Our updated look at the top HS football teams in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
The Great Lakes states
are defined -
in large - by silos, steeples and Friday night stadium lights. With
kickoff upon us, here's our latest take on our annual and
weekly list of
the top high school football programs in the region. Also listed below are
the current MaxPreps computer
rankings for every Great Lakes state.
National acclaim and big-time talent. North Coast football is a force.
@EFrantzMP's High School Football Great Lakes Regional Rankings
10/27/2025 PollLast week’s ranking in parenthesis
1 (1). Brownsburg (Ind.), 9-0 – DNP
2 (3). LaSalle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 8-1 – beat Father Judge (Philadelphia, Pa.) 56-7
3 (4). Mount Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 9-0 – beat Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.) 35-24
4 (5). Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio), 10-0 – beat De La Salle Collegiate (Warren, Mich.) 35-7
5 (2). East St. Louis (Ill.), 5-3 – lost 38-14 to IMG (Bradenton, Fla.)
6 (6). Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 10-0 – beat Loveland (Ohio) 42-7
7 (7). Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.), 9-0 – beat Bedford (Temperance, Mich.) 61-0
8 (8). Carmel (Ind.), 8-1 – DNP
9 (9). St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 5-4 – beat Cardinal O’Hara (Springfield, Pa.) 38-3
10 (11). Detroit Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.), 9-0 – King (Detroit, Mich.) 26-14
11 (12). Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 9-1 – beat Canon-McMillan (Canonsburg, Pa.) 45-10
12 (15). Hoban (Akron, Ohio), 8-1 – beat then-No. 10 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 24-20
13 (13). Olentangy Orange (Lewis Center, Ohio), 10-0 – beat Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio) 26-14
14 (14). Avon (Ohio), 9-1 – beat Elyria (Ohio) 47-7
15 (16). Center Grove (Greenwood, IN), 8-1 – DNP
16 (17). Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), 6-3 – beat MBAPC (Drexel Hill, Pa.) 26-14
17 (10). St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 8-2 – lost 24-20 to then-No. 15 Hoban (Akron, Ohio)
18 (18). Peters Township (McMurray, Pa.), 10-0 – beat Bethel Park (Pa.) 35-0
19 (20). Bishop Watterson (Columbus, Ohio), 9-0 – beat St. Charles (Columbus, Ohio) 65-7
20 (19). Harrisburg (Pa.), 10-0 – beat Central Dauphin East (Harrisburg, Pa.) 28-6
21 (22). Malvern Prep (Pa.), 7-1 – beat Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pa.) 24-0
22 (21). New Palestine (Ind.), 9-0 – DNP
23 (23) Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.), 8-1 – beat Saint Ignatius College Prep (Chicago, Ill.) 21-12
24 (24) Muskego (Wis.), 9-1 – beat Madison Qwest (Wisc.) 64-16
25 (25). Maple Grove (Minn.), 9-0 – beat Eastview (Apple Vally, Minn.) 56-7
Dropped Out:
None
Keep an Eye On:
* Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.), 9-1
* Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.), 8-0
* Franklin (Wis.), 10-0
* Highland (Medina, Ohio), 9-0
* Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 7-1
* Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 7-3
* Monsignor Farrell (Staten Island, N.Y.), 7-1
* Nazareth Academy (LaGrange, Ill.), 8-2
* Pine Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.), 9-1
* St. Thomas Academy (Mendota Heights, Minn.), 9-0
* St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), 7-2
* Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 8-1
* Westfield (Ind.), 7-2
MaxPreps Computer Rankings
Below are the Top 25 teams in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings in each of the Great Lakes states.
Illinois State Rankings
Pennsylvania State Rankings
