MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings

Manatee remains No. 1 in this week's Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, as the undefeated Florida powerhouse opened up its playoff campaign with a convincing 65-12 victory over Northeast.

With Dwyer, St. Thomas Aquinas, Lincoln and Fort Pierce Central looming in the bracket, the Hurricanes still have a long way to go to repeat as Class 7A state champions.

With playoffs now underway in nearly every state, the rankings could see dramatic shifting over the next few weeks.

View playoff brackets and state champions from around the nation.



Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

1. (1) Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.), 11-0
Manatee opened up its quest for a second consecutive Class 7A state title with a 65-12 win over Northeast. Qwixcore / Game recap

2. (2) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 11-0
The touchdown that Curtis allowed in its 50-6 victory over North Webster was the first the Patriots' defense had allowed in five games.

3. (3) Katy (Texas), 11-0
In its Class 5A-II playoff opener, Katy throttled Westbury 77-7. Box score

4. (4) DeSoto (Texas), 11-0
After a slow start, DeSoto cruised to a victory over Harker Heights.

5. (5) Bellevue (Wash.), 12-0
Bellevue easily defeated Peninsula 40-3. It has now outscored its opponents by more than 500 points this season.





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6. (7) Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 13-0
Butler advanced to the Class 4A semifinals with a 25-15 victory over previously unbeaten East Forsyth. Box score

7. (8) Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.), 12-0
In a Division II-AA playoff game, Ensworth easily defeated Montgomery Bell Academy, 35-7. Qwixcore / Game recap

8. (9) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.), 12-0
Preserving its shot at a CIF Regional Bowl Game, Vista Murrieta downed Norco 31-16. Qwixcore / Game recap / Photos

9. (10) University (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 9-0
A 27-0 victory over Cardinal Newman sets up a playoff showdown against American Heritage next week. Qwixcore

10. (11) Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.), 12-0
In its third shutout of the season, Narbonne blanked Garfield 45-0. Qwixcore

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11. (14) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 10-1
If not for an early-season upset loss against Parkview, Grayson would be in contention for the No. 1 spot. It downed Wheeler, 49-9. Qwixcore / Game recap



12. (NR) Mentor (Ohio), 12-1
After beating St. Edward 63-56 a week ago, Mentor survived an equally epic game, downing St. Ignatius 57-56 in triple overtime. Story

13. (12) De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 11-0
In the second half, De La Salle pulled away from Pittsburg, winning 35-13. Qwixcore / Photos

14. (13) Goose Creek (S.C.), 13-0
Goose Creek won on the field, but its season is still in serious jeopardy. The SCHSL announces on Monday if the team will be disqualified from the playoffs. Qwixcore / Game recap

15. (15) Bentonville (Ark.), 12-0
Bentonville rolled to a 42-0 victory over West Memphis. Qwixcore / Game recap

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16. (16) Hoover (Ala.), 13-0
A 49-26 victory over Pell City sets up a Class 6A quarterfinals matchup with Vestavia Hills.

17. (24) Coppell (Texas), 11-0
Coppell continued to roll with a 31-7 victory over Macarthur. Its defense is playing lights-out heading into a mega showdown with DeSoto.



18. (17) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 11-1
Continuing its march through the playoffs, Bishop Gorman defeated Centennial 59-7. Qwixcore / Game recap

19. (19) Steele (Cibolo, Texas), 11-0
After leading 35-0 at the half, Steele eventually beat Marshall 49-17.

20. (20) Trinity (Louisville, Ky.), 11-1
Despite losing star receiver James Quick, Trinity survived rival St. Xavier, 15-14.

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21. (21) Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 10-1
In the WCAC title game, Good Counsel defeated DeMatha, 26-14.

22. (22) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 8-4 (4 forfeits)
St. John Bosco survived against Notre Dame, 24-17. Qwixcore

23. (25) Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 8-1
In the first round of the non-public Group IV playoffs, Don Bocso Prep defeated St. Augustine 42-14. Qwixcore



24. (NR) North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), 12-0
North Allegheny enters the rankings after making it look easy with a 47-17 win over Seneca Valley. Qwixcore

25. (NR) Jordan (Sandy, Utah), 12-1-1
Jordan, whose only loss was a one-point setback to St. John Bosco, was utterly dominant in the Class 5A final, beating Syracuse 58-2. In the playoffs, it outscored opponents 198-36.

Dropped out:
Colerain (Ohio)
St. Ignatius (Cleveland)
Mission Viejo (Calif.)