Iowa High School Football Class Top 10 Rankings - Oct. 20, 2026

Playoff time is fast approaching for Iowa high school football teams across the state.

The Solon defense walks to the line of scrimmage Oct. 16, 2026 during a high school football game against the Mount Pleasant Panthers at Solon High School in Solon, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Leaves are hitting the ground, temperatures are starting to drop and the action on the Iowa high school football field is ready to be taken to a new level.

Playoff football is in the air, as several of the classifications embark on the road to the UNI-Dome starting this week.

Class 2A, Class 1A, Class A and eight-player all received their first-round assignments over the weekend. Class 5A, Class 4A and Class 3A will conclude regular season play this week before starting the postseason the following Friday.

Johnston Holds The No. 1 Spot In Class 5A For Iowa High School Football

Johnston, who climbed to the No. 1 spot in the High School On SI Iowa Top 25 after defeating Southeast Polk, did the same in the Class 5A Top 10 for the week. That marked the only change among the seven classes of Iowa high school football.

Defending Class 4A state champion Cedar Rapids Xavier, Clear Lae in Class 3A, Van Meter in Class 2A, Iowa City Regina Catholic in Class 1A, Woodbury Central and Woodbine all hold the top spots.

Several Newcomers Make Their Way Into The Top 10 In Their Respective Classes

Newcomers to the rankings include Dubuque Wahlert Catholic in Class 3A, Dike New-Hartford in Class 2A, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in Class 1A and Nashua-Plainfield to the Class 1A Top 10.

Here are the latest Top 10s for each of the classes this week in Iowa high school football.

Iowa High School Football Class Top 10 Rankings - Oct. 20, 2026

Class 5A

1. Johnston
2. Dowling Catholic
3. Southeast Polk
4. Ankeny
5. Sioux City East
6. Indianola
7. Cedar Falls
8. Waukee Northwest
9. Cedar Rapids Prairie
10. Pleasant Valley

Class 4A

1. Cedar Rapids Xavier
2. Sergeant Bluff-Luton
3. Carlisle
4. Western Dubuque
5. Lewis Central
6. Spencer
7. Waverly-Shell Rock
8. Glenwood
9. Newton
10. North Polk

Class 3A

1. Clear Lake
2. Solon
3. Des Moines Christian
4. Carroll
5. West Delaware
6. Davenport Assumption
7. Sioux City Bishop Heelan
8. Algona
9. Mount Pleasant
10. Dubuque Wahlert Catholic

Class 2A

1. Van Meter
2. Central Lyon/George-Little Rock
3. Spirit Lake
4. Kuemper Catholic
5. OABCIG
6. Mid-Prairie
7. Alburnett
8. Wilton
9. Osage
10. Dike-New Hartford

Class 1A

1. Iowa City Regina Catholic
2. West Lyon
3. Aplington-Parkersburg
4. Treynor
5. Clarion-Goldfield/Dows
6. West Marshall
7. Underwood
8. Grundy Center
9. South Central Calhoun
10. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

Class A

1. Woodbury Central
2. Saint Ansgar
3. West Sioux
4. Madrid
5. Pekin
6. East Buchanan
7. West Fork
8. North Linn
9. Council Bluffs St. Albert
10. Nashua-Plainfield

Eight-Player

1. Woodbine
2. Audubon
3. Iowa Valley
4. Bedford
5. Edgewood-Colesburg
6. Gladbrook-Reinbeck
7. Bishop Garrigan
8. Kingsley-Pierson
9. North Union
10. Montezuma