Top 25 Pennsylvania high school football rankings (8/21/2024)

St. Joseph's Prep starts the season on top of the SBLive Pennsylvania high school football rankings

Pennsylvania Power 25 /

High school football is back in Pennsylvania, and over 500 schools across the state have been practicing for the past month, all in preparation for this opening weekend. The ultimate goal: A trip to Chapman Field in Mechanicsburg for a chance at a state championship.

For some, it will be their first trip. For others, it will be more. But who is in the best position to play for the grandest prize in Pennsylvania high school football?

SBLive Pennsylvania Power 25

1. St. Joseph's Prep, Philadelphia (13-1)

Topping our preseason rankings is the defending 6A state champions, and why not? After an opening week loss, the Hawks won all their remaining games by at least 20. On top of that, St. Joseph's has four of the top 10 Class of 2025 recruits in the state.

2. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (10-2)

Heading to the western half of the state, Pittsburgh Central Catholic will have redemption on their minds after a heartbreaking 44-41 loss to North Allegheny to end their 2023 campaign. The Vikings' defense will be stacked, led by Penn State commit Xxavier Thomas at corner and Duke commit Bradley Gompers at linebacker.

3. North Allegheny, Wexford (13-2)

Staying in the Pittsburgh area, North Allegheny has the momentum to make it three straight Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League titles. Last season, the Tigers took that momentum all the way to the 6A state championship game. 

4. Peters Township, McMurray (15-1)

TJ Plack saw the most noticeable improvement when his 6-4 Indians from 2022 went undefeated in the 2023 regular season, driving all the way to the 5A state championship game. Expectations will be sky high for new head coach William Gavin as Peters Township will look to win their school's first football state title.

5. Pine-Richland, Gibsonia (9-4)
Staying in 5A, the Rams suffered a down season, dropping four games, squeaking into the postseason, only to get upended by Peters Township in the first round. However, all the pieces are in place for a bounce back season in 2024 as Pine-Richland will look for their fourth state title in eight seasons.

6. Bishop McDevitt, Harrisburg (13-1)

Kentucky commit Stone Saunders is a favorite for Mr. Football going into his senior season at Bishop McDevitt. With a career 156-15 TD-INT ratio and over 10,000 passing yards, the Crusaders will go as far as Saunders takes them.

7. Harrisburg (12-2)

The Cougars have built themselves into one of the top public school programs in the state. That has resulted in three trips to the state championship game over the past 10 years.

8. Manheim Township, Lancaster (12-1)

It's no secret that 6A is exceptionally deep going into 2024 and Manheim Township is no exception. The Blue Streaks went unblemished during the regular season including 6-0 through Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1. Their only loss was an overtime thriller to Harrisburg in the state quarterfinals. 

9. Imhotep Charter, Philadelphia (15-0)

The Panthers were a perfect 15-0 last season en route to their second state championship. Seven of those 15 wins were shutouts while they only surrendered 20+ points in one game. 4-star, Ohio State commit Zahir Mathis returns at the edge position and will be the biggest headache for offenses in the entire state.

10. Downingtown East, Exton (11-1)

There may be nothing more gut wrenching than how Downingtown East ended their 2023 season. Winning their first 11 games including the Ches-Mont League National Division title ticked every goal the Cougars had. However, conceding a game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left in the playoffs to your bitter rival? There may not be a team with a bigger chip on their shoulder in 2024.

11. Parkland, Allentown (12-1)

2023 was a return to the norm for Tim Moncman's program. After a disappointing 2022, the Trojans rebounded with an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference South championship, going a perfect 10-0 in conference play. Parkland's defense will be anchored by sophomore linebacker TJ Lawrence, who led the Trojans with 68 tackles including six TFL last season.

12. Nazareth (12-2)

Admittedly, Nazareth may be underrated going into the 2024 season. On one end, there may not be a better one-two punch of juniors in the state. Virginia Tech commit Peyton Falzone under center with 3-star running back Marquez Winberly in the backfield with him? That's intense. If the supporting cast can offer them time and neutralize opposing defenses, a deep run in the playoffs is in the Blue Eagles' future.

13. McKeesport (11-2)

With McDevitt reclassified to 3A, it makes winning the 4A state championship a little more feasible for everybody. That includes a McKeesport team that is looking for their first state title since 2005. If the Tigers can show more consistency on offense, they will have an excellent chance at their school's third state championship in football.

14. Malvern Prep (9-1)

The defending Inter-Ac champions will be looking to repeat in 2024. The Friars will display one of the best defenses in the state, led by transferred defensive tackle Cameron Brickle. A coveted junior, Brickle has received over 20 FBS offers despite only playing three games as a sophomore.

15. Aliquippa (14-0)

Don't look too much into the Quips' 60-14 win in the 4A state championship last year. Look at how competitive their road through the western half of the bracket was. Aliquippa, led by 2023 Mr. Pennsylvania Tiqwai Hayes, has as good of a chance as anybody to win the 4A title. However, they will be challenged throughout the entire 2024 season.

16. Penn Hills, Pittsburgh (9-3)

Don't be fooled by their record from last season, Penn Hills is a legit team with legit 5A state championship aspirations. Two of those three losses came against teams already listed, while they posted a win at Pine-Richland early in their 2023 campaign. The Indians should hit double-digit wins, with ease, in 2024.

17. Belle Vernon (13-1)

How do you introduce a team that won the 3A state championship in 2022 and 2023? How about promising they won't win it in 2024? That's because the Leopards reclassified to 4A with the likes of Aliquippa and McKeesport.

18. Manheim Central (11-2)

The Barons were reclassified at the state level and at the conference level during the 2024 offseason. Manheim Central will be the smallest school in 5A for the 2024 season, which may be a blessing as 4A is loaded. But also, the Barons moved from Lancaster-Lebanon Section 2 to Section 3. Manheim Central had won eight championships in 11 seasons as a part of Section 2.

19. McDowell, Erie (8-5)

Another team who is better than their 2023 record would lead you to believe. The Trojans suffered two losses to North Allegheny and two more to prestigious Catholic schools in Ohio. Overall, this is the best football team in northwestern Pennsylvania and they will face another challenging schedule in 2024 to prove it.

20. Thomas Jefferson, Jefferson Hills (9-3)

It cannot be understated how loaded 4A is and Thomas Jefferson is further proof of that. One thing not mentioned in the Belle Vernon preview was who their lone loss was to. Here it is. The Jaguars came from behind to upset Belle Vernon, on the road, 24-19 last September. That speaks volumes about how good this team can be.

21. La Salle College, Wyndmoor (6-5)

Another team that just enjoys playing the best competition they can squeeze into their schedule. Four of the five losses the Explorers suffered in 2023 came to teams in the top 15 of our preseason rankings. Of course, some things never change as La Salle will face No. 7 Harrisburg and No. 14 Malvern Prep to open the 2024 season.

22. Erie Cathedral Prep (7-4)

Circle October 4 on your calendar. Erie Cathedral Prep will face McDowell in the battle to see who the best team in northwest Pennsylvania is. Of course, we can expect a high-scoring, arena football-like affair between the two top programs in Erie.

23. Roman Catholic, Philadelphia (9-3)

Imhotep Charter cruised through the PIAA 5A playoffs last season with one exception. Roman Catholic gave the Panthers everything they could handle, eventually falling 30-26. The Cahillite are a team that truly improved as the 2023 went along, as every coach hopes. If they can carry that momentum into 2024, they will be dangerous in the 5A playoffs.

24. Cocalico, Denver (12-2)

Cocalico went on a 12-game win streak during their 2023 campaign which included a win over a formidable Manheim Central squad. That streak came to an end when they fell to eventual 5A state runners-up Peters Township in the state semifinals. 

25. Central York (11-1)

Central York comes into the 2024 season with a 33-game win streak in the York Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association. The Panthers' defense, led by UConn commit Saxton Suchanic, will be their anchor after pitching 5 shutouts in their 2023 season.

Stay tuned to SBLive Pennsylvania all season long for all of your high school football coverage. You can check out our Pennsylvania high school football scoreboards all season long.