Missouri High School Football: Top 25 State Rankings — Nov. 17, 2025

The MSHSAA State Tournament quarterfinals are here, and so are the updated Missouri High Top 25 State Rankings. See where the best teams in the state stack up!

Levi Payton | Nov 17, 2025

Tyler Bax and the Blair Oaks Falcons will play in the Class 2 state quarterfinals this week. / David Smith

Missouri high school football is down to its final eight teams in every class, and the stakes could not be higher. The state quarterfinals arrive Friday and Saturday with some of the strongest matchups the tournament has produced in years, including several undefeated powers still fighting to keep perfect seasons alive.

Every corner of the state delivered drama on district championship weekend. Platte County punched its ticket with a last-second score. Lafayette saw a strong season end in a shootout with CBC. Blair Oaks survived its toughest test of the year, and Jackson set up the heavyweight clash fans have been waiting for since August.

With only three wins separating each remaining team from a state title, momentum and health matter more than ever. Quarterbacks are settling into postseason form, defenses are tightening up, and special teams units are already swinging games across multiple classes. Several teams outside the preseason spotlight have made deep runs, while a few title favorites still look every bit the part.

This week’s Top 25 reflects the shakeups, the statement wins and the handful of upsets that continue to reshape the playoff picture. As the state’s best prepare for the biggest weekend of the season, here is where all 25 teams stand entering the MSHSAA quarterfinals.

Let’s dive into the latest Missouri high school football Top 25 state rankings.

Missouri High School Football Top 25 State Rankings

Nov. 16, 2025

1. Platte County Pirates

Current Record: 11-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 1

Next game: at Grain Valley (8-3), 7 p.m. Friday

Trailing 22-21 with 6 seconds left, Pirates three-star senior quarterback Rocco Marriott plunged into the end zone on a 2-yard run with 2 seconds remaining to beat No. 14 Rockhurst 29-22 for the Class 5 District 8 championship. Platte County will travel to Grain Valley in the state quarterfinals. The Eagles beat Raytown 49-28 for the District 7 crown.

2. Nixa Eagles

Current Record: 11-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 2

Next game: vs. Helias Catholic (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Nixa trailed Joplin 21-14 at halftime before going on a 28-0 run in the third quarter to win 42-28. It was Nixa’s second win against Joplin, which included a 28-14 decision in Week 3. Friday’s quarterfinal game against 11-0 Helias Catholic will have a state championship feel.

3. CBC Cadets

Current Record: 11-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 3

Next game: at Jackson (11-0), 1 p.m. Saturday

If the Cadets go on to win the Class 6 championship, they will have earned every bit of it. They gave up a whopping 62 points against No. 6 Lafayette in the District 2 championship Friday night, the most they’ve allowed this season and a staggering number that would sink most teams, but they scored 77, also their most of the season, in a 77-62 slugfest. CBC has given up some points this season, but nobody has been able to match its prolific offense. They will play No. 4 Jackson this week, a team that has one of the best defenses in Class 6 and can score with CBC.

4. Jackson Indians

Current Record: 11-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 4

Next game: vs. Northwest Cedar Hill (8-2), 1 p.m. Saturday

You’ll have a hard time finding a team more dominant than Jackson so far in the playoffs. One of the best defenses in Class 6, the Indians have outscored opponents 119-14 so far in the postseason after smacking Northwest (Cedar Hill) 70-7 to win the Class 6 District 1 title. That win sets up a showdown with No. 3 CBC in one of the most intriguing matchups of the MSHSAA quarterfinals.

5. Kearney Bulldogs

Current Record: 11-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 5

Next game: at Warrensburg (8-3), 1 p.m. Saturday

Pitching their second shutout of the season, the Bulldogs downed No. 22 Savannah 24-0 on Friday to win the Class 4 District 8 championship. Kearney has outscored opponents 91-20 so far in the playoffs. The Bulldogs will travel to District 7 champion Warrensburg, which beat Nevada 28-25.

6. Kirkwood Pioneers

Current Record: 9-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 7

Next game: at Farmington (9-2), 1 p.m. Saturday

Kirkwood did all its damage in the second quarter, outscoring No. 21 Eureka 21-0 in the frame to erase a 7-0 deficit in a 21-10 victory. The Class 5 District 2 champions will take on Farmington, which defeated Cape Girardeau Central 21-0 for the District 1 title, for a shot at the final four.

7. Lafayette (Wildwood) Lancers

Final Record: 10-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 6

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

8. Blair Oaks Falcons

Current Record: 11-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 8

Next game: vs. Summit Christian Academy (5-6), 1 p.m. Saturday

Despite having scored no fewer than 42 points in their first 10 games, Blair Oaks trailed Centralia 8-7 late in the third quarter before all-state quarterback Tyler Bax scored on a 2-yard run to put his team in front for good. The defending Class 3 state champion Falcons escaped with a 19-8 victory and the Class 2 District 5 title.

9. Helias Catholic Crusaders

Current Record: 11-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 11

Next game: at Nixa (11-0), 7 p.m. Friday

The Crusaders never trailed against No. 18 Blue Springs, but it was a dogfight the entire way. Tied 7-7 halfway through the third quarter, Helias kicker Brock Martin booted field goals from 33 and 41 yards, and Logan Hillman had a 35-yard pick-six in the third quarter to help Helias escape with a 26-21 victory to win the Class 6 District 6 championship, setting up a huge state quarterfinals showdown with No. 2 Nixa.

10. Carthage Tigers

Current Record: 10-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 10

Next game: at Capital City (8-4), 1 p.m. Saturday

There was no controversy this time. Carthage, after beating Republic 30-28 in a comeback thriller in Week 7, rolled its conference foes in the Class 5 District 6 championship 31-14. The Tigers will head to Jefferson City on Saturday to take on a Capital City squad coming off an impressive 46-25 win over Lebanon in the District 5 title game.

11. Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions

Current Record: 8-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 12

Next game: vs. Fort Zumwalt North (10-1), 1 p.m. Saturday

Cardinal Ritter’s defense stepped up again as the Lions rolled Ladue Horton Watkins 36-3 in the Class 5 District 3 title. In three postseason games, the Lions, riding a six-game win streak, have outscored opponents 158-10. They will face a Fort Zumwalt North squad that survived a 21-20 overtime thriller against Parkway West to win District 4.

12. Liberty Blue Jays

Current Record: 10-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 13

Next game: at Lee’s Summit (7-4), 7 p.m. Friday

Liberty jumped out to a 31-10 halftime lead and rolled to a 45-31 win against Liberty North to win the Class 6 District 8 title. The Blue Jays have their work cut out for them in the quarterfinals this week. They play a Lee’s Summit team that got healthy after an 0-4 start and has won its last seven games, including a 42-21 result against No. 15 North Kansas City last week in the District 7 championship. Liberty beat Lee’s Summit 21-13 in Week 1.

13. Blue Springs South Jaguars

Final Record: 9-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 9

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

14. 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, which scored the winning touchdown with 2 seconds remaining, in the Class 5 District 8 championship.

15. Republic Tigers

Current Record: 9-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 16

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

16. Fort Zumwalt North Panthers

Current Record: 10-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 17

Next game: at Cardinal Ritter College Prep (8-3), 1 p.m. Saturday

Parkway West rolled the dice and played for the win last Friday, and the Panthers made them pay for it. In one of the most exciting games of district championship weekend, the Panthers knocked off Parkway West 21-20 in overtime to win the Class 5 District 4 title. Knotted at 14 at the end of regulation, the Panthers scored first in the overtime period and kicked an extra point to go up 21-14. Parkway West answered with a touchdown of its own and elected to go for two and the win. The try was unsuccessful.

17. Seneca Indians

Current Record: 10-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 19

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

Beating Cassville for the second time this season, the Indians didn’t allow the Wildcats to hang around like they did in their 33-27 win in Week 1 and rolled to a 47-14 victory to claim the Class 3 District 6 crown. The back-to-back state runner-up will travel to Mountain Grove this week for a shot to reach the final four for the fourth consecutive season.

18. Hannibal Pirates

Current Record: 9-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 20

Next game: vs. West Plains (9-2), 7 p.m. Friday

Locked in a 7-7 tie at the half, Hannibal outscored Odessa 14-0 in the third quarter and held on to win the Class 4 District 5 crown 27-13. The Pirates advance to the quarterfinals, where they will play a West Plains team that beat Carl Junction 36-6 to claim the District 6 championship.

19. Blue Springs Wildcats

Final Record: 8-4

Last Week’s Ranking: 18

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

20. Lee’s Summit Tigers

Final Record: 7-4

Last Week’s Ranking: NR

Next game: vs. Liberty (10-1), 7 p.m. Friday

We expected the Tigers to have a good season, and they began the year among our early season top 25. They fell out after injuries and an 0-4 start derailed the first half of their regular-season slate, but they seem to be all the way back after winning seven straight and securing the Class 6 District 7 championship with an impressive 42-21 blowout against No. 15 North Kansas City last week. They join back up just in time to face juggernaut Liberty in the quarterfinals. A win would propel them into the final four and a heavy push up the rankings.

21. Fort Zumwalt West Jaguars

Current Record: 9-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 25

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

In one of the biggest comebacks of the district championship round, the Jaguars trailed 31-17 entering the fourth quarter before scoring a pair of touchdowns to tie it at 31 and then got a 35-yard field goal from Aiden Steinmann in overtime to beat Troy Buchanan 34-31 for the Class 6 District 4 championship. Fort Zumwalt West will play District 3 champion Pattonville, which knocked out Ritenour 27-20, in the quarterfinals.

22. North Kansas City Hornets

Final Record: 8-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 15

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: 21

Next game: vs. Kirkwood (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday

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: 22

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