SBLive Michigan high school football Power 25: Week 1 of the playoffs

The playoff matchups are set, and here are where the top teams rank

Matthew Scheidel | Oct 24, 2022

Michigan high school football 2022 first round playoff matchups

1. Belleville (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 1

Next game: vs. Brownstown Woodhaven

Ranking rationale: Belleville took care of business against a Brighton squad that was previously undefeated to win the KLAA title. Now it begins its Division 1 state title defense.

2. Rockford (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 5

Next game: vs. East Kentwood

Ranking rationale: Rockford jumps all the way from No. 5 to No. 2 after a dominating win over Caledonia to win its fourth straight conference title. It will look to get to Ford Field for the second time in three years after falling just short last year.

Rockford football downs Caledonia to clinch fourth straight OK Red title

3. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 2

Next game: vs. Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep

Ranking rationale: Catholic Central will begin pursuit of its fourth straight Division 5 state championship this week.

4. Warren De La Salle Collegiate (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 3

Next game: vs. Grosse Pointe South

Ranking rationale: The defending Division 2 state champs will begin its title defense this week.

5. West Bloomfield (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 4

Next game: vs. Detroit Cass Tech

Ranking rationale: West Bloomfield just missed out on a trip to Ford Field last season, losing to Rochester Adams in the regional finals. It’ll look to change its fortunes this time around.

6. Rochester Adams (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 6

Next game: vs. Lake Orion

Ranking rationale: Adams stays put this week as it looks to get back to Ford Field this season after falling in the state title game last year.

7. Macomb Dakota (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 8

Next game: vs. Utica Eisenhower

Ranking rationale: Dakota lost in the regional finals last year. It will hope to go farther in this year’s playoffs.

8. Grand Rapids South Christian (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 9

Next game: vs. Grand Rapids Christian

Ranking rationale: South Christian went undefeated and won the OK Gold this season. The sky is the limit for it.

9. Whitehall (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 11

Next game: vs. Big Rapids

Ranking rationale: Finally, I’m able to move Whitehall into the top 10. It’s played like one all season long.

10. Dexter (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 12

Next game: vs. Milford

Ranking rationale: What a ride it’s been for Dexter. Just a few years ago, the program endured a 42-game losing streak. Now, it just finished an unbeaten season and is officially a top 10 team in the state of Michigan. Quite the story.

11. Caledonia (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 7

Next game: vs. Grandville

Ranking rationale: I had to drop Caledonia out of the top 10. Had the game against Rockford been closer, I probably would have kept it there.

12. Warren Michigan Collegiate (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 13

Next game: vs. Detroit Northwestern

Ranking rationale: I was finally able to move Michigan Collegiate up a spot after weeks of being stuck at 13.

13. Tecumseh (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 16

Next game: vs. Carleton Airport

Ranking rationale: Tecumseh wasn’t ranked a few weeks ago, now it’s three spots away from the top 10. Quite the rise for it.

14. Frankenmuth (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 17

Next game: vs. Birch Run

Ranking rationale: Frankenmuth moves into the top 15 after capping off an undefeated season last week.

15. Hudson (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 10

Next game: vs. Union City

Ranking rationale: Hudson lost for the first time since 2020, causing it to drop five spots because many teams behind it were still unbeaten.

16. Davison (8-1)

Last week’s ranking: 18

Next game: vs. Grand Blanc

Ranking rationale: Davison moves up two spots heading into the playoffs.

17. Grand Rapids Forest Hill Central (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: 20

Next game: vs. Muskegon Reeths-Puffer

Ranking rationale: Forest Hills Central moves up a few spots after finishing regular season undefeated.

18. Clarkston (7-2)

Last week’s ranking: 19

Next game: vs. Lapeer

Ranking rationale: Clarkston moves up one spot after a blowout win over Oak Park to end the season.

19. Gladwin (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: unranked

Next game: vs. Ogemaw Heights

Ranking rationale: Gladwin enters the rankings after going undefeated this season.

20. Clinton (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: unranked

Next game: vs. Ida

Ranking rationale: Clinton enters the power 25 after ending Hudson’s 22-game winning streak, which capped off an undefeated season for it.

21. Muskegon (7-2)

Last week’s ranking: 25

Next game: vs. Sparta

Ranking rationale: Muskegon flip-flops with Mona Shores, who it beat last week.

22. Saline (7-2)

Last week’s ranking: 22

Next game: vs. Ann Arbor Huron

Ranking rationale: Saline stays put after getting back on track last weeks against Lake Orion.

23. Durand (9-0)

Last week’s ranking: unranked

Next game: vs. Lansing Catholic

Ranking rationale: Durand is our final new entrant this week after finishing the regular season undefeated.

24. Marine City (7-2)

Last week’s ranking: 14

Next game: vs. Yale

Ranking rationale: Marine City falls a whopping 10 spots after losing to Durand to end the regular season.

25. Muskegon Mona Shores (7-2)

Last week’s ranking: 21

Next game: vs. Traverse City Central

Ranking rationale: Mona Shores swaps places with Muskegon ahead of the first round of the playoffs.

Published Oct 24, 2022

MATTHEW SCHEIDEL

Matthew is a graduate of Oakland University. While there, he served as the Sports Editor for their student newspaper, The Oakland Post. Previously, he served as the Editor-in-Chief for The Collegiate, the student newspaper for Grand Rapids Community College. Matthew also has bylines in The Detroit News as a freelance sports reporter. He is also an editor at Motor City Bengals, a Detroit Tigers blog for FanSided.