Buford Crowned National Champs in Final 2025 High School On SI Power 25 National Football Rankings

A decisive Georgia 6A championship win — and five straight postseason victories — pushed Buford to No. 1 as High School On SI releases its final national football rankings for the 2025 season

With its undefeated season and Georgia Class 6A state title, Buford overtook St. Frances in our final national Top 25 to earn the title 2025 National High School Football Champions. / Jesus Baca

Championships matter.

And Buford’s victory over Carrollton in the Georgia Class 6A championship game was a convincing final statement that showed the Wolves deserved to finish atop the final High School On SI Power 25 national high school football rankings, earning our mythical national championship.

St. Frances Academy had some nice wins early in the season against Chaminade-Madonna and St. Joseph’s Prep, but the Panthers never had to face the crucible of championship pressure.

The Wolves did. They won five win-or-go-home games in the postseason, culminating with a second-half push in the title game against Carrollton capped by Tyriq Green’s 82-yard touchdown run with 2:37 to play that broke a 21-21 tie.

That mantra about championships mattering influenced some of our final calls for the rest of the rankings as well. Texas state champions South Oak Cliff and North Shore moved into the final Power 25, replacing the teams they defeated — Randle and Duncanville, respectively.

And for the final spots, we decided to move champions from Florida (Cardinal Mooney), Tennessee (Baylor) and Arizona (Basha) into the rankings, replacing teams that lost early in their state playoffs.

Here’s the complete breakdown of the final High School On SI Power 25 national high school football rankings of the 2025 season.

Final High School On SI Power 25 Football Rankings

1. Buford (Ga.) (15-0)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Def. No. 6 Carrollton 28-21

Lowdown: Defenses ruled the first half of the Georgia 6A final, but the Wolves found an offensive rhythm in the second half, getting two field goals to open the third quarter before scoring three touchdowns in the game’s final 14 minutes.

2. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) (10-1)

Previous ranking: 1

3. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (11-1)

Previous ranking: 4

4. Edna Karr (New Orleans) (14-0)

Previous ranking: 5

5. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) (9-0)

Previous ranking: 6

6. Carrollton (Ga.) (14-1)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Lost to No. 1 Buford 28-21

Lowdown: The Trojans led 7-0 at halftime and forged a 21-21 tie with 7:01 to play on senior LB Jahmir Harris’ scoop-and-score, but they couldn’t take advantage after forcing a Buford punt, eventually allowing the go-ahead score with 2:37 to play.

7. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) (14-1)

Previous ranking: 7

8. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) (11-3)

Previous ranking: 8

9. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) (11-0)

Previous ranking: 9

10. Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) (15-0)

Previous ranking: 10

11. Bixby (Okla.) (13-0)

Previous ranking: 12

12. Thomas County Central (Thomasville, Ga.) (15-0)

Previous ranking: 13

Last week: Def. Gainesville (Ga.) 62-21

Lowdown: Senior RB Christian Lawrence, a Wake Forest signee, followed up a four-touchdown performance in the semifinals by running for a title game-record 380 yards and five touchdowns of 8, 71, 45, 20 and 6 yards to lead the Yellow Jackets to their second championship in three years.

13. South Oak Cliff (Dallas) (15-1)

Previous ranking: NR

Last week: Def. then-No. 11 Randle 35-19

Lowdown: A year ago, the Bears lost to Randle in the UIL Class 5A Division 2 championship game. This time, it was their “Death Row” defense that made the difference, holding down 5-star junior RB Landen Williams-Callis (121 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries) while South Oak Cliff senior RB Mikail Trotter outshined him with 143 yards and three rushing scores.

14. Detroit Catholic Central (14-0)

Previous ranking: 14

15. Brownsburg (Ind.) (14-0)

Previous ranking: 15

16. Mount Carmel (Chicago) (14-0)

Previous ranking: 16

17. Clay-Chalkville (Ala.) (15-0)

Previous ranking: 18

18. North Shore (Houston) (14-2)

Previous ranking: NR

Last week: Def. then-No. 17 Duncanville 10-7

Lowdown: The Mustangs held off a late charge from the Panthers to win their sixth state title and first in Class 6A Division 1 since 2021. Jaylen Bocard’s 44-yard touchdown catch and a 27-yard field goal from Daniel Cruz were all the points North Shore would need as its defense did the rest, forcing a fourth-down incompletion with 38 seconds left to seal the win.

19. Avon (Ohio) (13-1)

Previous ranking: 19

20. Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota, Fla.) (14-1) 

Previous ranking: NR

21. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.) (10-2)

Previous ranking: 20

22. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.) (12-0)

Previous ranking: NR

23. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) (12-1)

Previous ranking: NR

24. Centennial (Corona, Calif.) (11-2)

Previous ranking: 24

25. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) (12-1)

Previous ranking: 23

Dropped Out

11. Randle (Richmond, Texas)

17. Duncanville (Texas)

21. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)

22. Southlake Carroll (Texas)

25. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)