Four years ago when we began developing High School Football America’s proprietary algorithm that creates our national, regional and state rankings, we felt there was more to Strength of Schedule than wins and losses. We felt we needed to add a criterion for championships and that part of the algorithm really kicks-in at this time of the season.
With that as the backdropped, we have BIG movement in this week’s Top 25 beneath Bishop Gorman (Nevada), which has taken the suspense out of the “mythical” national championship chase in 2016 by finishing a perfect 15-0 against one of the toughest non-Nevada schedules in the nation. Quite honestly, there’s not much that will change Gorman’s place atop the national rankings over the next two weeks. If anything, the Gaels’ spot at #1 will be strengthened, if St. John Bosco (California), St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) and Cocoa (Florida) wins their respective state championships.
Speaking of St. John Bosco, the Braves jump-up five spots to #2 this week thanks to their 42-28 win over former #3 Mater Dei in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship Saturday night. In addition to their big win, their ascension to #2 was fueled by Bishop Gorman and St. Xavier (Ohio) winning state titles and St. Mary’s of Stockton, California winning a CIF sectional championship this weekend.
Bosco’s climb to #2 drops IMG Academy (Florida), which is not eligible to participate in the Florida playoffs, one spot to #3.
Allen, which is one win away from going for its fourth state title in Texas’ biggest classification in five years, moves-up to #4 this week, thanks in-part to Hoover winning Alabama’s 7A championship on Wednesday and Evangel Christian capturing Louisiana’s Division I state title.
Grayson moves from #5 to #6 this week. The Rams, who will play #10 Roswell for Georgia’s Class AAAAAAA championship Saturday, get a bump in our algorithm thanks to beating former #12 Mill Creek (Georgia), and Hoover and Ramsay capturing Alabama state titles.
DeMatha (Maryland) drops two spots this week to #6, but could get some help in next week’s poll, if its Week 1 opponent Oscar Smith wins Virginia’s 6A championship next weekend and #34 Pittsburgh Central Catholic knocks-off #12 St. Joseph’s Prep in the Pennsylvania 6A title game. The reason that would help the Stags is because PCC’s only loss this season was to #33 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.), a team that DeMatha beat twice this year.
Rounding-out the Top 10 — St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) at #7, Kentucky 6A champ Trinity at #8, Corona Centennial (California) at #9 and the aforementioned Roswell at #10. Trinity jumps five places this week, while Corona Centennial’s two losses were by a combined three points to #2 St. John Bosco and #3 IMG.
There are three new teams in the Top 25 this week — Hoover at #20, three-time Ohio Division II champ La Salle at #21, and St. Xavier, fresh of its Ohio Division I title, at #22.
Looking ahead to the coming weekend, there are four games matching-up teams in the Top 50. We mentioned that #12 St. Joseph’s Prep will play #34 Pittsburgh Central Catholic in the Pennsylvania 6A title game and #5 Grayson will play #10 Roswell in the Georgia AAAAAAA championship. In Texas, #4 Allen will square-off with #29 The Woodlands in the Class 6A Division I semifinals. In Louisiana, #26 Edna Karr faces #47 Neville for the 4A title.
Finally, all five Texas teams in our Top 25 could be playing for state titles in two weeks, if they win this weekend. That means, #4 Allen could face #11 Lake Travis, which jumps five places this week, in the Class 6A Division I title game and #15 DeSoto could play #17 Cibolo Steele in the Class 6A Division II championship.
High School Football America Top 25
Presented by Krossover Intelligence
#1 Bishop Gorman Gaels (Nevada)
Record: (15-0)
Previous Rank: #1
Rewind: beat Liberty (Nevada) 84-8 in 4A championship
Fast Forward: Season complete
#2 St. John Bosco Braves (California)
Record: (12-2)
Previous Rank: #7
Rewind: beat #3 Mater Dei (California) 42-28
Fast Forward: vs. #48 De La Salle (California), December 17th, CIF Open Division I championship
#3 IMG Academy Ascenders (Florida)
Record: (11-0)
Previous Rank: #2
Fast Forward: Season complete
#4 Allen Eagles (Texas)
Record: (14-0)
Previous Rank: #5
Rewind: beat Duncanville (Texas) 42-23
Fast Forward: vs. #29 The Woodlands (Texas), Saturday, Class 6A Division I semifinals
#5 Grayson Rams (Georgia)
Record: (13-1)
Previous Rank: #6
Rewind: beat #12 Mill Creek (Georgia) 44-26
Fast Forward: vs. #10 Roswell (Georgia), Saturday, Class AAAAAAA championship
#6 DeMatha Stags (Maryland)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: #4
Fast Forward: Season complete
#7 St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (Florida)
Record: (11-2)
Previous Rank: #8
Rewind: beat Venice (Florida) 46-8
Fast Forward: vs. Plant (Florida), Friday, Class 7A championship
#8 Trinity Shamrocks (Kentucky)
Record: (15-0)
Previous Rank: #13
Rewind: beat Lafayette (Kentucky) 56-21 in Kentucky 6A championship
Fast Forward: Season complete
#9 Corona Centennial Huskies (California)
Record: (11-2)
Previous Rank: #10
Fast Forward: Season complete
#10 Roswell Hornets (Georgia)
Record: (14-0)
Previous Rank: #11
Rewind: beat Westlake (Georgia) 280
Fast Forward: vs. #5 Grayson (Georgia), Saturday, Georgia Class AAAAAAA championship
#11 Lake Travis Cavaliers (Texas)
Record: (13-1)
Previous Rank: #16
Rewind: beat Westlake (Texas) 51-3
Fast Forward: vs. Atascocita (Texas), Saturday, Texas 6A Division I semifinals
#12 St. Joseph’s Prep Hawks (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #15
Rewind: beat North Penn (Pennsylvania) 35-25
Fast Forward: vs. #34 Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pennsylvania), Saturday, Class 6A championship
#13 Mater Dei Monarchs (California)
Record: (13-1)
Previous Rank: #3
Rewind: lost to #7 St. John Bosco (California) 42-28
Fast Forward: Season complete
#14 American Heritage Patriots (Plantation, Florida)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #14
Rewind: beat Jesuit (Florida) 20-14
Fast Forward: vs. Ponte Vedre (Florida), Friday, Florida Class 5A championship
#15 DeSoto Eagles (Texas)
Record: (14-0)
Previous Rank: #17
Rewind: beat #45 Cedar Hill (Texas) 55-41
Fast Forward: vs. Klein Collins (Texas), Saturday, Class 6A Division II semifinals
#16 Cass Tech Technicians (Michigan)
Record: (14-0)
Previous Rank: #18
Fast Forward: Season complete
#17 Cibolo Steele Knights (Texas)
Record: (13-1)
Previous Rank: #19
Rewind: beat Churchill (Texas) 38-7
Fast Forward: vs. Cinco Ranch (Texas), Saturday, Class 6A Division II semifinals
#18 St. Joseph Regional Green Knights (Montvale, New Jersey)
Record: (9-2)
Previous Rank: #20
Rewind: beat DePaul (New Jersey) 26-17 for Non-Public Group 3 championship
Fast Forward: Season Complete
#19 Paramus Catholic (New Jersey)
Record: (10-2)
Previous Rank: #21
Rewind: beat St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) 33-28 for Non-Public Group 4 championship
Fast Forward: Season complete
#20 Hoover Buccaneers (Alabama)
Record: (12-2)
Previous Rank: #29
Rewind: beat #9 McGill-Toolen (Alabama) 17-7 for Alabama 7A championship
Fast Forward: Season complete
#21 La Salle Lancers (Ohio)
Record: (13-2)
Previous Rank: #30
Rewind: beat Massillon Perry (Ohio) 14-7 for Ohio Division II state championship
Fast Forward: Season complete
#22 St. Xavier Bombers (Ohio)
Record: (10-5)
Previous Rank: #31
Rewind: beat #22 St. Ignatius (Ohio) 27-20 in 2 OTs for Ohio Division I state championship
Fast Forward: Season complete
#23 South Pointe Stallions (South Carolina)
Record: (12-1)
Previous Rank: #23
Rewind: beat Belton-Honea (South Carolina) 35-7
Fast Forward: vs. South Aiken (South Carolina), Friday, South Carolina AAAA semifinals
#24 Denton Ryan Raiders (Texas)
Record: (14-0)
Previous Rank: #24
Rewind: beat Colleyville Heritage (Texas) 24-10
Fast Forward: vs. Highland Park (Texas), Saturday, Texas 5A Division I semifinals
#25 Saguaro Sabercats (Arizona)
Record: (14-0)
Previous Rank: #25
Fast Forward: Season complete
Dropped-out: #9 McGill-Toolen (Alabama), #12 Mill Creek (Georgia), #22 St. Ignatius (Ohio)
Editor’s Note: The High School Football America National Top 50 is developed using our proprietary algorithm.
