North Carolina High School Football Top 25 State Rankings - Nov. 18, 2025

The entire NC Top 25 won in playoff action last weekend; four Top 25 head-to-head showdowns square off this week

Mike Duprez | Nov 18, 2025

Hoggard's #11 Beau Toups comes up with a catch as Hoggard took on Cleveland at Hoggard High School's Scott Braswell Stadium in Wilmington, N.C. Varsity high school football games started Friday night Aug 18, 2023 around Southeastern North Carolina. Cleveland went on to defeat Hoggard 28-20. KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS / KEN BLEVINS/STARNEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK

Every team in the North Carolina high school football Top 25 state rankings won in the state playoffs last week, leaving the rankings unchanged as we head into this week's action.

In Top 25 playoff action this week, No. 3 Hough will battle No. 25 West Forsyth, while No. 12 West Charlotte takes on No. 19 Myers Park, No. 14 visits No. 16 Jordan, and No. 20 Crest hosts No. 23 East Lincoln.

1. Grimsley (12-0)

Previous rank: 1

Defeated West Cabarrus 42-7; next vs. Jack Britt

2. Providence Day (12-0)

Previous rank: 2

Defeated Cannon School 41-7; next vs. Charlotte Christian

3. Hough (12-0)

Previous rank: 3

Defeated Palisades 63-7; next vs. No. 25 West Forsyth

4. Cardinal Gibbons (11-1)

Previous rank: 4

Defeated Fuquay-Varina 52-8; next vs. Hillside

5. Weddington (10-1)

Previous rank: 5

Defeated Marvin Ridge 63-0; next vs. Lake Norman

6. Jacksonville (10-0)

Previous rank: 6

Defeated Harnett Central 52-12; next vs. Scotland County

7. Hoggard (11-0)

Previous rank: 7

Defeated Willow Spring 63-7; next vs. Rolesville

8. Tarboro (11-0)

Previous rank: 8

Defeated Camden County 52-0; next vs. Hobbton

9. Cleveland (10-1)

Previous rank: 9

Defeated South Garner 55-3; next vs. Southeast Raleigh

10. Seventy-First (9-2)

Previous rank: 10

Defeated South Johnston 20-3; next at Northern Nash

11. Ashbrook (11-0)

Previous rank: 11

Defeated Statesville 22-14; next vs. Dudley

12. West Charlotte (9-2)

Prevous rank: 12

Defeated Providence 41-0; next No. 19 Myers Park

13. Watauga (11-0)

Previous rank: 13

Defeated St. Stephens 47-6; next vs. Charlotte Catholic

14. Jordan (11-0)

Previous rank: 14

Defeated Leesville Road 28-24; next at No. 16 Millbrook

15. Hickory (10-1)

Previous rank: 15

Defeated Montgomery Central 45-6; next vs. Franklin

16. Millbrook (11-0)

Previous rank: 16

Defeated Panther Creek 65-0; next vs. No. 14 Jordan

17. Independence (9-2)

Previous rank: 17

Defeated Page 45-6; next vs. Richmond Senior

18. Northern Guilford (10-1)

Previous rank: 18

Defeated Asheville 46-13; next vs. Kings Mountain

19. Myers Park (9-2)

Previous rank: 19

Defeated Chambers 42-0;; next at No. 12 West Charlotte

20. Crest (9-2)

Previous rank: 20

Defeated Concord 69-6; next vs. No. 23 East Lincoln

21. Stuart Cramer (9-2)

Previous rank: 21

Defeated Bandys 60-49; next vs. Hibriten

22. Reidsville (9-2)

Previous rank: 22

Defeated Red Springs 44-0; next vs. Eastern Wayne

23. East Lincoln (10-1)

Previous rank: 23

Defeated West Henderson 56-15; next at No. 20 Crest

24. Freedom (10-1)

Previous rank: 24

Defeated Central Cabarrus 40-6; next vs. Sun Valley

25. West Forsyth (10-2)

Previous rank: 25

Defeated Mallard Creek 20-10; next at No. 3 Hough

Published Nov 18, 2025

MIKE DUPREZ

Mike Duprez became a freelance sports journalist for Scorebooklive.com several months after retiring from the newspaper business. A native of Oakland, California, Duprez moved around as a child due to his father’s service in the United States Marine Corps. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981. Duprez, who lives in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, had 30 years of experience in newspapers as well as other endeavors before retiring at the end of 2021. He covers stories in both North Carolina and South Carolina for Scorebooklive.com.