The highly-anticipated showdown between No. 1 Mater Dei (California) and No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Nevada) is set after both teams took care of business this weekend.
Saturday, on national television, Gorman came-from-behind to beat No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) 29-21. The win was the 27th straight for the Gaels, who haven’t lost since being beaten by Mater Dei on August 26, 2022.
In South Florida, on ESPN, BG trailed until midway through the fourth quarter when sophomore running back Terrance Grant scored on a 3-yard run. That gave the Gaels a 26-21 lead after they missed a two-point conversion try.
After trailing 21-10, later in the third, Gorman scored 19 unanswered points.
STA did have a chance to tie the game at the end, but the Gorman defense was equal to the task.
Mater Dei held up its end of the bargain Thursday night with a 42-25 win over No. 12 Corona Centennial (California).
The Mater Dei/Bishop Gorman will be played September 6 at Santa Ana Stadium in Southern California. Both teams will have bye weeks this week.
The winner could have the inside track to the national championship, even though there’s a lot of football to be played.
Mater Dei won High School Football America national titles in 2017, 2018, 2021 and last year. Gorman won the HSFA national crown in 2016.