Arkansas high school football Top 25 rankings (9/11/2023)
For the first time in what feels like forever, there is a new team in the No. 1 slot of the SBLive Arkansas Top 25 rankings. Parkview already showed 5A what it can do as the classification’s defending champion but sent a message across the state after doing something that has not been done in nearly five years.
Some squads already got their bye week out of the way and many others will get a break this Friday as conference play begins to get fully underway.
Here are the SBLive Arkansas Top 25 high school football rankings for Week 3.
1. Parkview (2-0)
They came close to doing it last season, but the Patriots got the job done this time around and notched a huge road win over Bryant, ending a 54-game in-state win streak. Effective defensive adjustments, along with a strong rushing attack that combined for 270 yards, led by junior Monterrio Elston’s 13 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown, were the difference. Now that this one is “past history,” they are looking for redemption against North Little Rock on Friday following last season’s two overtime loss to the Charging Wildcats.
2. Bryant (2-1)
Well, all great things must come to an end. The Hornets’ 54-game win streak against in-state opponents is no more, but don’t make the mistake of thinking the five-time defending 7A state champions are going anywhere. The loss should motivate them more than ever, plus they have a week off to get the kinks worked out before 7A-Central play begins against Fort Smith Northside.
3. Conway (2-0)
After surviving No. 4 Bentonville on the road, the Wampus Cats blanked Springdale 49-0 in the home opener. They will head down to play Ouachita (La.) Parish on Friday to close out non-conference play.
4. Bentonville (1-1)
The Tigers were on a bye and will host Rockhurst (Mo.) on Friday.
5. Greenwood (3-0)
While the meat and potatoes of their schedule is a little further down the road, the Bulldogs have scored no less than 49 points in their first three contests and allowed just seven points against two in-state opponents. Sophomore quarterback Kane Archer went down with a broken wrist, but only expects to only miss next week’s game against Siloam Springs per his father. Archer did complete 14-of-18 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the first half of the 55-7 win over Mountain Home to start 1-0 in 6A-West play.
6. Fayetteville (3-0)
With multiple starters back, led by Minnesota commit Drake Lindsey, from a 2022 potent offense, it was expected that the Purple Dogs would score a lot of points and they have done that so far. They blanked Fort Smith Northside 56-0 last Friday and are averaging 52 points per game as they head into a bye week.
7. Rogers (3-0)
Rogers has passed all of the non-conference tests as well as any team in the Top 25, outscoring its three opponents by a combined 135-22. The Mounties have this week off before they travel to No. 16 Fort Smith Southside to kick off 7A-West play.
8. Pulaski Academy (3-0)
The Bruins found themselves down at halftime for the second consecutive week, but were not fazed and rolled to a 48-20 win over Russellville. Junior quarterback Brandon Cobb had another big week, finishing with 435 and five touchdowns. Star receiver John Mark Charette missed his second straight game, but once again Walden Culpepper stepped up, hauling in four catches for 98 yards and two scores, while Will Svoboda led the Bruins with a monster night catching 10 passes for 193 yards and two scores.
9. Cabot (1-1)
The Panthers were on a bye and will host Ruston (La.) on Friday to finish up non-conference play.
10. Benton (1-1)
The Panthers earned their first win of the season over 6A-East foe Sylvan Hills following a bye week, despite not having two of their best players as Arkansas commit Braylen Russell and Harding commit Chris Barnard did not play due to injuries. Sylvan Hills led Benton 7-0 after a quarter, but sophomore Drew Davis (25-of-34, 287 yards, 3 touchdowns) came off of the bench and led the Panthers offense to 41 combined points in the second and third quarters. No. 11 Catholic comes to town on Friday.
11. Catholic (2-0)
A 30-0 win over Greene County Tech to start 6A-East play got the Rockets off to their second straight 2-0 start. As expected, the Rockets defense has been ferocious, allowing just seven points in the first two contests, and they will have to be sharp across the board as they face their toughest test thus far on Friday at No. 10 Benton.
12. Shiloh Christian (2-0)
Another big night from Bo Williams helped the Saints rout Victory Christian (Okla.) for the second straight season. Williams compiled 263 all-purpose yards (232 rushing) and six total touchdowns, his second consecutive week to find the end zone that many times. Shiloh will close out non-conference play at Lincoln Christian (Okla.) on Friday.
13. Little Rock Christian (2-1)
Six days following a disappointing performance at home against Shiloh Christian, the Warriors put together a complete performance and enforced the sportsmanship rule on Lake Hamilton to win 42-14, as well as start 6A-West play 1-0. The revamped defensive line caused problems for Lake Hamilton’s offense and Auburn commit Walker White was on point, completing 15-of-23 for 340 yards and four total touchdowns, two of those scores were hauled in by Cade Bowman.
14. Pine Bluff (2-1)
The Zebras are on a two-game win streak and outscored the opposition by a combined 105-21 in that span. They routed Watson Chapel last Friday to begin 5A-Central play on the right foot and travel to Vilonia on Friday.
15. Little Rock Southwest (1-1)
The Gryphons had a week off to recover from their lopsided 63-12 loss to Rogers in Week 0, then turned right around back to Northwest Arkansas and thumped the Mounties’ crosstown rival, Rogers Heritage, 48-6. A very intriguing home matchup with No. 19 Hot Springs looms on Friday to close out non-conference play.
16. Fort Smith Southside (3-0)
It may not have been a dominant performance on the ground like the Mavericks displayed in the first two games, but the rushing attack powered Southside to another win led by senior Amari Tucker’s 111 yards and three scores. The Mavs are 3-0 for the first time since 2008.
17. Mills (3-0)
The Comets felt that they were overlooked last year and this year’s squad that had so many questions coming in has not skipped a beat. The offense clicked per usual in a 41-8 win over Beebe to open 5A-Central play, but the defense was really the story against the Badgers. That unit held Beebe to just eight points after the Badgers had combined for 102 in their first two games.
18. Joe T. Robinson (1-1)
The Senators were on a bye and will host Morrilton on Friday to open 5A-Central play.
19. Hot Springs (2-0)
The Trojans were on a bye and will travel to Little Rock Southwest on Friday.
20. Bentonville West (2-1)
Coming off of a three-point loss to Cabot, the Wolverines took out all of their frustrations on Little Rock Central as they blanked the visiting Tigers 63-0. They get this week off before hosting Fayetteville on September 22 to open 7A-West play.
21. Marion (2-0)
El Dorado hung with the Patriots for most of the contest, but Marion’s offense exploded in the fourth quarter to hand the Wildcats their first loss of the Chris Hill era. Senior quarterback Ashton Gray gashed El Dorado for 150 yards on the ground and compiled four total touchdowns in the victory.
22. Malvern (2-1)
It was clear that the matchup against a well-improved Hot Springs Lakeside would be a dog fight, and it certainly was, but the Leopards survived 35-34. Reigning SBLive Offensive Player of the Year and Colorado State commit Jalen Dupree did his normal thing, rushing for 262 yards and three scores, while Air Force commit Dyelon Caradine hauled in seven passes for 167 yards and two scores, as well as two interceptions defensively.
23. West Memphis (1-1)
They were not able to complete the comeback against Jonesboro in Week 1, but the Blue Devils got back on track following a bye week and handled Jacksonville 48-7 to start off 6A-East play 1-0. They host a sneaky Sheridan squad this week.
24. Warren (2-0)
The Lumberjacks were on a bye and will host Star City on Friday to open 4A-8 play.
25. Harding Academy (2-0)
The Wildcats were on a bye and will host Booneville on Friday to close out non-conference play.
--Kyle Sutherland