Indiana High School Football Top 25 State Rankings: Aug. 31, 2026

The second week of Indiana's high school football season delivered several shocking results, none bigger than East Central's 14-6 win over then-No. 2 New Palestine.

East Central entered the game ranked No. 25, and their big win sent New Palestine tumbling down the rankings to No. 10 while opening the door for a new team to move into the No. 2 spot. The victors, meanwhile, soared to No. 8 in this week's list.

Westfield took full advantage of the chaos, edging No. 5 Carmel 38-34 in the game of the week to climb to No. 2. Avon also made one of the biggest moves, soaring from No. 10 to No. 4 after picking up back-to-back wins over teams ranked in the top 15.

There is little time for the state's top teams to catch their breath, either. Several ranked teams face challenging matchups against in-state opponents this week, highlighted by No. 5 Center Grove's trip to No. 6 Carmel and No. 12 Hamilton Southeastern's visit to No. 4 Avon.

Meanwhile, that ascendant crew from East Central faces a daunting road trip to Cincinnati to face Ohio powerhouse Elder. Here's a look at this week's Indiana High School Football Top 25 rankings:

Crown Point has won its first two games by an average score of 40-7, but they'll have to level up this week to face a No. 14 Merrillville squad that is favored to win at home.

Indiana Top 25 Football State Rankings — High School On SI

PREVISOUS: PRESEASON | WK1 | WK2 |

1. Brownsburg

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 1

Last Week: Brownsburg 31, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee 15

Brownsburg's 31-15 win over a solid Rabun Gap-Nacoochee squad that competes in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association will float under the radar with bigger games on the national schedule. However, it's a solid win against a team that is highly regarded across the Southeast. It's another indication Brownsburg deserves to remain atop the Indiana rankings. The next chance to put that theory to the test is a Friday night trip to No. 24 Franklin Central.

2. Westfield

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 3

Last Week: Westfield 38, Carmel 34

It was the game of the week in Indiana, and it lived up to its billing as Westfield outlasted No. 5 Carmel for an exciting 38-34 win. Along with New Palestine's loss, it's enough to help the Rocks move up to No. 2 with a Friday night home game against No. 23 Zionsville, a team making its Top 25 debut here.

3. Warren Central

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 4

Last Week: Warren Central 49, Elkhart 10

Warren Central overwhelmed Elkhart in one of the few breathers they're likely to get in 2026. The Warriors visit unranked North Central on Friday before the schedule picks back up in difficulty in mid-September.

4. Avon

Record: 2-0

Last Week: Avon 22, Ben Davis 12

Previous Rank: 10

With back-to-back wins against teams ranked in this week's top 15, Avon has soared in this week's rankings, moving from No. 10 to No. 4. The Orioles' next six opponents are all ranked in the top 25 as well, including Friday's visitors from Hamilton Southeastern.

5. Center Grove

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 6

Last Week: Center Grove 42, Carroll 17

Center Grove walloped previous No. 7 Carroll, bouncing back from an opening-night loss to current No. 3 Warren Central. They get another chance to continue rebuilding their résumé Friday at No. 6 Carmel in Indiana's game of the week.

6. Carmel

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 5

Last Week: Westfield 38, Carmel 34

Carmel gave current No. 2 Westfield all it could handle in a 38-34 loss, and now they'll host a No. 5 Center Grove team that also has one loss — a 20-14 defeat to current No. 3 Warren Central.

7. Lawrence North

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 20

Last Week: Lawrence North 48, Fishers 0

Lawrence North served notice that it is a force to be reckoned with in 2026. The Wildcats demolished previous No. 11 Fishers in a 48-0 rout, earning a promotion from No. 20 all the way to No. 7. Their Week 1 loss came to No. 1 Brownsburg, but they have a potentially challenging visit on the docket Friday to face their rivals at Lawrence Central, which is looking to rebound after falling out of the Top 25 in the aftermath of a 24-12 loss to current No. 23 Zionsville.

8. East Central

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 25

Last Week: East Central 14, New Palestine 6

East Central pulled off the upset of the week, shutting down previous No. 2 New Palestine in a 14-6 victory.They rocket up the rankings this week from No. 25 to No. 8 heading into a daunting trip to Cincinnati to face Elder, a top-five squad in Ohio.

9. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 9

Last Week: Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 35, St. Francis de Sales 0

Bishop Dwenger paid a visit to the Buckeye State and returned to Indiana with a 35-0 win over St. Francis de Sales. The Saints will host crosstown rival Fort Wayne Wayne on Friday in a final tuneup for their Sept. 11 game against No. 11 Carroll.

10. New Palestine

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 2

Last Week: East Central 14, New Palestine 6

New Palestine plummeted from No. 2 to No. 10 after its shocking loss to East Central last weekend. The Dragons will try to get back in the win column Friday at Yorktown.

11. Carroll

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 7

Last Week: Center Grove 42, Carroll 17

Carroll fell 42-17 to current No. 5 Center Grove, and now the Chargers look to regroup at home Friday against Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran.

12. Hamilton Southeastern

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 12

Last Week: Hamilton Southeastern 30, North Central 14

Hamilton Southeastern rebounded from an opening-night loss to Carroll with a solid 30-14 showing against North Central. They begin a brutal stretch of five straight ranked opponents this Friday against the new No. 4 Avon.

13. Ben Davis

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 8

Last Week: Avon 22, Ben Davis 12

Ben Davis was served a bit of a wake-up call in a 22-12 loss to Avon. The Giants visit Pike Friday night with an important opportunity to rebound before a four-game stretch against ranked opponents begins next weekend.

14. Merrillville

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 14

Last Week: Merrillville 56, Lafayette Jefferson 14

Merrillville rolled past Lafayette Jefferson 56-14, but the level of competition picks up this week when No. 22 Crown Point comes to town.

15. Decatur Central

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 15

Last Week: Decatur Central 48, Fort Wayne Wayne 6

Decatur Central bounced back from a 31-6 loss to Avon in the season opener, and now the Hawks look to build on their big win last weekend at home Friday against Whiteland.

16. Indianapolis Bishop Chatard

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 16

Last Week: Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 42, Leo 7

Bishop Chatard has given up just one touchdown in each of its first two games while piling up the points on offense to the tune of 38.5 points per game. It's a good balance that has seen the Trojans get out of the gate fast, but they'll likely face their toughest opponent yet on Friday in a No. 18 Roncalli squad that's looking to build on a big win last week.

17. Bloomington South

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 17

Last Week: Bloomington South 48, Martinsville 14

Bloomington South has won its first two games on the road in blowout fashion, and now the Panthers finally get to entertain a home crowd Friday when they host Terre Haute North Vigo.

18. Roncalli

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 18

Last Week: Roncalli 21, Franklin Central 7

Roncalli shut down then-No. 22 Franklin Central last weekend, but with a loss to Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger the previous week, they can't afford to let up this Friday when they host Indianapolis Bishop Chatard.

19. Cathedral

Previous Rank: 13

Record: 0-2

Last Week: Loyola Academy (IL) 33, Cathedral 19

Cathedral hasn't caught any breaks yet in an 0-2 start to the 2026 campaign. The Fighting Irish won't get any sympathy Friday night at Cincinnati's St. Xavier, which is a traditional Ohio power. This is a team desperate for a win, but that's a tall order on the road against the Bombers.

20. Fishers

Record: 0-2

Previous Rank: 11

Last Week: Lawrence North 48, Fishers 0

Fishers has been blown out in back-to-back games by almost identical scores in a 47-0 loss to Carmel followed by Friday night's 48-0 loss to Lawrence North. The Tigers are hanging on by a thread here with six ranked opponents still on the schedule. If there's any good news, it's that this Friday's opponent Noblesville isn't one of them, but they might be next week if they can upset Fishers. The Tigers get them at home.

21. Penn

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 23

Last Week: Penn 49, Mishawaka 7

Penn heads back on the road Friday to face South Bend Riley.

22. Crown Point

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: 24

Last Week: Crown Point 38, Pike 7

Crown Point has won its first two games by an average score of 40-7, but its biggest test yet is Friday at No. 14 Merrillville.

23. Zionsville

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: Not ranked

Last Week: Zionsville 24, Lawrence Central 12

Zionsville makes its debut here in the Top 25 after knocking off previous No. 19 Lawrence Central. It's about to get a lot harder for the Eagles, however, as they head out on the road Friday to face No. 2 Westfield.

24. Franklin Central

Record: 1-1

Previous Rank: 22

Last Week: Roncalli 21, Franklin Central 7

Franklin Central has split its first two games, and now things begin to ramp up with the start of league play. It doesn't get any harder than this week's game against No. 1 Brownsburg, where the Flashes' only apparent advantage on paper is home field.

25. Columbus North

Record: 2-0

Previous Rank: Not ranked

Last Week: Columbus North 42, Columbus East 14

Columbus North is fresh off a 42-14 thumping of its rivals from Columbus East, but it's right back to business for the Bull Dogs on Friday with a trek to Marion on the agenda.

The shake-up near the top of the rankings this week is a reminder of just how quickly the Indiana high school football landscape can change. Still, if there's one constant, it's Brownsburg in that top position, but a group of strong challengers awaits the Bulldogs in the weeks to come, including games against No. 2 Westfield and No. 4 Avon in September.

But first things first, with several ranked matchups on the schedule this week, there could be even more movement coming in next week's edition of the Indiana High School Football Top 25.

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