MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings

Video: Xcellent 25 Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard - Nov. 14

Nobody is safe when it comes to high school football in November. Ranked teams Colerain and Warren Central had to find out the hard way.

Both were favorites to win a state title but defending 6A state champ Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.) cruised to a 28-7 win over Warren Central and skyrocketed to the top of the list among bubble teams.

St. Xavier (Cincinnati) erased a 23-7 second half deficit against previously unbeaten Colerain and won 29-23 in overtime. This has always been one of the best rivalries in all of high school football and it lived up to the hype, and much more.



The 6A-D1 UIL Texas state playoffs got off to a hot start as Allen, a team that has won 66 of its last 67 games, had to overcome a fourth quarter deficit against Euless Trinity and improved to 11-0 in Terry Gambill's first season as head coach.

And in Alabama, McGill-Toolen needed a fourth-down miracle against Enterprise to advance to the semifinals of the 7A state playoffs.

Two new teams move into this week's rankings, and those losses by Warren Central and Colerain opened up two spots for new bubble teams.

See playoff brackets for every state in the nation

1. (1 last week) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 12-0
The No. 1 team in the country won its 51st-consecutive game after a 59-0 shutout victory in the first round of the 4A state playoffs against Palo Verde (Las Vegas). It was also the fourth shutout over a five-game span for the Gaels and they have now outscored in-state opponents 411-20. It was also the 83rd-straight win against Nevada opponents. Four-star Ohio State commit Tate Martell has been one of the best players in the country this season and he is on the short list of candidates for National Player of the Year. The senior quarterback has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and has 30 touchdowns to zero interceptions and he's also rushed for 1,000-plus yards and 17 more scores.
Next game: Friday vs. Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas) in the second round of the 4A state playoffs

2. (2) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 10-0
Another week, another double-digit win for IMG Academy. The Ascenders shut out St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) 38-0 and it was the third-straight shutout for the Ascenders and fifth over their last six games. In Kellen Mond's final home game he gave the fans something historic. He scored two rushing touchdowns, giving him 17 for the season, and he threw for one, giving him 18, to become the schools single-season record holder for most in each category.
Next game: Saturday at Bishop Sullivan Catholic (Virginia Beach, Va.)



3. (3) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 11-0
Every week JT Daniels puts up video game-type of numbers. This time he threw for 304 yards and five scores, and he didn't even play in the second half in a 69-0 win over Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita) in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Pac 5 playoffs. Daniels also became the all-time Orange County leader in touchdown passes with 91, remarkable because he is only a sophomore and the names he surpassed were pretty good too: Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer, Matt Barkley, Mark Sanchez, Steve Beuerlein, Todd Marinovich, Sam Darnold and John Huarte are just some of the past quarterbacks from the Orange County area.
Next game: Friday vs. Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) in the second round of the CIFSS Pac 5 playoffs

4. (4) DeSoto (Texas), 11-0
The road to the school's first state title started off just the way Todd Peterman wanted, a 51-7 win over Killeen (Texas). Four-star Colorado commit KD Nixon had touchdowns of 60 and 65 yards and the defense was lights-out once again. The Eagles have had some very talented teams in the past but this might be the best in school history.
Next game: Friday vs. Carroll (Southlake) in the second round of the 6A-D2 UIL Texas state playoffs

5. (5) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 11-0
For the second-consecutive week, DeMatha beat Good Counsel and this one meant more because it came in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals. Trailing 13-7 entering the fourth quarter, the Stags scored 21 unanswered to clinch a spot in the WCAC championship game against St. John's (Washington, D.C.). Class of 2017 Air Force commit Beau English connected with Delante Hellams for three scores and 5-star Ohio State commit Chase Young iced the game with a fumble return for a touchdown late in the fourth.
Next game: Saturday vs. St. John's in the WCAC championship game

6. (6) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 10-1
Grayson has now won 10 games in a row since its season-opening loss to No. 2 IMG Academy. The Rams were up 56-0 entering the fourth quarter against Mountain View (Lawrenceville) in the first round of the 7A state playoffs and cruised to a 56-7 win. Four-star South Carolina commit Jamyest Williams finished the night with three rushing touchdowns and 2017 Clemson commit Chase Brice threw for 230 yards and a score.
Next game: Friday vs. Woodstock in the second round of the 7A state playoffs

7. (7) Allen (Texas), 11-0
The Eagles had a tough test in the first round of the 6A-D1 UIL playoffs against Euless Trinity and they passed with a 34-25 win. After Trinity scored early in the fourth quarter to take a 25-24 lead, the Eagles responded with the game's final 10 points. Junior running back Brock Sturges finished the night with 127 yards rushing and a score and Taj Bickham has proven to be one of the best kickoff returners in the country, as he took another one back to the house on Friday night.
Next game: Friday vs. Belton in the second round of the 6A-D1 UIL Texas state playoffs

8. (8) Mountain Pointe (Phoenix), 12-0
Mountain Pointe has been one of the most resilient teams in the country this year. The Pride lost their starting quarterback and running back to season-ending injuries, and they still have won every game by double digits. In the second round of the 6A state playoffs they cruised to a 47-21 win over Desert Ridge (Mesa) and 4-star safety Isaiah Pola-Mao stole the show. He finished the night with three interceptions and he took two of them back for scores.
Next game: Friday vs. Red Mountain (Mesa) in the 6A state playoffs



9. (9) St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 8-2
St. Thomas Aquinas has reeled off five straight wins since a triple overtime loss to the No. 1 team in the country. The Raiders have dominated all five teams too, outscoring them 213-34. The run to a third-consecutive state title started off with a 35-0 shutout win in the first round of the 7A state playoffs over Palm Beach Lakes (West Palm Beach).
Next game: Friday vs. Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) in the second round of the 7A state playoffs

10. (10) Roswell (Ga.), 11-0
Roswell had no trouble in the opening round of the 7A state playoffs, as it cruised to a 45-7 win against Pebblebrook (Mableton). Roswell has one of the best defenses in the country, and it was the seventh time the team held its opponent to seven points or less, and Roswell still hasn't allowed more than 14 points in any game this season.
Next game: Friday vs. Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee) in the second round of the 7A state playoffs

11. (11) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 10-0
American Heritage had no trouble with Westwood (Fort Pierce), as it cruised to a 55-12 win. Even without starting quarterback Jason Brown, scoring wasn't a problem for Patrick Surtain's team. They scored on all of their first five possessions and scored 28 in the second quarter alone.
Next game: Friday vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) in the second round of the 5A state playoffs

12. (12) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 9-2
St. John Bosco opened up the CIF Southern Section Pac 5 playoffs with a dominant 47-20 win over Upland. The Braves' only two losses this season came to No. 1 Bishop Gorman and No. 3 Mater Dei, and there is still a chance they could get a rematch with Mater Dei if they both make it to the Pac 5 championship game. Speaking of rematches, St. John Bosco gets Santa Margarita this week, a team it beat 47-10 back in October.
Next game: Friday vs. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) in the second round of the CIFSS Pac 5 playoffs

13. (14) Centennial (Corona, Calif.), 10-1
Corona Centennial has won nine games in a row since its only loss of the season back in September against No. 2 IMG Academy. The Huskies beat JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) 55-24 in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Pac 5 playoffs and it was the fifth time this year the Huskies scored at least 50 points. If St. John Bosco wins this week and Corona Centennial wins this week it means they will meet in the semifinals of the Pac 5, and if they do, it will be the fourth-straight year they face off in the playoffs. Bosco won in 2013 and Centennial has won the last two meetings.
Next game: Friday vs. Chaminade (West Hills) in the second round of the CIFSS Pac 5 playoffs

14. (15) Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 12-0
Saguaro has been playing as well as anyone this season. The Sabercats roll into the semifinals of the 4A state playoffs riding a ton of momentum and they are trying to win a fourth state title in a row. In their first two playoff games they have outscored the opposition 117-13 and if they win two more games it will be the school's ninth state title since 2006 and 10th overall.
Next game: Friday vs. Salpointe Catholic (Tucson) in the 4A semifinals



15. (16) Cass Tech (Detroit), 12-0
Cass Tech finally had to overcome some adversity this past weekend against a previously undefeated Saline  team. Trailing 42-35 in the fourth quarter Rodney Hall scampered in to cut it to 42-41 and they decided to go for a 2-point conversion and wisely Hall threw it to the No. 1 wide receiver in the Class of 2017, Donovan Peoples-Jones, who made the go-ahead grab with seven minutes remaining. The defense got a stop and Cass Tech got the ball back with over four minutes left and they were able to run the clock out. The star of the game was Donovan Williams, who rushed for 285 yards and four scores on only 13 carries. The win also clinched a spot in the semifinals, which is the seventh-consecutive year that Cass Tech has made it this far.
Next game: Saturday vs. Utica Eisenhower (Shelby Township) in the Division 1 semifinals

16. (17) McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.), 12-0
It was starting to look like McGill-Toolen's 20-game win streak was going to end. It was fourth and 12 with just over a minute left at their own 15-yard line, trailing 23-21. Then Bubba Thompson found a wide open Larry Rembert for an 85-yard touchdown. The defending 7A state champs face a very good Central (Phenix City) team in the semifinals. Last year they faced off in the semifinals and McGill-Toolen escaped with a 26-21 victory.
Next game: Friday vs. Central in the 7A semifinals

17. (18) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 11-0
Mission Viejo now owns the seventh-longest active winning streak among all 11-man football teams after winning its 39th-consecutive game in the opening round of the Pac 5 playoffs, 49-28 against Servite (Anaheim). Matthew McDonald finished the night 15 of 18 with 323 yards and five scores and 4-star wide receiver Austin Osborne hauled in five catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Up next for Bob Johnson is a very good Rancho Cucamonga team, as both come in 11-0.
Next game: Friday vs. Rancho Cucamonga in the second round of the CIFSS Pac 5 playoffs

18. (19) Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 13-0
Bingham continues to roll in 2016. The Miners have won all 13 games by double digits and they have outscored the opposition 582-153. They knocked off Fremont (Plain City) 35-12 this past Thursday to advance to the 5A state title game. The Miners rode their rushing attack, even with starting running back Jahvontay Smith limited to only three carries because of an ankle injury, and rushed for nearly 400 yards. Daniel Loua and Amoni Kaili both rushed for 100-plus yards and combined for four touchdowns. The only thing standing in Bingham's way from capturing the 5A state title is Lone Peak, a team the Miners beat 42-21 in the third week of the season. The last team to beat Bingham was Lone Peak, back in the 5A semifinals in 2015.
Next game: Friday vs. Lone Peak (Highland) in the 5A state championship

19. (21) Trinity (Louisville, Ky.), 12-0
For the fifth-consecutive week Trinity shut out its opponent. This time it was Eastern (Louisville) in the second round of the 6A state playoffs and over their last seven games the Shamrocks have outscored the opposition 392-13. Trinity has established itself as one of the winningest high school football programs of all-time with 23 state titles and 11 of them have come under head coach Bob Beatty. If he gets his 12th this year it will be the most ever for a coach in state history.
Next game: Friday vs. Ballard (Louisville) in the third round of the 6A state playoffs

20. (20) St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia), 10-0
La Salle (Wyndmoor) is glad it won't have to see D'Andre Swift anymore this season. The 4-star running back had 446 yards rushing and 10 total touchdowns in both wins against La Salle this year, including last week's 35-14 result. St. Joseph's Prep has been playing great football in 2016, winning every game by double digits. The win clinched St. Joseph's Prep a third appearance in the District 12 championship game over the last four seasons.
Next game: Saturday vs. Northeast (Philadelphia) in the District 12 championship



21. (23) Jenks (Okla.), 11-0
Jenks was in a shootout this past weekend against Southmoore (Moore) and pulled away with a 56-42 win. The Trojans finished the night with nearly 400 yards rushing, as Rueben Thompson and Jordon Curtis combined for 364 yards and two scores. Up next for Jenks is a semifinal showdown in the 6A-I bracket against rival Union (Tulsa) in one of the biggest rivalry games in the country.
Next game: Friday vs. Union in the semifinals of the 6A-I playoffs

22. (24) East (Salt Lake City), 13-0
East is now one win away from winning its second-consecutive 4A state title after cruising to a 64-13 win over Maple Mountain (Spanish Fork). It was also the 22nd-straight win for the Salt Lake City power and the Leopards became the first team in the state to rush for 6,000 yards in a single season and also became the first team to total more than 7,000 total yards. Senior running back Jaylen Warren is 107 yards away from hitting the 3,000 mark on the ground and he has found the end zone 36 times this year, putting him two behind the state record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season. He already owns the state record for most rushing yards in a season and with him rushing for 218 yards last week he tied the state record with 13 games of at least 100 yards rushing. He has a chance to break both records next week in the 4A state championship game against Springville.
Next game: Friday vs. Springville in the 4A state championship

23. (25) Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio), 11-0-1
Now that Colerain is eliminated, Wayne emerges as the front-runner to win the Division 1 state title. So far through two postseason games Wayne has outscored the opposition 104-17. Senior running back Frederick Pitts V continued his big-time season by rushing for 158 yards and four scores in a 52-10 win over Dublin Coffman in the second round of the Division 1 playoffs.
Next game: Friday vs. Pickerington Central in the third round of the Division 1 state playoffs

24. (NR) Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), 10-1
Lake Travis makes its second trip back to the Xcellent 25 after winning its 10th-straight game. The Cavaliers dominated Madison (San Antonio) en route to a 56-7 victory in the first round of the 6A-D1 UIL state playoffs. The Cavs have been playing great football over the last two months, scoring at least 50 points in seven of their last eight games, and they scored 49 points in the one they didn't reach 50 in. During that stretch they have outscored the opposition 452-42.
Next game: Friday vs. Smithson Valley (Spring Branch) in the second round of the 6A-D1 UIL Texas state playoffs

25. (NR) Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.), 11-0
Mill Creek continues to show that it has one of the best defenses in the country. In the first round of the 7A state playoffs the Hawks shut out Newton 41-0 and allowed just 59 yards of total offense. The defense forced three interceptions and had five sacks. Victor Heyward was the star of the night, as he picked off two passes and returned one for a touchdown.
Next game: Friday vs. Cherokee (Canton) in the second round of the 7A state playoffs

Bubble Teams



Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 11-1
Center Grove got its biggest win of the season after upsetting previously ranked Warren Central (Indianapolis) in dominant fashion with a 28-7 win in the third round of the 6A state playoffs. The Trojans have reeled off 11 wins in a row and took down the only team to beat them in 2016. Since the start of the 2015 season, Center Grove has gone 25-1 and is two wins away from repeating as 6A state champs.
Next game: Friday vs. Ben Davis (Indianapolis) in the 6A semifinals

South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), 9-1
Idle.
Next game: Friday vs. Greenville in the first round of the 4A state playoffs

The Woodlands (Texas), 11-0
The Woodlands beat Mesquite Horn 41-21 in the first round of the 6A-D1 UIL playoffs. The ground game was the difference for The Woodlands, as Jordan Talford rushed for 70 yards and a score before leaving in the second quarter with a sprained MCL. Carlos Ramos filled in nicely, finishing the game with 161 yards rushing. Senior quarterback Eric Schmid had 200 yards of total offense and had four total touchdowns, three passing and one rushing.
Next game: Friday vs. Sachse in the second round of the 6A-D1 UIL Texas state playoffs

Kahuku (Hawaii), 11-1
The Red Raiders advanced to the Open Division state championship game after a dominant 54-7 win over Kapolei. Outside of their loss to Bishop Gorman back in September, they have outscored the opposition 540-44. Up next for Kahuku and its stingy defense is a date with 5-star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and St. Louis (Honolulu) in the state championship.
Next game: Saturday vs. St. Louis in the Open Division state championship

Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.), 11-0
Rancho Cucamonga has quietly been one of the best teams in high school football in 2016. The Cougars are a perfect 11-0 this season and they have won 10 of their 11 games by double digits. They cruised to a 27-7 victory against Orange Lutheran in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Pac 5 playoffs and up next for Rancho Cucamonga is a very good Mission Viejo squad, a team that has won 39 games in a row. The Cougars have two big-time playmakers in 4-star defensive back Thomas Graham jr. and 4-star Oregon commit Jaylon Redd.
Next game: Friday vs. Mission Viejo (Calif.) in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Pac 5 playoffs