 24 Last week: Lost 35-7 to Bishop Chatard in Class 3A state final

Sophomore quarterback Jett Goldsberry accounted for 156 yards and a TD.

25. Fort Wayne Luers (12-3)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Def. North Posey 40-3 in Class 2A state final

The Knights won their first state title since 2012 and 12th overall as Micky Daring rushed for 53 yards and two TDs.

Indiana high school football playoffs: 2023 state championships scores, recaps, photos

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