Louisiana high school football: Here are the top 25 games to watch for in 2023

Defending champions, other title contenders involved in some key high-stakes matchups

It's finally the start of a brand-new high school football season in Louisiana. 

With that in mind, what might be the biggest games to watch this upcoming season?

Here is SBLive Louisiana’s look at the top 25 games in the state in chronological order. The only requirement is that the game must take place IN the state of Louisiana.

WEEK 1 

Dallas Christian (Texas) vs. Ouachita Christian (game played at Shreveport)

Last Year: No Matchup

Ouachita Christian needed a Week 1 opponent after Watson Chapel (Ark.) backed out of its game and it found one in another championship program. Dallas Christian is the defending Class 4A champion of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS), while OCS is the defending LHSAA Division IV select champion.

With a matchup of this magnitude, it needed a neutral site – Evangel’s Rodney Duron Field in Shreveport.

Lafayette Christian at Acadiana

Last Year: Lafayette Christian 38, Acadiana 21

It was sort of a reloading year for Acadiana last year, but they should be right back in the Class 5A mix with a lot of experience returning. LCA will serve as a great litmus test for the Wreckin’ Rams with two of Louisiana’s top 10 prospects locking horns.

Acadiana defensive lineman Dominick McKinley is the No. 1 recruit in the state according to 247Sports, and he posted 81 tackles with 11 sacks and 16 hurries. He will have his hands full with No. 9-ranked recruit, LSU commit and Knight quarterback Ju’Juan Johnson, but it’s a matchup worth seeing.

Warren Easton at Ruston

Last Year: Warren Easton 25, Ruston 19

Jarrod Baugh is never shy to put his Bearcats through the gauntlet to prepare them for the playoffs.

Week 1 opens up with a marquee matchup as both teams will have a chip on their shoulders. For Ruston, losses to the Eagles and Destrehan ruined their first trip to the LHSAA Prep Classic since 1990.

For Easton, a perfect regular season is still in play after it was ruled ineligible for the LHSAA playoffs for recruiting allegations.

WEEK 2

John Curtis at Zachary

Last Year: Zachary 40, John Curtis 21

As recent state champions, both squads should once again be in the mix to add to their haul as part of Class 5A’s top teams. Adding to the matchup will be a showdown between two of Louisiana’s top receivers and LSU commits in Curtis’ Michael Turner and Zachary’s Trey’Dez Green, who transferred from East Feliciana during the summer.

Ouachita Christian at Oak Grove

Last Year: Ouachita Christian 48, Oak Grove 20

Regardless of if they play as district opponents or non-district, the Eagles and Tigers will always get the best of each other. That surely can be said for last year, as Oak Grove bounced back from a 3-3 start to win Division IV non-select, while OCS’ win over Oak Grove helped prepare it for the Division IV select crown.

Oak Grove might have a more settled quarterback situation with Jackson Bradley returning and OCS’ Landon Graves leaving, but there is plenty of talent on both teams.

St. Charles Catholic at Lutcher

Last Year: St. Charles Catholic 21, Lutcher 20

Another matchup of nearby championship teams, both teams will look for another championship this year. Both teams lost talented senior signal callers that each accounted for all the touchdowns in the matchup last year, but they still have championship pedigrees.

A title win for the Bulldogs will make them just one of five Louisiana programs with 10 state titles, while St. Charles Catholic is looking for the state’s first three-peat since Lafayette Christian’s four straight titles from 2017-2020.

WEEK 3

Catholic-Baton Rouge at University Lab

Last Year: Catholic-BR 31, University Lab 21

This pair of Baton Rouge’s premier private schools have high hopes for state titles in Divisions I and II thanks to the talent they have. Among that will be the quarterback matchup between Catholic senior Daniel Beale and U-High junior Emile Picarella – a transfer from Madison St. Joe (Miss.).

Both signal callers completed over 60% of their passes last year.

Zachary at St. Augustine

Last Year: St. Augustine 24, Zachary 20

Although St. Aug finished third in the Catholic League behind Edna Karr and John Curtis last year, it made quite the statement in non-district play by stopping Zachary’s 17-game winning streak. The Broncos will be out for revenge with the game being back at their home, but the Purple Knights winning two years in a row can bode well for their confidence.

This game also features Louisiana’s top two tight ends in LSU commit Trey’Dez Green (Zachary) and Indiana commit Hubert Caliste Jr. (St. Aug.).

WEEK 4

Catholic-Baton Rouge at St. Thomas More

Last Year: Catholic-BR 49, St. Thomas More 28

The lone blemish for STM’s run to the Division II select title run last season came against the Bears and their running game, which amassed 425 yards – 277 of those in the second half. Barry Remo is back after rushing for nearly 300 years against the Cougars, but so is Hutch Swilley for STM.

Also, the quarterback matchup between Catholic’s Daniel Beale and STM’s Sam Altmann is also worth the cost of admission.

Edna Karr at St. Augustine

Last Year: Edna Karr 49, St. Augustine 7

The Catholic League era got off to a great start for Karr with last year’s 49-7 win and it effectively ended St. Aug’s pursuit of a district title as a result. However, this is a new year and a new opportunity for the Purple Knights to make this district race a three-horse one.

The Cougars are always a talented bunch, but St. Aug is too, especially with quarterback Dawson Simmons looking to make up for lost time after missing the last two seasons due to transfer and injury.

Lafayette Christian at Ruston

Last Year: Ruston 35, Lafayette Christian 20

The chess match between Ruston linebacker Jadon Mayfield and LCA quarterback Ju’Juan Johnson will be an amazing one when the Knights make the drive up to North Louisiana.

Mayfield is as good as they come with back-to-back seasons of 100 or more tackles, while Johnson is arguably one of the more dynamic players in Louisiana after accounting for 5,290 yards and 60 touchdowns.

WEEK 5

Ruston at Neville

Last Year: Ruston 27, Neville 21

Ruston/Neville would make this list off the strength of two of Northeast Louisiana’s top teams, but it is the rivalry’s length that takes it to another level.

Playing since 1931, this 92-year rivalry has been featured on the Great American Rivalry Series, and this year’s installment will feature a pair of experienced teams with high hopes of winning titles.

Westgate at Calvary Baptist

Last Year: No Matchup

What a matchup to have as a final pre-district tune-up. Both Westgate and Calvary have the potential to win their respective brackets. Calvary enters the season with Abram Wardell having an impressive receiver group led by John Simon, while Westgate’s De’Myrion Johnson can get to the quarterback.

WEEK 6

Westgate at Teurlings Catholic

Last Year: John Curtis 35, Acadiana 14

I could easily put ANY matchup involving the District 4-4A quartet of St. Thomas More, Lafayette Christian, Westgate and Teurlings Catholic and this district would easily dominate this list. With that being said, I’ll include this one to give the Tigers and Rebels some love.

It is definitely a must-win with the loser needing everyone else to beat up on each for a district title. Westgate is also looking for extra motivation on this one since it lost to the other three heavyweights in the district, while still earning a 10-win season and a trip to the Division I non-select semifinals.

WEEK 7

Acadiana at John Curtis

Last Year: John Curtis 35, Acadiana 14

If you love the veer option, then this is the matchup for you as both teams run it to perfection to state titles. This game may also be a historical one as longtime Patriots coach J.T. Curtis needs just six wins to match John McKissick’s National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) all-time record of 621 victories.

Union Parish at Sterlington

Last Year: Union Parish 29, Sterlington 21 (regular season); Union Parish 34, Sterlington 14 (playoffs)

Meeting in the playoffs in each of the last two years, Union Parish and Sterlington are quite familiar with each other. This year could be no different as even though Union Parish lost LSU signee Trey Holly to graduation, they will remain strong with Tyqueries Wilson returning after recording over 180 tackles last season.

Sterlington had its reloading year in 2022 and looks to bounce back from a 6-6 campaign.

University Lab at Madison Prep

Last Year: Madison Prep 40, University Lab 37

A back-and-forth battle last season that saw the Chargers take the District 6-3A title, the stakes will remain high as both teams are among the top Class 3A teams in the state.

The Cubs may be receiving national rankings love, but Madison Prep has Tylan Johnson leading the way for it and are poised to give U-High a loss.

WEEK 8

Iowa at Lake Charles College Prep

Last Year: Iowa 17, LCCP 16

After a couple of down seasons from their recent standards, the Trailblazers are back with a retooled roster and are looking to make up for lost time. LCCP gave Iowa a scare last year before losing 17-16, but return Erick Franklin at defensive back, who made 81 tackles and six interceptions.

The Yellow Jackets saw Ronald Young leave for graduation, but added Josiah Bushnell at quarterback – after he transferred from LCCP.

WEEK 9

East St. John at Destrehan

Last Year: Destrehan 48, East St. John 7 (regular season); Destrehan 21, East St. John 20 (playoffs)

While Destrehan dominated the regular season matchup, East St. John had the Wildcats on the ropes in the second half of the playoffs and nearly ruined their championship run.

ESJ should be extra motivated for this year’s game after losing to its rival twice, but solving a defense led by LSU commit Kolaj Cobbins will be no easy feat.

Southern Lab at Kentwood

Last Year: Kentwood 33, Southern Lab 26

The District 9-1A could once again come down to the Kittens and Kangaroos as both teams return a lot of talent. Southern Lab has 17 seniors, while Kentwood retains 28 players – both big numbers for Class 1A.

Lamikal Callhan had an incredible 19 sacks for the ‘Roos last year, while Southern Lab will have to protect Marlon Brown so he can continue to progress like he did in the second half of last season.

WEEK 10

E.D. White at St. James

Last Year: E.D. White 49, St. James 26

Every region is bound to have a big game in Week 10, and this will be the Bayou Region’s choice. Both the Cardinals and Wildcats enter this season after losing in the semifinals to the eventual champions of their classes and both are talented enough to at least play until Thanksgiving.

St. James will look to throw the ball with the Brayden Williams-to-Kobe Brown connection, while E.D. White has a powerful running back in Jeffrey Diedrich.

Haynesville at Homer

Last Year: Homer 28, Haynesville 27

Another long-standing rivalry to make this list, the Homer/Haynesville games will always be close and competitive. In 2021, Homer defeated Haynesville to return to the Dome and to win its first title since 1939, while the two teams nearly met in the Dome in 2022, if not for a Haynesville loss to Oak Grove in the semifinals.

The same can happen this year and need I say that the District 1-1A title could hang in the balance?

John Curtis at Edna Karr

Last Year: Edna Karr 38, John Curtis 6

The Catholic League came down to these two teams last year and it might as well be a repeat this season with both teams coming in as the favorites along with St. Augustine. Karr swept through the district in its first year as a member, but Curtis had the last laugh by using that loss as fuel towards its Division I select championship.

With Karr back on the non-select side, this game could have double champions.

St. Thomas More at Lafayette Christian

Last Year: St. Thomas More 41, Lafayette Christian 34 (regular season); St. Thomas More 52, Lafayette Christian 48 (playoffs)

STM and LCA gave us not one, but TWO, instant classic games last year and they could do the same this year in a loaded District 4-4A also having Westgate and Teurlings Catholic.

The district can go so many ways, but given the pair of games these two played last year, these two are the favorites coming in and for good reason. They’re not only on a collision course for the district title, but this could be another preview of the Division II title this year.

Zachary at Catholic-Baton Rouge

Last Year: Catholic-BR 24, Zachary 21

The same that was said for the Curtis/Karr game can apply here as Catholic and Zachary are both looking to repeat their feat from 2021 as winners of their respective brackets. UL Lafayette commit Daniel Beale brought the Bears from a two-touchdown deficit at Zachary to secure the 24-21 win, and this can go down to the wire again.

Ouachita Christian School photo by Parker Waters