MaxPreps Top 25 high school football scores: No. 1 Mater Dei faces No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas in season opener

By Zack Poff Aug 21, 2025, 10:00am

No. 14 Mission Viejo at No. 16 Santa Margarita will be streamed free Friday on MaxPreps.

Nineteen MaxPreps Top 25 teams will be in action this week headlined by No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) makings its first-ever trip out to Florida to face No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). This is one of three head-to-head MaxPreps Top 25 matchups. 

No. 5 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) takes on No. 7 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) and No. 14 Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.) locks horns with No. 16 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) on Friday in our MaxPreps Game of the Week. 


Dia Bell was tabbed as our No. 1 quarterback heading into the season and the five-star Texas pledge gets his senior year started with a tough matchup as No. 8 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) takes on the three-time defending Pennsylvania 6A state champion St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)



No. 6 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) opens its season at Hoover (Ala.) as Greg Studrawa makes his head coaching debut for the Ascenders. The top-rated prospect in the Class of 2028, Jayden Wade, takes over as the starter under center and his favorite target is another sophomore standout in Eric McFarland

No. 11 Northwestern (Miami) faces Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) in another California vs. Florida showdown as Jaquatin Victrum makes his head coaching debut for the Bulls. 

Faizon Brandon and No. 17 Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) take on West Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.) at Bank of America Stadium on Friday. Brandon has gone 29-1 over the last two years and led the Whirlies to a 4A state title last season.

MaxPreps Top 25 National Scoreboard

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (All times local)

No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. 



No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) at Centennial (Las Vegas)

No. 4 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) vs. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Rabun Gap)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, 8 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas

No. 6 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) at Hoover (Ala.)
Friday, 8 p.m.

No. 8 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) vs. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Friday, 6 p.m. 

Season opener: Sept. 5 vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas)



No. 11 Northwestern (Miami) vs. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Saturday, 7 p.m.

No. 12 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) vs. Servite (Anaheim)

No. 13 Buford (Ga.) at Benedictine (Savannah)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. 


Season opener: Sept. 5 vs. Archbishop Shaw (Marrero)

No. 17 Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) vs. West Charlotte (Charlotte)
Friday, 8 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium - Watch live on NFHS Network



Season opener: Aug. 28 vs. Lancaster

No. 19 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) at West Broward (Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
Friday, 4 p.m.

Season opener: Aug. 28 vs. East St. Louis (Ill.)

No. 21 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) vs. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano)

Season opener: Aug. 29 vs. Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio)

No. 23 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) vs. Carver Montgomery (Montgomery)
Thursday, 7 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network



Season opener: Aug. 29 at South Oak Cliff (Dallas)

No. 25 Carrollton (Ga.) vs. Columbia (Decatur)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network