Top 25 Indiana high school football rankings (10/26/2023)

Full schedule of IHSAA football playoffs this weekend

It was a quiet week – rankings-wise at least – with teams in the state's two biggest classes getting a week off before entering postseason play.

SBLive Indiana Power 25 high school football rankings

• PREVIOUS RANKINGS: PRESEASON | AUG. 23 | AUG. 30 | SEPT. 7 | SEPT. 14 | SEPT. 21 | SEPT. 28 | OCT. 4 | OCT. 11 | OCT. 18 

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Indiana high school football rankings

October 26, 2023

1. Ben Davis (8-1)

Previous rank: 1 Last week: Idle

The Giants open the playoffs with their Class 6A Sectional 5 semifinal against undefeated and third-ranked Brownsburg. Brownsburg beat Ben Davis twice a year ago, in the season opener and in the postseason.

Next game: vs. No. 3 Brownsburg (9-0), Oct. 27

2. Center Grove (8-1)

Previous rank: 2 Last week: Idle

Center Grove will meet Franklin Central in the Class 6A Sectional 8 semifinals.

Next game: vs. Franklin Central (4-5), Oct. 27

3. Brownsburg (9-0)

Previous rank: 3 Last week: Idle

Brownsburg meets top-ranked Ben Davis in the Class 6A Sectional 5 semifinals this week in what will be one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. Brownsburg beat Ben Davis twice a year ago.

Next game: at No. 1 Ben Davis (8-1), Oct. 27

4. Crown Point (9-0)

Previous rank: 4 Last week: Idle

Crown Point opens the playoffs against Lafayette Jefferson in a Class 6A Sectional 1 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: vs. Lafayette Jefferson (5-4), Oct. 27

5. Westfield (8-1)

Previous rank: 5 Last week: Idle

Westfield will face off with visiting Carmel in a Class 6A Sectional 4 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: at No. 17 Carmel (5-4), Oct. 27

6. Hamilton Southeastern (7-2)

Previous rank: 6 Last week: Idle

HSE is back in action in the Class 6A Sectional 3 semifinals against Northrop. 

Next game: at Fort Wayne Northrop (1-8), Oct. 27

7. Fort Wayne Carroll (7-2)

Previous rank: 7 Last week: Idle

The Chargers open the playoffs this week at Warsaw in a Class 6A Sectional 2 semifinal.

Next game: at Warsaw (8-1), Oct. 27

8. Penn (8-1)

Previous rank: 8 Last week: Idle

Penn will meet Elkhart in a Class 6A Sectional 2 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: vs. Elkhart (3-6), Oct. 27

9. Bishop Chatard (10-0)

Previous rank: 9 Last week: Def. Tippecanoe Valley 40-7

Aidan Arteaga threw a pair of TD passes to Colin Guy as the Trojans won the battle of unbeatens. Now the Trojans advance to face Guerin Catholic in the Class 3A Sectional 28 semifinal.

Next game: at Guerin Catholic (8-2), Oct. 27

10. Valparaiso (7-2)

Previous rank: 11 Last week: Idle

The Vikings open the playoffs at Chesterton in a Class 5A Sectional 10 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: at Chesterton (2-7), Oct. 27

Indiana high school football playoff brackets: 2023 state tournament matchups, game times

11. Fort Wayne Snider (8-1)

Previous rank: 12 Last week: Idle

Snider opens the playoffs against Anderson in a Class 5A Sectional 12 semifinal.

Next game: vs. Anderson (2-7), Oct. 27

12. Fishers (6-3)

Previous rank: 13 Last week: Idle

Fishers will meet host Homestead in a Class 6A Sectional 3 semifinal on Friday. 

Next game: at Homestead (5-4), Oct. 27

13. Bloomington North (9-0)

Previous rank: 14 Last week: Idle

Rivals North and South will meet again in a Class 5A Sectional 15 semifinal on Friday. North defeated South 25-24 back on Sept. 8, so this rematch should be a fun one.

Next game: vs. No. 15 Bloomington South (8-1), Oct. 27

14. Cathedral (6-3)

Previous rank: 15 Last week: Idle

The Fighting Irish open the playoffs against North Central in a Class 6A Sectional 6 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: vs. Indianapolis North Central (0-9), Oct. 27

15. Bloomington South (8-1)

Previous rank: 16 Last week: Idle

South opens the postseason with a rematch against North in a Class 5A Sectional 15 semifinal looking to avenge its lone defeat of the season, a one-point loss on Sept. 8.

Next game: at No. 13 Bloomington North (9-0), Oct. 27

16. East Central (10-0)

Previous rank: 17 Last week: Def. Shelbyville 62-7

Cole Burton and Western Michigan commit Ryan Brotherton each set program career records. Burton passed for four touchdowns to push his total to 59, while Brotherton had two TD catches to raise his total to 28. Next up is a Class 4A Sectional 23 semifinal matchup with Martinsville.

Next game: at Martinsville (7-3), Oct. 27

17. Carmel (5-4)

Previous rank: 10 Last week: Idle

The Greyhounds open the playoffs with a tough task against visiting Westfield in a Class 6A Sectional 4 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: vs. No. 5 Westfield (8-1) in Class 6A Sectional 4 semifinal, Oct. 27

18. Merrillville (7-2)

Previous rank: 18 Last week: Idle

Merrillville will host Munster in a Class 5A Sectional 9 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: vs. Munster (3-6), Oct. 27

19. Mishawaka (7-2)

Previous rank: 19 Last week: Idle

Mishawaka opens the playoffs with a Class 5A Sectional 11 semifinal at Goshen on Friday.

Next game: at Goshen (1-8), Oct. 27

20. Lawrence North (6-3)

Previous rank: 20 Last week: Idle

North will host Lawrence Central in a Class 6A Sectional 6 semifinal this Friday.

Next game: vs. Lawrence Central (4-5) in Class 6A Sectional 6 semifinal, Oct. 27

Vote: Who should be SBLive's Indiana High School Athlete of the Week (10/23/2023)?

21. West Lafayette Harrison (8-1)

Previous rank: 21 Last week: Idle

The Raiders host Plainfield in a Class 5A Sectional 13 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: vs. Plainfield (6-3) in Class 5A Sectional 13 semifinal, Oct. 27

22. Decatur Central (7-2)

Previous rank: 22 Last week: Idle

Decatur Central opens the playoffs at McCutcheon in a Class 5A Sectional 13 semifinal on Friday.

Next game: at McCutcheon (6-3), Oct. 27

23. New Palestine (7-2)

Previous rank: 24 Last week: Def. New Castle 63-0

Gavin Neal passed for 147 yards and three TDs, while Grayson Thomas ran 19 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns for the Dragons. Next up is a Class 4A Sectional 22 semifinal matchup with nine-win Greenfield-Central.

Next game: vs. Greenfield-Central (9-1), Oct. 27

24. Warsaw (8-1)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Idle

Warsaw will host seventh-ranked Fort Wayne Carroll in a Class 6A Sectional 2 semifinal this Friday.

Next game: vs. No. 7 Fort Wayne Carroll (7-2), Oct. 27

25. Evansville Reitz (10-0)

Previous rank: 25 Last week: Def. Boonville 24-0

Roland Vera Jr. ran for two touchdowns for the Panthers, who led 24-0 at halftime. Next Reitz will meet North Lawrence in the Class 4A Sectional 24 semifinals.

Next game: at Bedford North Lawrence (7-3), Oct. 27

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– Mike Clark | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveIN