SBLive's Michigan high school football Power 25 week 7

There's a new team at the top, and plenty of movement throughout the Power 25

1. Belleville (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 2

Next game: Oct. 7 at Livonia Stevenson

Ranking rationale: It always felt like Belleville was going to end up here eventually. It has earned its place at the top.

2. Warren De La Salle Collegiate

Last week’s ranking: 3

Next game: Oct. 8 at Dayton Ponitz (OH)

Ranking rationale: It feels weird moving De La Salle back into the No. 2 spot, but that’s just how everything has shook out. It has to go out of state this week, so that could be a challenge.

See our photos from De La Salle's win over Detroit Catholic Central.

Photo by Mario Nowak

3. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 1

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills

Ranking rationale: After losing for the first time since before the pandemic, I can’t drop Catholic Central too far. Ottawa Hills better be careful, because Todd Kolster’s team is going to be angry.

See our highlights and recap from Grand Rapids Catholic Central's game vs. South Christian.

4. Detroit Martin Luther King (4-1)

Last week’s ranking: 4

Next week: Oct. 7 at Detroit Western

Ranking rationale: King looks pretty good. It just has to keep doing what it should do: win games.

Photo by Mario Nowak

5. West Bloomfield (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 5

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Oxford

Ranking rationale: West Bloomfield bounced back from its week 5 loss last week. It’ll take on an Oxford team that is still struggling offensively.

Photo by Mario Nowak

6. Chelsea (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 6

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Tecumseh

Ranking rationale: Chelsea looks to have everything sorted out, but it can’t look past Tecumseh this week.

7. Saline (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 7

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Temperance Bedford

Ranking rationale: C.J. Carr and company keep on trucking along.

8. Rockford (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 8

Next game: Oct. 7 at Hudsonville

Ranking rationale: Rockford stays put as it gets set to take on a Hudsonville team that’s having a down year.

9. Rochester Adams (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 9

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek

Ranking rationale: Adams stays put as they look ahead to its matchup with Stoney Creek.

Photo by Mario Nowak

10. Caledonia (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 10

Next game: Oct. 7 at Grand Haven

Ranking rationale: Caledonia also stays where it’s at this week.

11. Grand Rapids South Christian (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 18

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Wayland

Ranking rationale: When you upset the top ranked team in the state, you’re going to shoot up the power rankings, and South Christian does just that, moving up seven spots. It’ll look to keep it going against Wayland.

See our highlights and recap from Grand Rapids Catholic Central's game vs. South Christian.

12. Macomb Dakota (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 12

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Utica Eisenhower

Ranking rationale: Dakota stays put after surviving a scare on the road against Romeo.

See photos from Dakota's win over Romeo.

Photo by Mario Nowak

13. Warren Michigan Collegiate (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 11

Next game: Oct. 8 at Detroit Voyageur College Prep

Ranking rationale: Michigan Collegiate did nothing wrong, but someone had to take the fall to make room for the team that beat the No. 1 team in the state.

14. Hudson (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 14

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Brooklyn Columbia Central

Ranking rationale: Hudson stays put this week.

15. Whitehall (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 15

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Ludington

Ranking rationale: I wanted to move up Whitehall so bad, but I just didn’t have any room to do that this week. All it needs is for a team or two ahead of it to lose and it’ll ascend.

16. Marine City (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: 13

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Clinton Township Clintondale

Ranking rationale: Marine City did nothing wrong, but a few had to drop a few spots so I could move South Christian up. It just happened to be Marine City.

17. Dexter (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: 17

Next game: Oct. 7 at Monroe

Ranking rationale: Tough luck for Dexter as it stays put this week.

See highlights and recap from the game here.

Photo by Antonio Cooper

18. River Rouge (3-1)

Last week’s ranking: 16

Next game: Oct. 7 at Allen Park

Ranking rationale: I hate to keep dropping River Rouge, but the fact is it has only played four games and everyone else has played six.

19. Lapeer (6-0)

Last week’s ranking: unranked

Next game: Oct. 7 at Grand Ledge

Ranking rationale: Now we move to a team that had previously been off my radar. Lapeer is unbeaten for now, but has two tough games to end the season against Clarkston and Davison, respectively.

20. Davison (5-1)

Last week’s ranking: unranked

Next game: Oct. 7 at Flint Carman-Ainsworth

Ranking rationale: Davison is a team that’s been on my radar most of the season, and it finally cracks the list after blowing previously unbeaten Walled Lake Western on the road.

21. Clarkston (4-2)

Last week’s ranking: 22

Next game: Oct. 7 at Lake Orion

Ranking rationale: Clarkston has a potential trap game here at Lake Orion ahead of its matchup with Lapeer.

Photo by Katy Kildee

22. Hudsonville Unity Christian (4-2)

Last week’s ranking: 23

Next game: Oct. 7 at Holland Christian

Ranking rationale: Unity Christian should have two easy games against Holland Christian an Spring Lake before ending the season with a showdown against powerhouse West Catholic. Its won four games in a row now, so let’s see if it can keep it up.

23. Muskegon (4-2)

Last week’s ranking: 24

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Wyoming

Ranking rationale: Muskegon jumps up a spot after getting back on track last week. It has two easy games against Wyoming this week and Holland next week before its season finale against Mona Shores.

24. Muskegon Mona Shores (5-1)

Last week: unranked

Next game: Oct. 7 vs. Zeeland East

Ranking rationale: Mona Shores enters the rankings this week after handing Zeeland West its first loss of the season. Its only loss came against Rockford back in week 2.

25. Grandville (4-2)

Last week’s ranking: 21

Next game: Oct. 7 at Jenison

Ranking rationale: Grandville barely stays in the Power 25 this week after dropping two in a row to quality opponents. It has a nice opportunity for a “get right” game this week against a weak Jenison team.