Ohio High School Football Top 25 State Rankings - Sept. 8, 2025

High School on SI Ohio High School Football Top 25 Rankings after Week Three

St. Edward head coach Tom Lombardo leads the team onto the field for a game against River rouge (Michigan) on September 23, 2024. / Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sports

Apparently, St. Edward likes being the No. 1 team in the High School on SI Ohio Football Top 25, as the Eagles took that motivation and hammered Wayne 63-27 this week to remain atop the rankings.

The biggest win of the week, though, might have been by Avon as the defending Division II state champions were ranked No. 8 and handed then-No. 4 Glenville its first loss of the season.

Gone from the Top 25 is Toledo Central Catholic, who has started the season 0-3. Back in the rankings this week at No. 24 is Big Walnut.

The biggest story in high school football in the state this week was not on the field, however, as Ursuline cancelled its game against Farrell (Pennsylvania) amid a pending lawsuit. That made slotting the Fighting Irish, who were No. 11 last week, tough from a football standpoint and a moral one.  Ultimately, it was decided they would remain in the rankings on the strength of their 2-0 record, but they would fall to the bottom.

The 2025 High School on SI Ohio Football Top 25 – Sept. 8, 2025

1. St. Edward Eagles (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 1, defeated Wayne, 63-27

This week: vs. No. 8 Glenville

Last week, the top spot in the rankings was a coin flip. Then the Eagles went out and took Wayne’s lunch money like a playground bully. This week they will host No. 8 Glenville.

2. Archbishop Moeller Fighting Crusaders (2-1)

Last week: ranked No. 2, defeated Trinity (Kentucky)

This week: at Christ Presbyterian Academy (Tennessee)

Moeller rebounded from a tough loss last week to outlast Trinity, who is a 29-time state champion in Kentucky’s biggest division and the defending state champion. A third straight out-of-state opponent awaits in Christ Presbyterian Academy (Tennessee) before a showdown with St. Xavier.

3. St. Xavier Bombers (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 3, defeated Indianapolis Cathedral (Indiana), 24-6

This week: vs. Westerville North

The Bombers went outside the state and defeated one of the top teams in Indiana this past week. Now it is a game with Westerville North before the battle with Moeller in two weeks.

4. Avon Eagles (2-1)

Last week: ranked No. 8, defeated No. 4 Glenville, 28-16

This week: at North Ridgeville

How do you respond to your first loss since the 2023 postseason? If you’re Avon, you go out and beat one of the best teams in the state. The Eagles now start Southwestern Conference play against North Ridgeville.

5. Archbishop Hoban Knights (2-1)

Last week: ranked No. 5, defeated Detroit MLK (Michigan), 23-21

This week: vs. Akron East

A last-minute field goal propelled the Knights back into the win column. Now they get the neighborhood game against Akron East on Friday night.

6. Anderson Raptors (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 6, defeated Little Miami, 50-7

This week: vs. Lebanon

The Raptors had little trouble this week vanquishing Little Miami. A tougher test comes to town this week, as undefeated Lebanon pays Anderson a visit on Friday night.

7. Walsh Jesuit Warriors (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 7, defeated Clarkson North (Canada), 30-6

This week: at St. Ignatius

The Warriors keep rolling, knocking off a team from Canada. Now they get a winless St. Ignatius team who will be playing their fourth straight Top 25 opponent.

8. Glenville Tarblooders (2-1)

Last week: ranked No. 4, lost to No. 8 Avon, 28-16.

This week: at No. 1 St. Edward

The gauntlet of a schedule finally caught up to the Tarblooders this past week in a loss to defending Division II state champion Avon. There is no break, however, as No. 1 St. Edward is on the slate this week.

9. Lakota West Firebirds (2-1)

Last week: ranked No. 10, defeated Hamilton, 38-6.

This week: vs. No. 14 Princeton

The Firebirds scored on the ground, through the air and on defense in a complete team win over Hamilton. Now the test will be what they can do against No. 14 Princeton this week.

10. Marion Local Flyers (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 12, defeated St. Henry 21-14

This week: vs. St. John’s

The nation’s longest winning streak was holding on by a thread, but the Flyers came from behind for their 67th straight victory.

11. Bishop Watterson Eagles (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 13, defeated Westerville North, 38-0

This week: vs. Tiffin Columbian

The defending Division III champions continue to roll, having given up just 28 points over three games this season.

12. Medina Highland Hornets (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 14, defeated Avon Lake, 34-7

This week: vs. Aurora

Quarterback Grady Gibb was 12-of-13 for 171 yards and three touchdowns in the air and also ran for 120 yards and a touchdown as Highland keeps cruising.

13. Mentor Cardinals (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 15, defeated St. Ignatius, 35-21

This week: at Brunswick

The Cardinals remained undefeated, but it wasn’t easy. A Jackson Farley touchdown with 2:30 left in the game finally gave Mentor the cushion it needed to close out the Wildcats.

14. Princeton Vikings (2-1)

Last week: ranked No. 16, defeated Sycamore 47-0

This week: at No. 9 Lakota West

Just like Lakota West, the Vikings had no problem with their opponent this past week leading into their Greater Miami Conference showdown this week.

15. Massillon Tigers (1-2)

Last week: ranked No. 9, lost to Rabun Gap-Naroochee (Georgia), 50-35

This week: vs. Lewis J. Bennett (New York)

The Tigers lost for the second time in three weeks, this time allowing 50 points to Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Georgia). The out-of-state schedule continues this week against Lewis J. Bennett (New York).

16. Kirtland Hornets (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 17, defeated Perry 44-24

This week: at Fairview

Jake LaVerde, Ty Bledsoe and John Silvestro combined for 488 yards rushing and six scores as the Hornets just keep rolling off victories.

17. Ironton Fighting Tigers (2-0)

Last week: ranked No. 18, defeated Archbishop McNicholas, 29-7

This week: vs. Canisius (New York), Saturday

Kayden Edwards threw for a score and ran for one, while Zayne Williams caught a touchdown pass and ran for a score as well to help the Tigers remain among the unbeatens.

18. Elder Panthers (2-0)

Last week: ranked No. 19, defeated Springboro, 21-7

This week: at La Salle

Elder and Springboro was a rock fight for the first half, with Elder finally scoring in the final minute before scoring twice more in the second half to take a 21-0 lead.

19. Pickerington North (1-1)

Last week: ranked No. 25, defeated No. 20 Pickerington Central, 17-3

This week: at Dublin Coffman

Andyriq Thomas had 224 yards and two scores on the ground as the Panthers upended then-No. 20 Pickerington Central this past week.

20. Upper Arlington (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 21, defeated Reynoldsburg, 50-0

This week: at New Albany

A shutout this week means the Golden Bears have not allowed more than 10 points to an opponent yet this season and have given up just 16 in three games.

21. Indian Valley Braves (3-0)

Last week: ranked No. 22, defeated Roosevelt (Washington, D.C.), 49-20

This week: vs. Expression Prep Academy (West Virginia)

The two-headed monster of Ryker Williams and Grady Kinsey gave Roosevelt nightmares, as Williams threw for 214 yards and three scores and had 47 yards rushing and a touchdown while Kinsey ran for 193 yards and found the end zone three times.

22. Kings (2-0)

Last week: ranked No. 23, defeated Loveland, 21-14

This week: at West Clermont

Loveland kept it close, but Kings remained undefeated with a 21-14 win as Grant Nurre threw for 185 yards and a score and Max Lockwood found paydirt twice while rushing for 113 yards.

23. Pickerington Central Tigers (2-1)

Last week: ranked No. 20, lost to No. 25 Pickerington North, 17-3

This week: vs. Logan

The offense was nowhere to be found for the Tigers this past week as they took their first loss of the season to then-No. 25 Pickerington North.

24. Big Walnut (2-1)

Last week: unranked, defeated Groveport-Madison, 36-10

This week: at Delaware Hayes

The Eagles began the season at No. 22 in the High School on SI Ohio football Preseason Top 25, but promptly fell out after a loss to Bishop Watterson to start the season. That might have been premature, as Watterson has rolled through three weeks and Big Walnut seems to have found its footing.

25. Ursuline Fighting Irish (2-0)

Last week: ranked No. 11, game vs. Farrell (Pennsylvania) cancelled

This week: Bye

As we discussed up top, this was the hardest decision of the week. And it may be one that changes as the week goes on.

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