High School On SI Power 25 National High School Football Rankings: Aug. 24, 2026

The first full weekend of the high school football season provided some key data points for our first update to the High School On SI Power 25 national high school football rankings.

Bishop Gorman’s 38-28 victory over St. John Bosco established the Gaels as an early national championship contender. Gorman built a 21-0 lead, watched the Braves rally to tie the game, then responded with the final 10 points to secure the victory and climb three spots to No. 4.

Baylor won an intrastate showdown with Brentwood Academy to show it’s the top team in the Volunteer State, while Thompson and East St. Louis also picked up big wins over in-state rivals to kick off their seasons.

The Flyers’ win over Mount Carmel propelled them into this week’s rankings at No. 23 while knocking the Caravan out.

Also moving into the Power 25 this week are Hough (No. 20), Thomas County Central (No. 22) and Corner Canyon (No. 25), taking the place of Grayson, Creekside and Brentwood Academy.

This week sees Texas teams kicking off their seasons, with No. 11 Duncanville traveling to Allen in one of the marquee matchups in the Lone Star State.

Meanwhile, No. 15 DeSoto makes a rare foray out of state to take part in the Broward County High School Football Showcase, taking on No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas in a featured game Saturday evening on ESPN2.

Don’t turn your TV off after the final whistle, either, as No. 12 Basha takes on crosstown rival Chandler in an Arizona Open Division championship game rematch — the Bears won 34-7 last December.

Two other Power 25 clashes see No. 13 Sierra Canyon traveling across the country to open the Broward County Showcase on Thursday night against No. 17 Chaminade-Madonna, while Southern California rivals No. 6 Centennial and No. 7 Santa Margarita face off Friday night.

Power 25 National High School Football Rankings — High School On SI

PREVIOUS WEEKS: PRESEASON | WK1 |

1. IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Def. Lone Peak (Highland, UT) 59-3

Next up: vs. Cornerstone Christian (San Antonio, TX), Aug. 29

Junior QB Jayden Wade threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns as the Ascenders ensured their latest visit to Utah would not end in heartache.

2. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) (0-0)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Idle

Next up: at DeLand (FL), Aug. 28

3. Buford (Buford, GA) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Def. Gainesville (GA) 39-19

Next up: at Mallard Creek (Charlotte, NC), Sept. 4

The Wolves scored 29 unanswered points to pull away from Gainesville after a slow start.

4. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) (2-0)

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: Def. No. 9 St. John Bosco 38-28

Next up: at Columbus (Miami, FL), Aug. 29

Corey Hinton came back to haunt his old team, hauling in a third-down pass and taking it to the house for a 54-yard, go-ahead score with 6:49 remaining as the Gaels picked up a signature early-season win.

5. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: Def. Western (Davie, FL) 42-0

Next up: vs. No. 15 DeSoto (TX), Aug. 29

The Raiders tuned up for their showdown with last year’s Texas 6A Division 2 champions at the Broward County High School Football Showcase by blanking the Wildcats.

6. Centennial (Corona, CA) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Def. Servite (Anaheim, CA) 41-21

Next up: vs. No. 7 Santa Margarita (CA), Aug. 28

Jaden Jefferson threw for 296 yards and two touchdowns while adding 92 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to lead the Huskies to the season-opening win.

7. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: Def. Jones (Orlando, FL) 27-0

Next up: at No. 6 Centennial (CA), Aug. 28

Fletch Palmer, the junior son of head coach Carson Palmer, won the starting quarterback job and threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns in his debut.

8. Baylor (Chattanooga, TN) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Def. then-No. 23 Brentwood Academy (TN) 38-20

Next up: vs. Loudoun Sports Academy (Leesburg, VA), Aug. 28

One of the most anticipated season openers went the Red Raiders’ way as Tennessee commit David Gabriel Georges finished with 250 total yards and ran for three fourth-quarter touchdowns.

9. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) (0-1)

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Lost to No. 4 Bishop Gorman 38-28

Next up: vs. Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), Aug. 28

The Braves overcame a nightmarish first half to draw even at 28-28 early in the fourth quarter before the game slipped away.

10. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Def. American Fork (UT) 31-11

Next up: at Orem (UT), Aug. 29

Sophomore Asir Nembhard ran for a career-high 117 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries in the home win.

11. Duncanville (Duncanville, TX) (0-0)

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Idle

Next up: at Allen (TX), Aug. 28

12. Basha (Chandler, AZ) (0-0)

Previous ranking: 13

Last week: Idle

Next up: vs. Chandler (AZ), Aug. 29

13. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, CA) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 14

Last week: Def. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, CA) 42-21

Next up: at No. 17 Chaminade-Madonna (FL), Aug. 27

The Trailblazers built a 28-0 lead midway through the second quarter and cruised to the season-opening win.

14. Carrollton (Carrollton, GA) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: Def. Rome (GA) 55-7

Next up: at Columbia (Decatur, GA), Aug. 28

Big games from sophomores CJ Cypher (269 passing yards, four touchdowns) and Zachary Watts (112 total yards, four TDs) led the Trojans.

15. DeSoto (DeSoto, TX) (0-0)

Previous ranking: 16

Last week: Idle

Next up: at No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas (FL), Aug. 29

16. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) (0-0)

Previous ranking: 18

Last week: Idle

Next up: vs. Armwood (Seffner, FL), Aug. 28

17. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, FL) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: Def. Monarch (Coconut Creek, FL) 49-22

Next up: vs. No. 13 Sierra Canyon (CA), Aug. 27

Junior Brady Quinn completed 15 of 20 passes for 314 yards and five touchdowns — all to different receivers — in the Lions’ season-opening victory.

18. Brownsburg (Brownsburg, IN) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 20

Last week: Def. Lawrence North (Indianapolis) 48-25

Next up: vs. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (NC), Aug. 28

The Bulldogs trailed 19-14 at halftime before rallying behind a big night from senior Brady Lewis (35 carries for 223 yards and three touchdowns).

19. Thompson (Thompson, AL) (1-0)

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: Def. Central-Phenix City (AL) 41-14

Next up: vs. Clay-Chalkville (AL), Aug. 27

Alabama commit Trent Seaborn threw four touchdown passes as the defending state champion Warriors broke open a close game.

20. Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) (1-0)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Northwestern (Rock Hill, SC) 15-10

Next up: vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, NC), Aug. 29

The Huskies overcame 14 penalties and two blocked kicks, sacking Northwestern quarterback Xavier Means 12 times, while Marshall commit Ethan Royal hit Jahmere Anderson on a go-ahead 62-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.