Missouri high school football: Top 25 state rankings - Week 5 (09-22-2025)

A shakeup inside the top 5 brings new look to the Week 5 High School on SI Missouri state rankings

Blue Spring South senior quarterback Ayden Wilhelm has helped guide the 4-0 Jaguars into the No. 4 spot on this week's top 25. / David Smith

Missouri high school football is heading into Week 5, and the Top 25 is starting to take a more consistent shape.

Platte County, Nixa, and CBC remain locked in at the top after another week of convincing wins, and each has shown it can handle whatever’s been thrown its way so far. Those three continue to set the pace for the rest of the state.

The top 5 did have a shakeup for the first time in weeks, as Lee's Summit North lost by two touchdowns at Bentonville (Arkansas) - one of the Natural State's best teams. The loss cost them two spots. That move slid Blue Springs South and Kearney - both of whom had impressive blowout wins - up a spot, with the Bulldogs entering the No. 5 spot for the first time this season.

Further down, there was more movement. Eureka, Webb City, and Seneca climbed after strong performances, while Blue Springs and Rock Bridge slipped following tough losses. The middle of the rankings continues to shuffle, and with several matchups between winning teams this week, more changes could be coming.

Friday’s slate is loaded with games that could shake things up again. Some of the unbeatens will be tested, and a few teams with momentum have a chance to climb even higher.

Week 5 should give us a a lot to look forward to.

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Missouri Top 25 State Rankings – Week 5

1. Platte County Pirates

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 1

Next game: Platte County (3-0) at Topeka Washburn Rural (Kansas) (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Showing no signs of slowing down, the Pirates crossed state lines last week and beat up on Topeka Washburn Rural 60-28.

2. Nixa Eagles

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 2

Next Game: Lebanon (2-2) at Nixa (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Despite trailing 14-10 at halftime, a huge third quarter helped Nixa flip the script and roll to a 38-22 victory against Carthage.

3. CBC Cadets

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 3

Next Game: Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tennessee) (1-2) at CBC (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

The Cadets have been dismantling teams all season, and De Smet Jesuit was just the next in line. CBC rolled them with little trouble 56-13.

4. Blue Springs South Jaguars

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 5

Next Game: Blue Springs South (4-0) at Staley (2-2), 7 p.m. Friday

Don’t look now, but the Jaguars are rolling. They hosted a winless Raymore-Peculiar team on Friday and rolled to a 44-7 win. It was the defense’s second consecutive week of holding opponents to just seven points.

5. Kearney Bulldogs

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 6

Next Game: Kearney (4-0) at North Kansas Cityl (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Even when the Bulldogs struggle on offense, their defense has proven plenty capable of keeping them in games. They’re outscoring opponents 35-10.5 per game through four games after knocking off Park Hill 14-7 last week and still haven’t allowed more than 14 points in a game.

6. Lee’s Summit North Broncos

Current Record: 3-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 4

Next Game: Lee’s Summit North (3-0) at Bentonville (Arkansas) (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday

One of the best teams in Missouri went across state lines to play one of the best teams in Arkansas on Friday, and the Natural State won out. The Tigers rolled to a 45-28 victory.

7. Rockhurst Hawklets

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 7

Next Game: Bisop Miege (Kansas) (2-1) at Rockhurst (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Turning in their second-highest points total of the season, the Hawklets kept rolling last week with a 45-28 victory over Lee’s Summit West. They’ll have their hands full against Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kansas) at home this week.

8. Liberty Blue Jays

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 8

Next Game: St. Joseph Central (3-1) at Liberty (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

The Blue Jays closed out the easiest part of their schedule with a convincing 49-0 victory over Park Hill South on Friday. None of their first four opponents currently have a winning record but now comes the real test. Out of the five remaining opponents on their schedule, only one (Oak Park, 1-3) has a record currently below .500 – and it includes 3-1 St. Joseph Central, 2-2 Park Hill, 4-0 Blue Springs South and 4-0 North Kansas City.

9. Jackson Indians

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 9

Next Game: Jackson (3-0) at Poplar Bluff (0-4), 7 p.m. Friday

We thought the Indians might have their hands full on the road at 3-0 Farmington last week, but nah. Jackson exposed the gaps in the Knights’ armor and rolled to a convincing 56-7 blowout victory. Poplar Bluff (0-4) could be in for a long night on Friday.

10. Lafayette (Wildwood) Lancers

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 10

Next Game: Pattonville (2-2) at Lafayette (Wildwood) (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Four games, three shutouts. That’s the story of the 2025 season so far for the dominant Lancers. They blanked Parkway Central 55-0 last week and have now outscored opponents 184-28 – with the only points they’ve allowed coming in a 35-28 win over Kirkwood in Week 3.

11. Kirkwood Pioneers

Current Record: 3-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 11

Next Game: Kirkwood (3-1) at Eureka (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

It seems the Pioneers took their Week 3 loss against Lafayette (Wildwood) personally and took out some frustration on McCluer North in a 66-6 thumping. They have a huge showdown this week at undefeated Eureka.

12. Blair Oaks Falcons

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 12

Next Game: Blair Oaks (4-0) at Boonville (3-1), 7 p.m. Friday

Burning the Pintos was a recurring thing when Blair Oaks hosted California on Friday. The Falcons had everything working in all phases of the game and rolled to a 65-0 victory to remain unbeaten. They have now outscored opponents 193-46. They will be tested against Boonville.

13. Helias Catholic Crusaders

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 13

Next Game: Helias Catholic (4-0) at Rock Bridge (2-2), 7 p.m. Friday

Since giving up 20 points in Week 1 to Hannibal, the Crusaders have allowed 7, 6 and 6 in the last three weeks. They walloped Camdenton 56-6 on Friday to keep the Lakers winless. They’ll take on a Rock Bridge squad that is coming off a 33-20 loss to Capital City in Jefferson City last week.

14. SLUH Jr. Bills

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 14

Next Game: Lift for Life Academy (3-1) at SLUH (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

The Jr. Billikens pitched their first shutout of the season in a 49-0 win at Lutheran St. Charles. They have outscored opponents 137-31 so far, but they’re about to really be tested down the stretch. Four of the five remaining opponents on their schedule are currently above .500 – Lift for Life (3-1), Chaminade (3-1), CBC (4-0) and Rockhurst (4-0) with their other opponent, Vianney, sitting at 2-2.

15. Lutheran North Crusaders

Current Record: 2-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 15

Next Game: Lutheran South (1-3) at Lutheran North (2-1), 6 p.m. Friday.

Call it a win streak. The Crusaders have rebounded nicely since losing in Week 2. They beat up on John Burroughs in Week 3 and pitched a 22-0 shutout at Westminster Christian Academy on Saturday.

16. Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions

Current Record: 2-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 16

Next Game: Cardinal Ritter (2-2) is idle this week; the Lions travel to Washington (Massillon, Ohio) (4-1), 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3.

Back-to-back losses to open the season have turned into back-to-back wins. The Lions thumped Kansas City’s St. Pius X on Friday, 36-8. They’ll have a week off before traveling to Ohio to take on a very good Washington High team in Massillon.

17. Eureka Wildcats

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 20

Next Game: Kirkwood (3-1) at Eureka (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Three of the Wildcats’ four wins so far are against teams who currently sit below .500, and the other is 2-2 Francis Howell – their closest result by far. Despite that, you can’t discount what they’ve done – outscoring opponents 170-29, including 136-7 the last three weeks. They rolled outsmarted Fox 45-7 last week but will take on Kirkwood (3-1), Rockwood Summit (4-0) and Lafayette (Wildwood) (4-0) the next three games.

18. Webb City Cardinals

Current Record: 3-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 22

Next Game: Webb City (3-1) at Neosho (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Coming off back-to-back wins against winless Kickapoo (49-21) and 1-3 Ozark (52-35), the Cardinals will have their toughest test since their Week 2 loss to Nixa this week. They’ll face a 4-0 Neosho squad on the road. The Wildcats are coming off a 72-21 drubbing of winless Waynesville.

19. Seneca Indians

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 21

Next Game: Aurora (2-2) at Seneca (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

Monett’s high-octane passing attack gave the Indians fits, as Seneca’s defense surrendered a whopping 52 points to the Cubs. But Seneca’s offense proved it will still reign supreme over just about anyone they will play this season – hanging 68 on the Cubs in a game that featured 120 points. The Indians will need to sure up a few things before hosting Aurora (2-2), Carl Junction (3-1) and going to McDonald County (3-1) the next three weeks.

20. Republic Tigers

Current Record: 3-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 23

Next Game: Joplin (2-2) at Republic (3-1), 7 p.m. Friday

Winning their last three games, the Tigers just ran through the softest part of their schedule, beating winless Waynesville, one-win Ozark and winless Kickapoo, but now must gear up for a home showdown against 2-2 Joplin this week before traveling to Webb City (3-1) and Carthage (3-1) and then hosting Neosho (4-0).

21. Carthage Tigers

Current Record: 3-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 24

Next Game: Willard (1-3) at Carthage (3-1), 7 p.m. Friday

A bad third quarter doomed the Tigers last Friday against No. 2 Nixa. Carthage held a 14-10 lead at the half, but Nixa scored a quick touchdown on a Jayden McCaster touchdown to open the second half. The Tigers quickly moved the ball back inside the red zone and threatened to answer before giving up a 91-yard pick-six. They’ll try to bounce back against 1-3 Willard this week.

22. North Kansas City Hornets

Current Record: 4-0

Last Week’s Ranking: 25

Next Game: Kearney (4-0) at North Kansas City (4-0), 7 p.m. Friday

A thing about hornets is that they can sting you in a hurry, and that’s certainly true of this team’s offense. The Hornets kept buzzing on Friday with a 58-34 victory against then-unbeaten St. Joseph Central. They will line their prolific offense up against one of the state’s best defenses through the first four weeks in Kearney at home this week.

23. Blue Springs Wildcats

Current Record: 3-1

Last Week’s Ranking: 17

Next Game: Lee’s Summit North (3-1) at Blue Springs (3-1), 7 p.m. Friday

Ranked No. 17 last week, the Wildcats were the highest-ranked team in the top 25 to lose a game. They faced a Staley squad on the road that was reeling from consecutive losses to Lee’s Summit North and Park Hill. In the end, the Wildcats couldn’t fend off their inspired attack and lost 21-14. The road won’t get any easier in the next two weeks, as they’re slated to face 3-1 Lee’s Summit North and 4-0 Rockhurst on Oct. 3.

24. Rock Bridge Bruins

Current Record: 2-2

Last Week’s Ranking: 18

Next Game: Helias Catholic (4-0) at Rock Bridge (2-2), 7 p.m. Friday

They spent the last two weeks in Jefferson City and came away with two wildly different results. In Week 3 they beat the Jefferson City Jays 45-0 in an eye-opening performance. But Week 4 at Capital City wasn’t so kind, as the Cavaliers ran their way to a 30-22 win. They’ve got another Jefferson City opponent this week, only at home, against a dominant Helias Catholic squad.

25. De Smet Jesuit Spartans

Current Record: 1-3

Last Week’s Ranking: 19

Next Game: De Smet Jesuit (1-3) at Vianney (2-2), 6 p.m. Friday

Facing one of the most brutal schedules in the state this season, the Spartans haven’t had much success the last two weeks – losing to SLUH 31-14 in Week 3 and CBC 56-13 last week. All three of their losses have been to teams who remain undefeated. They badly need a road win against a good Vianney squad this week.

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