What we're watching: Power 25 national high school football games of the week: (Oct. 6-8)

In the biggest high school football game of the regular season, No. 1 St. John Bosco (California) travels to play No. 2 Mater Dei (California).

We released our eighth SBLive Power 25 of 2022 on Monday — our weekly look at the top 25 teams in the country.

This week, high school football fans are in for a treat as No. 1 St. John Bosco (California) travels to play No. 2 Mater Dei (California). In other big games between undefeated foes, No. 24 Liberty (Arizona) plays Basha (Arizona) and Keller (Texas) battles Southlake Carroll (Texas). 

Here’s a closer look at a few of the country's elite and who they'll take on with an emphasis on how the result could influence next week's Power 25 rankings.

What we're watching this week:

THURSDAY

Timpview-Provo, Utah (6-1) at Lehi-Utah (8-0)

Timpview and Lehi are two of the top four teams in Utah along with Skyridge and Corner Canyon. Timpview is loaded on the lines led by senior offensive tackle Spencer Fano, a national recruit, and senior defensive lineman Siale Esera, a BYU commit. Class of 2023 QB Jackson Brousseau, a Colorado State commit, has thrown 19 touchdowns. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: Lehi wins a nail-biter to stay on our Power 25 radar. 

FRIDAY

No. 1 St. John Bosco-Bellflower, Calif. (6-0) at No. 2 Mater Dei-Santa Ana, Calif. (6-0)

Don't expect too many points to be scored in this one. St. John Bosco's starting defense has allowed just one touchdown through six games. Mater Dei's defense shutout Power 25 No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) for the final 21 minutes in the Monarchs' 24-21 victory earlier this season. 

More than 70 Division 1 college football prospects will take the field in this game — both teams are loaded. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: The winner will be No. 1, but these two teams will most likely play again in the Division 1 Southern Section championship game in November, so the No. 1 ranking will most likely be decided then. 

No. 4 Miami Central (5-0) at Northwestern-Miami (3-2)

Central's top players are defensive lineman Rueben Bain, linebacker Stanquan Clark (Louisville commit) and receiver Lamar Seymore (Pittsburgh). Northwestern senior college-bound players include receiver Andy Jean (Florida) and 2023 cornerback Rayquan Adkins (Louisville). Northwestern has two losses, but the Bulls have played one of the toughest schedules in Florida. They should test Central. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: Miami Central will win by 14-20 points to stay in next week's Power 25 top five. 

No. 13 St. Thomas Aquinas-Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (5-0) at Dillard-Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (2-2)

When Dillard has played other Power 25 opponents this season, the Panthers lost to No. 3 Chaminade-Madonna 49-28 and No. 4 Central 43-7. Can St. Thomas Aquinas win by a large margin like the other Florida powers have done against Dillard so far this season? That's what we'll be watching for. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: St. Thomas Aquinas wins by three scores to stay in the top 15 of next week's rankings. 

No. 23 Archbishop Hoban-Akron, Ohio (7-0) at St. Vincent-St. Mary-Akron, Ohio (5-1)

This is a rivalry game so it makes the list, but Archbishop Hoban should be too much for St. Vincent-St. Mary in this one. CalPreps ranks Hoban as the No. 4 team in Ohio and St. Vincent-St. Mary at No. 35. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: Archbishop Hoban wins comfortably to keep their spot in the Power 25. 

No. 24 Liberty-Peoria, Ariz. (4-0) at Basha-Chandler, Ariz. (5-0)

If it wasn't for St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei, this game might be the game of the week. Liberty looks like the real deal following last week's win over a good Saguaro team. Lions' junior quarterback Navi Bruzon and senior wide receiver Prince Zombo are one of the top offensive duos in Arizona. Basha is unbeaten with a win over a good Los Alamitos (Calif.) team. Basha's top players are 2023 cornerback Cole Martin (Oregon), 2023 offensive lineman James Durand (Wisconsin), and 2023 linebacker Wyatt Milkovic (Boise State). The Bears have a loaded junior class as well. This will be a big time high school football game. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: This is a win and you're in situation. Whoever comes out on top will be ranked next week. 

Keller-Texas (5-0) at Southlake Carroll-Texas (5-0)

Both of these teams are undefeated, but Friday's game between Keller and Carroll might become one-sided. CalPreps ranks Keller as the No. 98 team in Texas and Carroll at No. 8. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: Carroll wins by three scores to stay on our Power 25 radar. 

Columbus-Miami (6-0) at Homestead-Fla. (6-0)

Columbus has played like a Power 25 team so far this season. A convincing win over Homestead would boost the Explorers' resume even more. Columbus' top players are 2023 running back Sedrick Irvin Jr. (Stanford commit) and 2024 edge rushers TJ Capers and Dylan Stephenson. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: Columbus wins big to keep their Power 25 momentum alive. 

SATURDAY

No. 22 Archbishop Moeller-Cincinnati (7-0) at St. Ignatius-Cleveland (4-2)

These are two storied programs, but in 2022 Archbishop Moeller has a lot more talent than St. Ignatius. Last week, St. Ignatius fell to St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 48-6. Expect Moeller to roll by a similar margin. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: Moeller wins big to secure next week's Power 25 ranking

DeMatha-Hyattsville, Md. (4-1) at Gonzaga-District of Columbia (4-2)

DeMatha's Power 25 hopes took a big hit when the Stags fell to Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 11-6 in their first game of the season. Cardinal Gibbons lost to Power 25 No. 6 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) 21-2 last week. If both DeMatha and Cardinal Gibbons go on to win state titles this fall, Gibbons would be ahead of DeMatha in the Power 25 pecking order.

We say all that to say this: DeMatha is still on our Power 25 radar and they play a measuring stick game against Gonzaga this week. A blowout win would help the Stags Power 25 chances. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: DeMatha wins by two scores, which is a solid result, but doesn't do enough to get them closer to the Power 25. 

Iona Prep-New Rochelle, N.Y. (3-2) at Archbishop Stepinac-White Plains, N.Y. (5-0)

The only reason this game makes the list is because Iona Prep beat Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) earlier this season before Don Bosco Prep went on to beat Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.). At the time of that game, Bergen Catholic was the No. 9 ranked team in the Power 25. 

If Archbishop Stepinac takes down Iona Prep this week, that would end Iona Prep's chances of finishing the year nationally ranked. It would most likely end Don Bosco Prep'c chances as well, although the Ironmen's odds are already slim. 

Prediction on how game impacts Power 25: Archbishop Stepinac wins to stay on our Power 25 radar.