Missouri High School Football: Top 25 State Rankings

New Missouri high school football Top 25 for Nov. 24 features major changes in the top 5 and top 10 heading into state semifinals

Preston Hatfield's return to the Lee's Summit lineup has helped the Tigers become one of the most dangerous teams in the state as they roll into the Class 6 semifinals to play No. 3 Jackson this week. / David Smith

The state semifinals arrive this week with several unbeaten teams still holding their ground and a handful of red-hot contenders crashing the party. Missouri’s Top 25 tightened again after another round of statement wins and season-ending heartbreak, setting up some of the strongest late-November matchups the state has seen in years.

Platte County and Nixa stayed locked in at the top after convincing quarterfinal wins, and Jackson jumped into the top three after surviving a wild finish against CBC. Blair Oaks kept rolling with another lopsided performance, while Carthage, Cardinal Ritter and Seneca kept their postseason momentum alive with decisive victories.

Several ranked teams bowed out, clearing the path for the state’s final push toward St. Joseph. Lee’s Summit made one of the biggest climbs of the week, and Festus returned to the rankings ahead of its toughest test of the season.

With semifinal kickoffs set for Saturday, the final stretch is here. Check out the latest state rankings below.

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Missouri High School Football Top 25 State Rankings

Nov. 24, 2025

1. Platte County Pirates

Current Record: 12-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 1

Next game: at Kirkwood (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday

Platte County’s football team has had a lot to celebrate this season. They kicked things off as the preseason No. 1 and haven’t wavered. Last week, senior quarterback Rocco Marriott was upgraded from a three-star prospect to a four-star and simultaneously flipped his commitment from James Madison to UCF; the same program that offered senior tight end Brooks Hall, a South Dakota commit that UCF is trying to flip. The Pirates then went out and took down Grain Valley in the Class 5 quarterfinals 46-33 to advance to the semifinals this week for a top 5 showdown against Kirkwood.

2. Nixa Eagles

Current Record: 12-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 2

Next game: at Pattonville (7-5), 1 p.m. Saturday

Facing their toughest test of the season against No. 9 Helias Catholic in the Class 6 quarterfinals, the Eagles were the Eagles. Nixa rolled to a 28-7 halftime lead and never looked back in a 45-28 win to advance to the semifinals. Now they must overcome Class 6 Cinderella Pattonville, who entered the playoffs 4-5, to get another crack at the state title.

3. Jackson Indians

Current Record: 12-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 4

Next game: vs. Lee’s Summit (8-4), 1 p.m. Saturday

Jumping out to a stunning 31-7 lead in the first quarter, the Indians held off a late charge and knocked off No. 3 CBC 45-42 in the Class 6 quarterfinals last week to set up a semifinal showdown against a red-hot Lee’s Summit squad this week.

4. Kearney Bulldogs

Current Record: 12-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 5

Next game: at Festus (10-2), 1 p.m. Saturday

One of the most well-rounded teams in the state, the Bulldogs throttled Warrensburg 49-7 last week in the Class 4 quarterfinals, setting up a semifinal showdown against a tough Festus squad that averages 37.9 points per game. Kearney is allowing only 9.7 points per game and hasn’t surrendered more than 20 points to any team (and they’ve done that twice). The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 140-27 in three postseason games.

5. CBC Cadets

Final Record: 11-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 3

The Cadets defense surrendered 143 total points in nine regular season games with 82 of those points coming against Lipscomb Academy (Tennessee), which finished 3-6, and Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Georgia), who went 5-4. Despite their prolific offense, they allowed 143 points in three Missouri postseason contests and got bounced by No. 4 Jackson in the Class 6 quarterfinals 45-42 after falling behind 31-7 in the first quarter.

6. Kirkwood Pioneers

Current Record: 10-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 6

Next game: vs. Platte County (12-0), 1 p.m. Saturday

One week after scoring 21 points against Eureka in the district championship, Kirkwood came out firing on all cylinders offensively and scored more than it had all season in a 70-56 win against Farmington in the Class 5 quarterfinals. The Pioneers will need to have another efficient day offensively against No. 1 Platte County this week in their state semifinal showdown.

7. Blair Oaks Falcons

Current Record: 12-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 8

Next game: at Liberty (Mountain View) (10-2), 1 p.m. Saturday

Blair Oaks rolls into this week’s semifinal with Festus having outscored opponents 549-51 over its last 10 games. The Falcons have allowed double digits only once in that stretch and even then it was just 10 points. They’ve posted four shutouts during that stretch and are giving up only 5.1 points per game during the run while winning 42-6, 65-0, 55-0, 52-10, 76-7, 56-0, 76-3, 49-0, 19-8 and 59-7. The Falcons bounced back from their lowest offensive output against Centralia by walloping Summit Christian Academy last week.

8. Lafayette (Wildwood) Lancers

Final Record: 10-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 7

Lafayette’s season ended with a 77-62 loss to No. 3 CBC in the Class 6 District 2 championship game.

9. Carthage Tigers

Current Record: 11-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 10

Next game: vs. Cardinal Ritter (9-3), 1 p.m. Saturday

The Tigers traveled to Jefferson City last week and walloped Capital City 36-17 to advance to the Class 5 semifinals against Cardinal Ritter for one of the state’s top matchups of the week. Carthage’s only loss was a 38-22 decision to No. 2 Nixa in Week 4, and they’ve only gotten better since. The Tigers have not allowed more than 17 points to an opponent in their last five games.

10. Cardinal Ritter Lions

Current Record: 9-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 11

Next game: at Carthage (11-1), 1 p.m. Saturday

Winners of seven straight, the Lions head deep into Southwest Missouri this week to take on Carthage in the Class 5 semifinals. The Lions dropped Ft. Zumwalt North 38-13 in the quarterfinals last week and have outscored opponents 196-23 through four postseason games.

11. Lee’s Summit Tigers

Final Record: 8-4

Last Week’s Ranking: 20

Next game: vs. Jackson (12-0), 1 p.m. Saturday

Possibly the best four-loss team in the state, the Tigers have made it clear that they aren’t the same team that began the season 0-4. They extended their winning streak to eight games with an impressive 24-14 win against No. 12 Liberty in the Class 6 quarterfinals. Their win avenged a 21-13 loss to the Blue Jays in Week 1 and set up a showdown against No. 3 Jackson, who knocked off CBC in a slugfest last week.

12. Helias Catholic Crusaders

Final Record: 11-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 9

A 45-28 loss to Nixa ended the Crusaders’ season in the state quarterfinals.

13. Liberty Blue Jays

Final Record: 10-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 12

Running into a healthy and hot Lee’s Summit squad, Liberty’s season came to a screeching halt in the Class 6 quarterfinals with a 24-14 loss to the Tigers.

14. Blue Springs South Jaguars

Final Record: 9-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 13

The Jaguars’ season ended with a loss to Blue Springs in the Class 6 District 6 semifinals on Nov. 7.

15. Seneca Indians

Current Record: 11-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 17

Next game: vs. St. Clair (10-3), 1 p.m. Saturday

There’s no place like home, and the Indians are certainly happy to be hosting St. Clair on Tom Hodge Field at Earl Campbell Stadium in the Class 3 semifinals this week. The 2024 Class 3 runner-up dropped Mountain Grove 47-14 last week. Seneca has not scored fewer than 47 points in any game this postseason.

16. Hannibal Pirates

Current Record: 10-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 18

Next game: at St. Mary’s South Side (9-3), 1 p.m. Saturday

Winners of three straight, the Pirates smashed a talented West Plains squad 41-12 last week to earn a spot in the Class 4 semifinals. Through three postseason games the Pirates have outscored opponents 116-25.

17. Rockhurst Hawklets

Final Record: 9-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 14

Rockhurst’s season ended with a 29-22 loss to No. 1 Platte County, who scored the winning touchdown with 2 seconds remaining, in the Class 5 District 8 championship.

18. Republic Tigers

Final Record: 9-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 15

Republic’s season ended in the Class 5 District 6 championship with a 31-14 loss to Carthage.

19. Ft. Zumwalt North Panthers

Final Record: 10-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 16

The Panthers saw their 2025 season end in the Class 6 quarterfinals with a 38-13 loss to Cardinal Ritter.  

20. Blue Springs Wildcats

Final Record: 8-4

Last Week’s Ranking: 19

The Wildcats’ season ended in the Class 6 District 6 final with a 26-21 loss to unbeaten Helias Catholic.

21. Festus Tigers

Current Record: 10-2

Last Week’s Ranking: NR

Next game: vs. Pattonville (6-5), noon Friday

22. North Kansas City Hornets

Final Record: 8-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 22

North Kansas City’s season ended with a 42-21 loss to Lee’s Summit in the Class 6 District 7 championship.

23. SLUH Jr. Bills

Final Record: 7-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 23

SLUH’s season ended Nov. 7 with a 28-25 loss to Lafayette Wildwood in the Class 6 District 2 semifinals.

24. Eureka Wildcats

Final Record: 8-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 24

The Wildcats’ season ended at the hands of No. 7 Kirkwood, 21-10, in the Class 5 District 2 championship.

25. Savannah Savages

Final Record: 10-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 25

Savannah’s season came to an end with a 24-0 loss to No. 5 Kearney in the Class 4 District 8 championship.

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