Pennsylvania High School Football Top 25 State Rankings (Sept. 21, 2026)

One thing we learned this week in compiling the High School On SI Pennsylvania Top 25 Football State Rankings is never count out St. Joseph’s Prep.

The Hawks might have lost starting quarterback Max Rogers for the season to an upper body injury and have other issues swirling around them.

When push comes to shove, they’ll usually find a way to come out on top, as they did this week when they defeated Malvern Prep 12-7 in one of two games that pitted two Top 25 teams entering the week.

Junior Nickee Holden stepped in for Rogers and went 15-for-19 for 168 yards in his first varsity start, smartly hitching his wagon to Ohio State commit Jett Harrison, who caught a game-high 10 passes for 120 yards.

St. Joseph’s Prep remained No. 4 in this week’s rankings, with Central Catholic of Pittsburgh staying No. 1 (and No. 21 in the national Power 25 rankings). Malvern fell four spots to No. 11 with the loss.

The other Top 25 matchup saw Roman Catholic take down Springside Chestnut Hill Academy 28-6, dropping SCHA out of the rankings.

Also dropping out is Propel Braddock Hills, with Pennridge and Downingtown East entering the Top 25 this week.

Here are this week’s Pennsylvania High School Football Top 25 State Rankings.

Pennsylvania Top 25 Football State Rankings — High School On SI

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: WK1 | WK2 | WK3 | WK4

1. Central Catholic (4-0)

Last week: 1 | Def. Norwin 56-17

Junior QB Owen Herrick committed to Illinois early last week, then came out and threw for 339 yards and four touchdowns, including three to Connor Melnik.

Next up: at Seneca Valley, Sept. 25

2. Harrisburg (4-0)

Last week: 2 | Def. Central Dauphin 48-6

Kayden Stephens threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns, and the Cougars held the Rams to 119 total yards.

Next up: at Altoona, Sept. 25

3. State College (4-0)

Last week: 3 | Def. Central Dauphin East 42-0

Rowan Zinobile had a 56-yard pick-six and Noah Williams returned a fumble for a touchdown as the Little Lions won their fifth in a row in the series and 10th in their last 11 meetings.

Next up: vs. Cedar Cliff, Sept. 25

4. St. Joseph’s Prep (2-1)

Last week: 4 | Def. No. 11 Malvern Prep 12-7

Senior safety Dariel Jaquez made his first two career interceptions and stopped Malvern’s LSU-bound receiver Cade Cooper on a potential game-breaking play with 31 seconds left, tackling Cooper at the Hawks 45, where St. Joe’s held from there.

Next up: at No. 23 Cardinal O’Hara, Oct. 2

5. Imhotep Charter (3-1)

Last week: 5 | Def. Belmont Charter 42-0

Morgan State commit Joey McLeish tied a career-high with five touchdown passes, finishing 11-of-18 for 233 yards.

Next up: vs. Abraham Lincoln, Sept. 26

6. Pine-Richland (3-1)

Last week: 6 | Def. Mt. Lebanon 41-6

The Rams rebounded from their loss at Central Catholic, grabbing a 14-0 lead within three minutes and never looking back.

Next up: vs. North Allegheny, Sept. 25

7. Upper St. Clair (4-0)

Last week: 8 | Def. Chartiers Valley 49-7

Junior Josh Snyder threw for 169 yards and three touchdowns, and Nick Ellis’ 92-yard pick-six put a bow on the Panthers’ victory.

Next up: vs. No. 18 South Fayette, Sept. 25

8. Bishop McDevitt (3-1)

Last week: 9 | Def. Cedar Cliff 49-0

Sebastian Williams was 17-of-22 for 255 yards and three touchdowns, and Zayden Smith caught a TD pass and returned an interception 35 yards for another score.

Next up: vs. Cumberland Valley, Sept. 25

9. Southern Lehigh (4-0)

Last week: 11 | Def. Wilson Area 48-0

Colton Sams threw two touchdown passes, and LJ Martin ran for two scores as the Spartans cruised ahead of a matchup against fellow unbeaten Leighton.

Next up: vs. Leighton, Sept. 25

10. Roman Catholic (2-2)

Last week: 12 | Def. then-No. 22 Springside Chestnut Hill Academy 28-6

Jahmil Hawkins ran for three touchdowns and threw an 84-yard touchdown pass to Jayden Alford as the Cahillite won their second straight.

Week 3 vs Springside Chestnut Hill @RomanCatholicHC @NextLevelQBs @EdOBrienCFB @PRZVicCastillo @Andy_Villamarzo @RomanCatholicHC @247recruiting @MaxPreps @Rivals pic.twitter.com/pGnE4FF529
— (J)ahmil (H)awkins (@jahmil_hawkins) September 19, 2026

Next up: at Monsignor Bonner/Archbishop Prendergast Catholic, Oct. 2

11. Malvern Prep (1-2)

Last week: 7 | Lost to No. 4 St. Joseph’s Prep 12-7

The Friars held St. Joe’s to 13 rushing yards and 180 total but couldn’t muster much on offense, getting only a 25-yard touchdown run from Brayden Fallon in the third quarter.

Next up: vs. Our Lady of Good Counsel, Sept. 25

12. Chester (4-0)

Last week: 13 | Def. Upper Darby 24-13

Sekai Brown-Murray caught three passes for 102 yards and a touchdown and returned an interception 95 yards for another score for the Clippers.

Next up: vs. Dunbar, Sept. 26

13. Springfield (4-0)

Last week: 14 | Def. Penncrest 41-0

The Cougars led 35-0 at halftime in posting their 15th consecutive win over Penncrest.

Next up: vs. Upper Darby, Sept. 25

14. Shamokin Area (4-0)

Last week: 16 | Def. Jersey Shore 35-14

Senior Logan Steele ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries as the Indians handed the Bulldogs their first loss of the season.

Next up: at Central Mountain, Sept. 25

15. North Penn (3-1)

Last week: 17 | Def. Pennsbury 35-7

Knights coach Dick Beck earned his 250th career victory, with North Penn scoring all of its points in the first quarter.

Next up: at No. 21 Central Bucks West, Sept. 25

16. Parkland (3-1)

Last week: 18 | Def. Stroudsburg 35-0

Trojans coach Tim Moncman recorded his 200th career victory as TJ Lawrence scored three touchdowns on a 72-yard carry, a 55-yard reception and a 65-yard punt return.

Next up: at Northampton, Sept. 25

17. Episcopal Academy (2-1)

Last week: 19 | Def. Hill School 31-12

A’ahzere Lucas ran for two touchdowns to help the Churchmen build a 28-0 lead.

Next up: vs. Long Island Lutheran, Sept. 26

18. South Fayette (4-0)

Last week: 20 | Def. Trinity 21-0

The Lions grinded out a road win — Aayden Wright opened the scoring with a 70-yard touchdown run — ahead of their showdown this week with Upper St. Clair.

Next up: at No. 7 Upper St. Clair, Sept. 25

19. Pennridge (4-0)

Last week: Not ranked | Def. No. 21 Central Bucks West 14-7

The Rams enter the rankings by winning a defensive struggle with the Bucks, scoring the game-winning touchdown on Aiden Tetkowski’s 36-yard pass to Sean Leuthe with 28 seconds remaining.

Next up: at Central Bucks East, Sept. 25

20. La Salle College (1-3)

Last week: 10 | Lost to Calvert Hall (MD) 27-14

The Explorers’ struggles continued as they fell behind 20-0 to the Cardinals and never recovered during their trip to Baltimore.

Next up: at Salesianum (DE), Sept. 25

21. Central Bucks West (3-1)

Last week: 15 | Lost to No. 19 Pennridge 14-7

The Bucks tied the game on Louie Cipollo’s 12-yard touchdown run with 9:27 left, but while their defense gave them chances to take the lead, their offense couldn’t take advantage down the stretch.

Next up: vs. No. 15 North Penn, Sept. 25

22. Twin Valley (4-0)

Last week: 23 | Def. Manheim Central 39-0

The Raiders continue to follow up their historic 2025 campaign with a strong start to this season, handing Manheim Central its first home shutout loss since 2011.

Next up: vs. Garden Spot, Sept. 25

23. Cardinal O’Hara (4-0)

Last week: 24 | Def. West Catholic 38-0

Emilio Martinez’s 69-yard pick-six on the first play of the second quarter kick-started the Lions, who never looked back as Morris Donzo ran for three touchdowns against his former team and Simon Horta returned another interception for a score.

Next up: at Smyrna, Sept. 25

24. Downingtown East (3-0)

Last week: Not ranked | Def. Spring-Ford 35-7

Junior Madden Miller was a two-way standout for the Cougars, catching four passes for 85 yards and a touchdown while making two interceptions, including one in the end zone to thwart a Spring-Ford drive.

TOUCHDOWN COUGARS Ethan Ellis finds Madden Miller for 41 yd TD Julez Chiron Robinson adds the 2 point conversion and it’s now 28-7 DTE 1:18 left on 2Q and the Cougars are making a statement here @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/IX6v3MNPkh
— Willie McGonigle (@WilliePAFN) September 19, 2026

Next up: at Oxford, Sept. 25

25. West Chester Bayard Rustin (2-1)

Last week: 25 | Def. Norristown 35-0

The Golden Knights attempted only one pass, instead battering the Eagles as Zak Impriano (118 yards, three TDs) and Jack Freney (129 yards, two TDs) led a run game that rolled up 356 yards.

Next up: at Downingtown West, Sept. 25

Dropped out

21. Propel Braddock Hills

22. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy

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