SBLive Top 25 Mississippi high school football rankings (9/9/2024)

Louisville, South Panola rise in latest Mississippi rankings

Noxubee County Tigers quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) greets the Starkville high captains before the two teams kicked off the 2024 MHSAA football season on Friday, Aug. 30 in Macon, Miss. / Austin Frayser

Here are the latest Mississippi high school football rankings from SBLive/SI.

TOP 25 MISSISSIPPI FOOTBALL RANKINGS

1. Brandon Bulldogs (2-0)

Brandon's Quincy Phillips Jr. (3) runs for yardage against Picayune during play in Brandon, Miss., Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. / Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last Week: No. 1

The Brandon defense was night-and-day better in a 21-7 win over Madison Central, and the Bulldogs have now avenged both of their back-to-back season opening losses from 2023. Next up is a cross-town trip to Clinton (1-1).

2. Oak Grove Warriors (2-0)

Oak Grove High School head football coach Drew Causey looks down the field at his team during the 7A tournament game against Brandon High School in the 2023 high school football championships on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2023 in Brandon, MS. / Sarah Warnock / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 2

The Warriors took care of business at home with a 35-21 win over Ocean Springs (0-2). Next up is a home game against cross-town rival Hattiesburg, who should provide a good test for the young Warrior offense.

3. Louisville Wildcats (2-0)

Columbia Wildcats' wide receiver Keena Stepney (28) tackles Louisville Wildcats' running back Xzarion Haynes (1) during the MHSAA 4A football state title game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 4

"Big" Louisville hasn't reached its final form on offense, but the Wildcat defense was as good as ever in last week's 22-0 win over Neshoba Central. Poor Columbus (0-1) comes to town this weekend before a big Sept. 20 showdown with Starkville (2-0).

4. West Jones Mustangs (2-0)

West Jones Mustangs' defensive lineman Kelzorrion Carter (99) encourages West Jones Mustangs' quarterback Kymaurion Lindsey (7) to run to the end zone during the MHSAA class 6A football state title game against the Grenada Chargers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 5

The Mustangs haven't traveled more than 20 miles for a game, but they are 2-0 after back-to-back road games against Laurel and Northeast Jones with a combined score of 69-13. They'll end their three-game Jones County circuit with their home-opener against South Jones this Friday night.

5. Tupelo Golden Wave (2-0)

Tupelo Head Coach Ty Hardin is seen on the sidelines during his team's game against Murrah in Jackson, Miss., Friday, October 21, 2022. TCL TupeloVMarrah224 / Hannah Mattix/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 6

The Golden Wave whipped Southaven 40-13 in their first road test of the 2024 season last Friday night. This week's trip to Hernando (1-1) shouldn't be a whole lot tougher. Tupelo's first real test will come Sept. 20 at home against Oxford.

6. Starkville Yellowjackets (2-0)

Starkville Yellowjackets' wide receiver Jaiden Turnipseed (2) and Starkville Yellowjackets' cornerback Jontavious Rogers (3) celebrate a touchdown during the MHSAA 7A football state title game against the Oak Grove Warriors at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 8

Back-to-back wins to start the season against ranked opponents has Starkville Yellowjacket fans feeling pretty confident, but there's more challenges on the horizon with Meridian (1-1) coming to town this weekend and a trip to Louisville on Sept. 20.

7. Madison Central Jaguars (1-1)

Madison Central's Jaiden Johnson (3) gains yardage against Warren Central in Madison, Miss., Friday, Sept 22, 2023. / Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 3

The Jaguars couldn't string together enough positive plays on offense to overcome a couple of key mistakes in a 21-7 loss to top-ranked Brandon last week. They'll have their hands full again this week with Gulfport (2-0) coming to town.

8. Hartfield Academy Hawks (4-0)

Hartfield Academy varsity football coach Craig Bowman shares a lighter moment with members of his Hawks football team during a game against Jackson Academy at Hartfield in Flowood, Miss., on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. / Sarah Warnock/Special to Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 9

The Hartfield Hawks played another round of murderball last week, beating Natchez Cathedral 49-0 on the road. The Hawks are clearly one of, it not the best team in the MAIS. This week's game at Presbyterian Christian (3-0) could be interesting, because neither team has faced a better opponent so far.

9. Picayune Maroon Tide (1-1)

Picayune's Jeremiah Contee (44) finds a hole during play against the Bulldogs in Brandon, Miss., Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. / Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 11

The Maroon Tide returned for form in their second outing, beating Northshore (LA) 35-0 at home. Their third test is against a resurgent D'Iberville team that has looked solid in back-to-back wins over Columbia and Gautier to open the season.

10. Grenada Chargers (1-1)

Grenada Chargers' running back Latavien Pritchard (15) runs the ball during the MHSAA class 6A football state title game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 12

The Chargers didn't look overmatched in a season-opening loss to Oak Grove, but they were certainly the bully last week in a 49-6 win over Winona. This week's home date with Oxford has all the makings of a good football game, and should serve as a good measuring stick for both teams.

11. Warren Central Vikings (1-1)

Waren Central quarterback Nash Morgan (10) keeps during play against Clinton in Vicksburg, Miss, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. / Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 13

The Vikings erased the disappointment from a head-scratching loss to Clinton in Week 1 with a dominant 21-0 win over Pearl in Week 2. Coach Josh Morgan's squad will play two more Class 7A opponents — at Germantown (1-1) and at Brandon (2-0) in the next two weeks.

12. Hattiesburg Tigers (2-0)

Hattiesburg Tigers wide receiver catches a punt after Laurel Tornadoes score a touchdown in the first quarter Aug. 30, 2019. / Cam Bonelli/Hattiesburg American, Hattiesburg American via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Last week: No. 14

The Hattiesburg defense may be historically good. It certainly was last week, when it held Laurel to -50 total yards in a 46-7 win over the Golden Tornadoes to secure the Little Brown Jug. This week's matchup at No. 2 Oak Grove presents a whole new level of difficulty for coach Tony Vance and the Tigers.

13. South Panola Tigers (1-1)

Last week: No. 23

The Tigers hit a gear we didn't know they had in Week 2, erasing a 28-19 fourth-quarter deficit to beat Oxford 41-34 on the road. That's a promising sign for a team with 6A North aspirations (and maybe more).

14. Oxford Chargers (1-1)

Oxford head coach Chris Cutcliffe talks to an official in the MHSAA Class 6A State Football Championship at M.M. Roberts Stadium on the University of Southern Mississippi campus in Hattiesburg on Friday, December 6, 2019. / Chris Todd / For the Mississippi Clarion Ledger, Mississippi Clarion Ledger via Imagn Content

Last week: No. 7

The Chargers blew a double-digit lead against South Panola and suffered their first loss of the season, but there's no rest for the weary. This week's trip to Grenada gives Oxford another shot at a ranked opponent.

15. Jackson Prep (3-0)

Jackson Prep Patriots' quarterback Parker Puckett (12) hands the ball off to running back Thomas Hewitt Oswalt (20) during the game against the Copiah Academy Colonels at Copiah in Hazlehurst, Miss., on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 15

The Patriots beat Pillow Academy 63-0 on the road to stay undefeated, but face their first real challenge of the season this week at home against rival Jackson Academy (4-0). They've looked very solid so far.

16. Holmes County Central (2-0)

Last week: No. 18

The Jaguars bowed their necks in a 22-14 win over a good Jefferson County team, and can get to 3-0 with a win over Florence (1-1) this weekend. The Eagles are coming off a humbling 24-3 loss to Ridgeland.

17. Noxubee County Tigers (1-1)

West Monroe takes down the Noxubee County Tigers in a home non-district win. / Matt Sanches/ The News-Star

Last week: No. 19

The Tigers got back on track with a convincing 39-7 win over Philadelphia, but its right back to the grind this week with a trip north to West Point to face the always dangerous Green Wave (0-2).

18. Gulfport Admirals (2-0)

Last week: No. 20

The Admirals have certainly looked like a contender over the first two weeks of the season, outscoring Greenville Christian and Vancleave 76-6 in back-to-back games. The road gets a lot tougher this week, when Gulfport travels north to take on Madison Central in the Jungle.

19. West Point Green Wave (0-2)

Last week: No. 10

The Green Wave came up just short against a top-10 opponent for the second week in a row, falling to Starkville 33-26. That loss came on the heels of a 15-14 loss to Louisville in Week 1. They'll face another ranked opponent in No. 17 Noxubee County (1-1) this Friday night.

20. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (3-1)

Last week: No. 16

The bad news is the Patriots had no answer for Pulaski quarterback Brandon Cobb in a 60-36 loss to the powerhouse program from Arkansas. The good news is they won't face another player like him this season. This week's short road trip to St. Joe (2-1) should provide a nice tuneup before the Sept. 20 showdown with against Oak Grove in Madison.

21. George County Rebels (2-0)

Last week: No. 22

The Rebels went full throttle in a 51-36 win over Green County in the Battle for the Bell, and are rewarded this week with a move up to 21 in our rankings. The next four weeks will offer varying challenges — starting with this weeks' home game against Biloxi (1-1) — but George County has looked very solid out of the gate.

22. Ocean Springs Greyhounds (0-2)

Last week: No. 21

Bless their hearts — nobody has played a tougher schedule than the Greyhounds, who hosted Madison Central in Week 1 and lost 35-21 at Oak Grove in Week 2. Make no mistake, Ocean Springs is still a good team, though evidence is starting to pile up that they may lack the depth to hang with the most elite teams in the state.

23. Poplarville Hornets (2-0)

Last week: No. 24

They don’t get any points for style, but the Hornets turned in another solid defensive performance in a 13-7 home win over the Stone Tomcats. The Hornets should be favored in their next two games against Newton County and Pearl River Central before a road trip to Soso for a matchup with West Jones on Sept. 27.

24. D'Iberville Warriors (2-0)

Last week: Not ranked

The Warriors are making their Top 25 debut this week after opening the season with a 51-15 win over Columbia and beating Gautier 33-12 last week. We'll find out a lot more about D'Iberville this week when they travel to Picayune (1-1)

25. Charleston Tigers (2-0)

Last week: No. 25

The Tigers looked impressive again in a 34-14 win over North Panola last week. They are now 2-0 in road games against teams from higher classifications. They'll be back at home this week against Clarkdsdale (1-1).

Dropped out: Laurel (0-2)