Missouri High School Football: Week 2 Top 25 State Rankings (09-02-2025)

Check out High School on SI's Missouri high school football Top 25 state rankings entering Week 2

Nixa and junior quarterback Adam McKnight rolled Republic in Week 1 and remain No. 2 in High School on SI's latest state rankings. / David Smith

High School Football in Missouri is all the way back.

The lights have only been on for a week, but a few programs wasted no time proving they’re for real. Platte County showed why it entered the season at No. 1, while Nixa and CBC rolled to convincing wins that keep them near the top of the pack. On down the list, Jackson and Rockhurst made noise with big-time performances, and teams like Eureka reminded everyone they can’t be overlooked.

That’s the beauty of September - momentum can flip in an instant. Some schools are climbing, others are holding steady, and a few are already scrambling to regroup.

Follow High School on SI’s Missouri page all fall for weekly state rankings, game recaps, features and the top stories of the 2025 season.

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High School on SI - Missouri Top 25 Football Rankings: Week 2

1. Platte County Pirates

Current Record: 1-0

Next game: Grain Valley at Platte County, 7 p.m. Friday.

Last Week’s Ranking: 1

The Pirates were exactly who we thought they would be in Week 1 – a dominant team in all phases that can seemingly score at will. Guided by the Division I right arm of state champion quarterback Rocco Marriott, who threw for five touchdowns, the Pirates throttled William Chrisman 56-7. They’ll have a different kind of task this week against 1-0 Grain Valley, which is coming off a 33-7 win at home against Raytown.  

2. Nixa Eagles

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Webb City at Nixa, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 2

In his first game as an Eagle, senior running back Jayden McCaster ran wild. The former De Smet Jesuit all-state back, who transferred to Nixa before the start of the 2025 school year, carried the ball 22 times for 232 yards and scored four touchdowns behind Nixa’s dominant offensive line. The Eagles dominated a talented Republic squad, 49-21.

3. CBC Cadets

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Cardinal Ritter at CBC, 6 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 3

One year after hosting Sacred Heart-Griffin and beating the Cyclones 45-0, the Cadets returned the favor and traveled to Springfield, Illinois, for their opener last week. They weren’t very forgiving of their hosts, beating the Cyclones 63-20 in another dominant showing. CBC’s offense is going to be tough to contain.

4. Lee’s Summit North Broncos

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Lee’s Summit North at Staley, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking 4

The Broncos took on a much-improved Raymore-Peculiar squad in Week 1. In the end, the Broncos’ defense was still too much, and the Broncos got 2025 started with a 24-13 win. They will have a tough test against a Staley squad that beat Oak Park 35-14.

5. Lutheran North Crusaders

Current Record: 0-0 (idle last week)

Next Game: Lutheran North at Blair Oaks, 6 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 5

There are a bunch of great matchups across the state slated for this week, and Friday’s showdown at Blair Oaks with Lutheran North is one we’ve been looking forward to for weeks. The Crusaders didn’t play in Week 1, as they could not find an opponent. Friday’s game will be the Crusaders’ first official game of the 2025 campaign, and defending Class 3 state champion Blair Oaks (1-0) – now in Class 2, District 5 – looked very strong in Week 1.

6. Blue Springs South Jaguars

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Park Hill South at Blue Springs South, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 6

The Jaguars’ offense worked over preseason No. 20 Liberty North on opening night in a 49-28 win. They are legit. They are for real. They are a threat.

7. Kearney Bulldogs

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Kearney at Grandview, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 11

The Bulldogs were nothing shy of impressive on Friday, walloping Fort Osage 36-8. Kearney won that matchup last year 21-0. They will be heavy favorites when they take on Grandview (0-1), who lost to Park Hill South 51-6, this week.

8. Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions

Current Record: 0-1

Next Game: Cardinal Ritter at CBC, 6 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 7

Still a very good team, Cardinal Ritter has a different look this season and might have been still trying to find its cohesion last week when they missed on a few key opportunities. Playing a much-improved Jackson squad, the Lions came back from a 13-0 deficit to tie it at 20 but couldn’t answer a field goal in the fourth quarter and lost, 23-20.

9. Kirkwood Pioneers

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Kirkwood at Pattonville, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 9

If you’re a fan of defense, you’d have loved last week’s showdown between the Pioneers and Ft. Zumwalt West. Two touchdowns would have beaten both teams, it was that much of a defensive battle. In the end, Kirkwood was the only team to find the end zone and won the game 10-3. The Pioneers will face the Pirates from Pattonville, who are 0-1 after a 34-26 loss to Ft. Zumwalt North.

10. De Smet Jesuit Spartans

Current Record: 0-1

Next Game: MICDS at De Smet, 6 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 6

De Smet has a different look this season, but the Spartans are still among the better teams in the state. They slide down three spots this week after their 42-35 road loss at Creighton Prep in Omaha, Nebraska. De Smet won that game 49-7 a year ago.

11. Liberty Blue Jays

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Liberty at Liberty North 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 13

Liberty showed a lot of improvement as a young team in 2024, especially in the second half of the season. The Blue Jays continued to show how much better they’ve gotten in the last calendar year in Week 1 when they avenged their 40-27 loss to Lee’s Summit in the 2024 season opener by storming back from a 13-0 deficit and downing the Tigers 21-13 last Friday.

12. Jackson Indians

Current Record 1-0

Next Game: Louisville-Ballard (Louisville, Kentucky) at Jackson, 7 p.m. Friday

Last week’s ranking: 14

Another solid group, the Indians get a nice bump after beating last week’s No. 7, Cardinal Ritter, in a 23-20 thriller. It was a vast difference from last year’s opener, when Cardinal Ritter smacked Jackson, 44-7. This time, the improved Indians jumped out to a 13-0 lead in the first quarter and held a 20-12 advantage at the half. The Lions opened the second half with a quick touchdown and two-point conversion to tie it at 20, but Jackson placekicker Evan Turley booted a 19-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

13. Lee’s Summit Tigers

Current Record: 0-1

Next Game: Lee’s Summit at Blue Springs, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 10

A defensive battle, the Tigers struggled to find rhythm against the Blue Jays’ tough defense. In turn, the Tigers’ defense played well enough to win on most nights. The Tigers won’t have it much easier this week when they take on a 1-0 Blue Springs squad that hammered Lee’s Summit West 31-6.

14. Park Hill Trojans

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: North Kansas City at Park Hill, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 17

If Rock Bridge thought it had a gift at its front door last week, the Park Hill Trojans had another surprise for them. The Trojans unleashed a barrage and dismantled preseason No. 12 Rock Bridge 33-13. Their rise up the rankings will be put to the test against a 1-0 North Kansas City team that scored eight touchdowns in a 56-22 win at Battle.

15. Blair Oaks Falcons

Current Record: Blair Oaks 1-0

Next Game: Lutheran North at Blair Oaks, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 15

All of Class 2 let out a collective groan last Friday morning when MSHSAA released its Class and District Assignments for the 2025 football season and revealed it had dropped the reigning Class 3 state champion Falcons to Class 2. Blair Oaks celebrated the news by going to Maryville and walking the Spoofhounds 42-14.

16. Helias Catholic Crusaders

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Hickman at Helias, 7 p.m. Friday.

Last Week’s Ranking: 16

Hannibal went 8-4 last year in Class 4 and looked like a much-improved team in Week 1 against Helias. Despite that, the Crusaders, coming off a 12-2 record and a Class 5 state runner-up finish, picked up a crucial 23-20 road win to begin the season. Helias now turns its attention to a Hickman squad that marked Marquette 48-14 last week.

17. Lafayette (Wildwood) Lancers

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Hazelwood Central at Lafayette (Wildwood), 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 19

Don’t be surprised to see the Lancers continue to climb in these rankings. They dismantled Parkway North last week – a team that went 9-3 in 2024 – in a 49-0 shutout. They face a gauntlet in their schedule with Hazelwood Central, Kirkwood and Parkway Central coming up in the next three weeks.

18. Rock Bridge Bruins

Current Record: 0-1

Next Game: Sedalia Smith-Cotton at Rock Bridge, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 12

The Bruins took a tumble this week after losing to No. 17 Park Hill 33-13. Fortunately, the season is just getting started and they have plenty of time to turn things around. They’ll remain home this week to host Sedalia Smith-Cotton (1-0), who beat Warrensburg 17-7.

19. MICDS Rams

Current Record: 0-1

Next Game: MICDS at De Smet Jesuit, 6 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 18

The Rams had some offensive struggles in Week 1 and lost to Class 3 contender Lift for Life Academy Charter in a defensive battle, 22-17. Expect a pair of motivated teams this week as MICDS and De Smet, both winless, will clash.  

20. Rockhurst Hawklets

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Raymore Peculiar at Rockhurst, 7 p.m. Friday.

Last Week’s Ranking: NR

After winning last year’s season opener 24-12 over Kansas City’s St. Pius X, many expected the 2025 showdown to be another close game. Not so fast. The Hawklets dominated in all phases and rolled to a 49-19 win. They’ll try to build on that early momentum with a showdown against an improved Raymore-Peculiar squad this week.

21. Eureka Wildcats

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Eureka at Marquette, 6:30 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: NR

If the Wildcats are to do what they did last year and run the table in the regular season, they are off on the right foot. After knocking on the door to our preseason Top 25, the Wildcats kicked down the door and jumped in with a pair of teams falling off this week. They picked up an impressive 34-22 win over Francis Howell in Week 1 and look to go 2-0 with Marquette (0-1) in their sights this week.

22. Liberty North Eagles

Current Record: 0-1

Next Game: Liberty at Liberty North, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 20

Liberty North’s defense had no answers for Blue Springs South’s offense last week. The Eagles managed to score four touchdowns, but their defense allowed the Jaguars to make seven trips to the end zone. They’ll have their hands full again this week against No. 11 Liberty.

23. Festus Tigers

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Howell Central at Festus, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 23

Make no bones about it; Festus was ready to go on opening night. The Tigers lived up to their ranking with an impressive showing in all phases against Rolla, rolling to a 30-14 win. They host Howell Central, who lost to Liberty 49-21 last week.

24. SLUH Jr. Bills

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: SLUH at Hillsboro 7:30 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 24

Give the Jr. Bills’ defense a ton of credit for keeping St. Ignatius at bay in Friday’s 22-3 win. Quarterback Kyren Eleby passed for 235 yards and a touchdown, while receiver Zach Allen caught 10 passes for 127 yards and running back Jordan Taylor rushed for 94 yards on 11 carries.

25. Seneca Indians

Current Record: 1-0

Next Game: Seneca at Mount Vernon, 7 p.m. Friday

Last Week’s Ranking: 25

With Blair Oaks no longer in Class 3, the runner-up Indians have a prime shot to make another run at a state title this year. Seneca beat Cassville 33-27 on Friday and will travel to take on Mount Vernon (0-1), who lost a 32-29 shootout against Aurora.

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