SBLive 7A Arkansas Power Rankings: Bentonville up to No. 2, now faces Bentonville West

Every week during the 2020 football season, SBLive Arkansas will rank the top high school football teams in every classification.

Here are the 7A rankings as compiled by SBLive reporters Connor Morrissette and Lance Smith.

1. Bryant (8-0)

Bryant had a 14-9 deficit against former No. 2 North Little Rock and turned it into a 37-point win. Should the Hornets defeat No. 4 Conway this week, the reigning champion will enter the playoffs having beaten nearly all of its biggest threats to the throne — other than No. 2 Bentonville.

2. Bentonville (9-0)

With big wins over Conway, Har-Ber, Fayetteville, Rogers and other heavyweights, there's no doubt Bentonville is the top candidate on paper to knock off Bryant in the playoffs. That said, the Tigers probably can't afford to lose momentum this week, and they face a potential test against rival Bentonville West.

3. North Little Rock (7-1)

Should North Little Rock consider it a positive that it was competitive against Bryant for a quarter? If the Charging Wildcats believe they can correct whatever caused them to get blown out the rest of the way, then the answer is yes. This week could bring either a great regrouping win or a painful loss with another of the state's top teams on deck in No. 5 Cabot.

4. Conway (6-2)

Last week brought another outstanding victory for the Wampus Cats, who defeated Catholic by three scores. That said, the odds say that whatever momentum they have will go out the window Friday at Bryant. If they were to simply avoid getting dismantled by Bryant, they'd be the first Arkansas team this year to do so. Otherwise, they'll need to regroup on the fly with the postseason coming.

5. Cabot (6-2)

After a 6-0 start, Cabot suffered losses against two of the top five or so teams in the state, Conway and Bryant. So, responding with a 24-7 win over formidable Northside last week was big. But there's no rest for the weary — this week brings another top-five team in No. 3 North Little Rock.

HONORABLE MENTION

Har-Ber, Bentonville West, Rogers, Fort Smith Northside, Fayetteville, LR Catholic