High school football: ESPN announces GEICO Football Kickoff, features five MaxPreps Top 25 matchups

Seven games are slated for the GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff during a two-week stretch from Aug. 18-27, including 11 teams ranked in the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 rankings. Five games will feature MaxPreps Top 25 matchups.

Read on for the complete game schedule and capsules of each contest. Aug. 18

No. 14 Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.) at No. 12 Carrollton (Ga.), 6 p.m. — ESPN2

Matchup: This game features two of the top quarterbacks in the game. Carrollton's Julian Lewis led the Trojans to a 14-1 record during his freshman campaign. The Class of 2026 standout threw for 4,118 yards and 48 touchdowns while being named the MaxPreps Freshman of the Year. Ohio State pledge Air Noland led the Panthers to an undefeated season and the school's first state championship, throwing for 4,095 yards and 55 scores for a team that broke the single-season state record for most points (792).

No. 19 Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.) at Saraland (Saraland, Ala.), 8 p.m. — ESPN

Matchup: Lipscomb Academy owns back-to-back Division II Class AA titles and a 21-game win streak. Kevin Mawae takes over for Trent Dilfer as the Mustangs' head coach and inherits a powerhouse, led by four-star defensive back Kaleb Beasley and four-star linebacker Edwin Spillman. Saraland won the school's first state title, the 6A crown, and the Spartans have one of the best quarterback/wide receiver duos in the country in K.J. Lacey and Ryan Williams.

No. 6 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) vs. No. 7 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.), noon — ESPN

Matchup: This will be the second of five games for St. Frances Academy against a team ranked in the top 10. Michael Van Buren, Ify Obidegwu, Blake Woodby, Trent Wilson, DeJuan Williams and Carlton Smith headline the 15 players rated as a three-star recruit or higher on 247Sports. Jeremiah Smith, Joshisa Trader, Zaquan Patterson, Davion Gause and Cedrick Bailey are just a handful Chaminade-Madonna's talented crew. This game will be played at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale.

No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at No. 9 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 4 p.m. — ESPN2

Matchup: This is a rematch of an epic 2017 Florida vs. California showdown in which St. Thomas Aquinas beat St. John Bosco 9-3. The Braves are the reigning MaxPreps National Champions after a 13-1 season. Roger Harriott led the Raiders to their fourth consecutive state title and a spot at No. 6 in the final MaxPreps Top 25 after a 14-0 season. This game will feature 29 players rated as a three-star recruit or higher.

No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) vs. No. 11 St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia), 7 p.m. — ESPN2

Matchup: IMG Academy is coming off an 8-1 season and finished ranked at No. 5 in the final MaxPreps Top 25. St. Joseph's Prep went 12-1 and won its seventh state title since 2013.The second meeting between these national powers features talent all over the field. The Ascenders have 15 players rated as a four-star recruit or higher led by Ellis Robinson IV, David Stone, Jerrick Gibson, Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, Anthony Rogers, Winston Watkins Jr. and Jordan Seaton. The Hawks counter with Samaj Jones, Omillio Agard, David Washington Jr, Anthony Sacca and Maxwell Roy. The game is at Ocean City, N.J.

Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, Calif.) at Carlsbad (Calif.), 10 p.m. — ESPN2

Matchup: Five-star Alabama pledge Julian Sayin leads Carlsbad into the final game of Saturday's slate. The second-rated QB in the Class of 2024 led the Lancers to a 21-3 record in the past two season with 5,477 yards passing and 61 touchdowns. Mater Dei Catholic is the defending CIF 2-AA champions after going 11-4. The Crusaders have one of the best duos in the state with three-star Arizona commit Isaiah Buxton and San Diego State pledge Anthony McMillan. Carlsbad erased a 21-0 first half deficit to pull out a 36-35 win in double overtime in last year's meeting.

No. 22 Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) at No. 16 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 1 p.m. — ESPN

Matchup: Ohio vs. Maryland is the fifth MaxPreps Top 25 matchup. St. Edward went 15-1 and repeated as Division 1 state champs. Good Counsel was one of three teams to have at least three players make the 2022 MaxPreps Junior All-America team. Kyle Altuner, Aaron Chiles and Dilin Jones are all back for the Falcons. This is the second straight year Good Counsel faces an Ohio team. The last time St. Edward lost to an out-of-state team was 2018 to Cass Tech (Detroit).