SBLive/SI Top 25 national high school football rankings (9/2/2024)

No. 1 Mater Dei vs. No. 2 Bishop Gorman highlights a huge week of high school football

LSU commit Derek Meadows (No. 30) leads Bishop Gorman into a top-ranked showdown with Mater Dei. / Matt Christopher

Are you ready for No. 1 vs. No. 2?

The 2024 high school football season hits full throttle this week with every state in action - and fans will be treated to a rare early-season showdown between the top two teams in the country. No. 1 Mater Dei (California) and No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Nevada) face off Friday in Santa Ana, California, with national championship hopes on the line.

Dropping out of this week's SBLive/SI Power 25 national high school football rankings were Corona Centennial (California), which fell to 0-2 despite the return of standout quarterback Husan Longstreet from injury, and Buford (Georgia). Austin Westlake (Texas) moves into the rankings at No. 25 after a dominant win over Prosper in their season opener.

Here’s the complete breakdown of this week's SBLive/SI Power 25 national high school football rankings.

Editor's note: We erroneously dropped St. Frances Academy (Maryland) out of last week's rankings after receiving an incorrect score. After being notified of the error, we corrected it on their team page, and we ranked them this week as if they had never dropped out of the Power 25 — which they wouldn’t have but for the mistake.

SBLive/SI Power 25 Football Rankings

Sept. 2, 2024

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (1-0)

Mater Dei is looking to prove that they are once again the best high school football team in the country. / Greg Stein

Previous ranking: 1. Last week: Idle

The Monarchs got the week off to prepare for their showdown with No. 2 Bishop Gorman. 

Next: Sept. 6 vs. No. 2 Bishop Gorman 

2. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 2. Last week: Idle

The Gaels could use the week off to prep for Mater Deil after trekking to Florida to participate in the Broward County National Football Showcase.

Next: Sept. 6 at No. 1 Mater Dei 

3. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 3. Last week: Def. Eastwood (El Paso, Texas) 71-14

Kudos to Eastwood for taking on the challenge of facing the Braves, who built a 48-7 lead by halftime as Matai Fuiava and Koa Malau’ulu combined for five first-half touchdowns.

Next: Sept. 7 at Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)

4. DeSoto (Texas) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 4. Last week: Def. Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.) 70-0

Texas A&M commit Deondrae Riden rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles, and QB Kelden Ryan (Virginia Tech commit) was 12 of 21 for 213 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for two scores.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas)

5. Milton (Ga.) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 5. Last week: Def. Alpharetta (Ga.) 58-0

The Eagles held Alpharetta to 141 total yards and led 44-0 at halftime.

Next: Sept. 13 at Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.)

6. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)  (1-1)

Previous ranking: 7. Last week: Def. No. 11 Bergen Catholic 27-14

Ascenders QB Ty Hawkins ran for three touchdowns and threw for another as they bounced back from their season-opening loss at Corner Canyon.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. No. 10 Cocoa

7. Duncanville (Texas) (0-0)

Previous ranking: 6. Last week: Season not started

The Panthers must be itching to get their season started as the only Power 25 team yet to play a game.

Next: Sept. 6 at South Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas)

8. North Shore (Houston) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 10. Last week: Def. South Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas) 38-0

QB Kaleb Bailey kicked off his senior season by accounting for three touchdowns, including two scoring passes to Cameron Smith, and the Mustangs blanked South Oak Cliff, a 5A Division II power that was no match for its 6A Division I foe.

Next: Sept. 6 at Crowley (Texas)

9. Washington Massillon (Massillon, Ohio) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 13. Last week: Def. GlenOak (Canton, Ohio) 45-0

The Tigers scored on five of their six first-half possessions to lead 31-0 at intermission, with Ja’Meir Gamble running for two scores and Jalen Slaughter tossing two touchdown passes. They held GlenOak to 103 total yards.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. No. 16 Bergen Catholic

10. Cocoa (Fla.) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 14. Last week: Def. Mainland (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 51-0

The Tigers quickly disposed of last year’s Class 3S state champion, with junior QB Brady Hart throwing for 331 yards and four touchdowns (three to Missouri commit Jayvon Boggs), as they look toward a showdown with IMG Academy.

Next: Sept. 6 at No. 6 IMG Academy

11. St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 15. Last week: Def. No. 9 St. Joseph’s Prep 35-21

The three-time defending Division I champion Eagles showed that despite graduating three Big Ten players from their offensive line, they can still tote the rock against top competition as junior RB Brandon White ran for 104 yards and a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. Rock Creek Christian Academy (Upper Marlboro, Md.)

12. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) (2-0)

Previous ranking: NR. Last week: Def. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.) 31-21

The Panthers overcame a 21-17 deficit after three quarters, relying on their dominant offensive line to wear down the Green Knights as freshman Brandon Wills-Dickson’s touchdown run early in the fourth quarter put the visitors ahead to stay.

Next: Sept. 6 at No. 21 Orange Lutheran

13. Carrollton (Ga.) (3-0)

Previous ranking: 16. Last week: Def. Rome (Ga.) 44-22

Senior QB Julian Lewis, a USC commit and the nation’s No. 5 prospect according to Rivals, had another big game for the Trojans, completing 30 of 35 passes for 352 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for a score. Junior RB Kimauri Farmer ran for 103 yards and caught two touchdowns.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. Lithia Springs (Ga.)

14. St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia) (0-1)

Previous ranking: 9. Last week: Lost 35-21 to No. 11 St. Edward

The Hawks gave up 28 consecutive points in the second quarter and trailed 35-7 at halftime in this battle of interstate Catholic school titans. A bright spot was the debut of freshman WR Jett Harrison, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, who caught four passes for 57 yards.

Next: Sept. 7 vs. Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

15. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) (0-1)

Previous ranking: 11. Last week: Lost 27-14 to No. 7 IMG Academy

The finale of Day 1 of the Battle at the Beach in Ocean City did not go the Garden State team’s way as the Crusaders fell behind 27-7 early in the fourth quarter. Senior QB Dominic Campanile had two touchdown passes for Bergen Catholic.

Next: Sept. 6 at No. 9 Washington Massillon

16. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) (1-2)

Previous ranking: 8. Last week: Lost 35-34 (OT) to Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.)

Special teams doomed the Lions, who had a potential winning field goal blocked at the end of regulation, then missed the extra-point kick in overtime that set off a wild celebration on the Branche Ely sideline.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

17. Mission Viejo (Calif.) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 18. Last week: Idle

The Diablos had the week off to prepare for an interstate showdown with Liberty, which is No. 2 behind Bishop Gorman in the Nevada rankings.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 

18. Phenix City (Ala.) Central (2-0)

Previous ranking: 19. Last week: Def. Lutheran North (St. Louis, Mo.) 30-12

The reigning Class 7A state champions got two touchdown passes from senior QB Andrew Alford and a solid night from senior RB Tristan Williams (96 yards and a touchdown) to win this interstate matchup.

Next: Sept. 6 at Smiths Station (Ala.)

19. Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 20. Last week: Def. Desert Edge (Goodyear, Ariz.) 22-0

The Lions’ defense of their Open Division state championship showcased their defense, which held the Scorpions to 184 total yards, had 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks (junior DL Paz St. John had 7½ TFL and 3½ sacks), and made a critical goal-line stand with 4:28 to play to secure the victory. Dominic Lombardo ran for 91 yards and three touchdowns for Liberty.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. O’Connor (Phoenix)

20. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (1-1)

Previous ranking: 21. Last week: Def. Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.) 51-0

The Raiders led 37-0 at halftime as they rebounded from last week’s disappointing loss to Bishop Gorman.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. Columbus (Miami, Fla.)

21. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (2-0)

Previous ranking: 22. Last week: Def. Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) 45-14

The Lancers scored on their first four possessions and tacked on two first-half interception returns for scores. Senior QB TJ Lateef (Nebraska commit) spread the ball around, tossing five touchdowns to four receivers.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. No. 13 St. Frances Academy

22. Belleville (Mich.) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 23. Last week: Def. Clarkston (Mich.) 35-28

The nation’s top recruit, senior QB Bryce Underwood (LSU commit), came to the Tigers’ rescue in their season opener, rumbling 55 yards for the winning touchdown after Clarkston tied the score at 28-28 late in the fourth quarter.

Next: Sept. 6 at Stevenson (Livonia, Mich.)

23. Crown Point (Ind.) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 25. Last week: Def. Arizona College Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 42-7

Larry Ellison ran for two first-quarter touchdowns, Miami (Ohio) commit Noah Ehrlich ran for one touchdown and threw for another, and the Bulldogs led 28-0 at halftime en route to the victory.

Next: Sept. 6 at Merrillville (Ind.)

24. Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) (2-1)

Previous ranking: 17. Last week: Lost 28-21 to Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)

Was it a hangover from the Chargers’ big win a week earlier against IMG Academy? Or, more likely, did they suffer a letdown after losing 5-star WR Jerome Myles to a knee injury in the first quarter?

Next: Sept. 6 vs. Farmington (Draper, Utah)

25. Westlake (Austin, Texas) (1-0)

Previous ranking: NR. Last week: Def. Prosper (Texas) 35-14

The Chaparrals enter the rankings after quarterback Rees Wise threw four touchdown passes to help them erase a 14-13 halftime deficit.

Next: Sept. 6 vs. San Benito (Texas)

Dropped out

No. 12 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)

No. 24 Buford (Ga.)

Just missed 

American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)

Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.)

Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio)

Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.)

Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)

Kahuku (Hawaii)

Lone Peak (Highland, Utah)

Miami (Fla.) Central

North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas)

Southlake (Texas) Carroll

Weddington (Matthews, N.C.)

— René Ferrán | rferran.scorebooklive@gmail.com

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