The top-two high school football teams in Georgia face off Friday in the only MaxPreps Top 25 matchup as No. 8 Buford hosts No. 18 Mill Creek (Hoschton). Both are 6-0 and have the top two rated players in the Peach State for the Class of 2023 according to
247Sports composite rankings.
Caleb Downs of Mill Creek is the No. 1 player in the state and has been a big-time playmaker since his freshman season. He owns the school record with 17 career interceptions and has played everywhere during his senior season. He has 38 touches on offense for 382 yards and eight touchdowns to go with 34 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
Justice Haynes is the second-rated player in Georgia and having a huge senior campaign during his first year at Buford. He has 88 carries for 786 yards and 11 touchdowns to go with five receptions for 153 yards and two more scores. He also has a kickoff return touchdown. Haynes will go down as one of the best running backs in Georgia history and is nearing 7,000 career rushing yards. He would become the sixth player in state history to accomplish that feat.
Downs and Haynes are both committed to Alabama.
Another huge contest features No. 19 Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati) hosting the defending Division 1 state champs St. Edward (Lakewood) on Saturday. Moeller is off to its best start since 2013 when it also started 8-0. They lost to St. Edward that season, but did go on to win the Division 1 title. That is the last time the Fighting Crusaders won a state championship.
No. 11 Westlake (Austin, Texas) puts its 46-game win streak on the line against Austin Novosad and an undefeated Dripping Springs (Texas) squad. The Chaparrals have won 23 games in a row by double-digits and the last time they were in a one score game was in the 2020 6A Division 1 semifinals against North Shore (Houston) when
Cade Klubnik led Westlake to a 24-21 win.
All 10 games featured are in-state matchups. Alabama, California, Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas are all included.
No. 8 Buford's Justice Haynes leads the Wolves into a Georgia showdown against No. 18 Mill Creek in the MaxPreps Game of the Week. (Photo: Kenny Grimes)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. (All times local)
Top players
The winner will be in a great position when it comes to winning the Region 8 title. Buford has one of the most well-balanced teams in the country. The defense is allowing 7.8 points per game and they have two of the most explosive offensive playmakers in Haynes and Bolden. The Hawks have scored at least 33 points in every game while the Wolves have not allowed more than 16 points in any contest. Downs and Haynes have put themselves in a great position to contend for the MaxPreps National Player of the Year award at the end of the season.
Saturday, 4 p.m.
Top players
The defending Division 1 state champs have bounced back with three straight wins after a 31-28 loss against Washington (Massillon). Moeller has been the best team in the state this year. They have notable wins against Washington (Massillon), Trinity (Louisville), Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), Elder (Cincinnati) and St. Ignatius (Cleveland). Marshall is having a monster junior campaign for the Fighting Crusaders and has emerged as one of the front-runners for the MaxPreps Ohio Player of the Year award.
Top players
The three-time defending state champs have won 46 games in a row and 45 of those have come by double-digits, including all six wins this season. The Chaparrals have outscored the opposition 321-78. After a season-opening 23-20 win over Vandegrift (Austin) the Tigers have outscored their last five opponents 271-20. The winner will control their own destiny to claim the Region IV District 26 title.
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Top players
The Griffins are playing their best football and have won five in a row. They have one of the most dynamic offenses in the country with Nelson, Lemon and Henderson. Cunningham was granted his eligibility two weeks ago and has made a huge impact on the defensive line for Los Al. The Chargers have won six of seven games by more than one score and their biggest win came in early September against Orange Lutheran (Orange) 34-13. Los Alamitos has won four of the last five meetings.
Top players
These two programs are on the short list of teams that could end Thompson's (Alabaster) chance at a four-peat in 7A. Auburn has won six of seven games by double-digits while the Red Devils have the talent to make it back to the 7A state championship game for the fourth time in five years. The only year they didn't make it during that span was in 2020 when
Thompson pulled off a miraculous 29-28 comeback win against Auburn.
Friday, 7 p.m.
Top players
The new
No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 took down then-No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 17-7 last week to take over the top spot. Mater Dei has won 24 in a row and all have come with Elijah Brown under center. The Monarchs are the only team in the country that has three wins against MaxPreps Top 25 opponents. The Lancers have won four in a row since that 21-point defeat against Edison (Huntington Beach). The Monarchs have won 10 straight against Orange Lutheran and the last time the Lancers beat Mater Dei was in 2011.
Friday, 7 p.m.
Top players
These are the top-two ranked teams in the state according to the
computer rankings. The Bulldogs have one of the best offensive lines in Indiana and have only allowed 10 sacks. They have been the highest ranked team in Indiana since beating Cathedral (Indianapolis) 42-35 in late August. The Royals are 8-0 and the last three meetings between these two have been decided by one score. It has been a competitive series since 2004 and Brownsburg has won nine of the past 17.
Top players
The winner will be in a great spot to win the Sierra Foothill League. Folsom has won five in a row since a tough 17-12 loss against Serra (San Mateo). The Bulldogs handed Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) its only loss of the season and are looking to do the same to the Golden Eagles. Del Oro is 7-0 and has three impressive wins in a row against Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), Granite Bay and Rocklin. Folsom has won eight straight against the Golden Eagles and the last time Del Oro beat the Bulldogs was in 2009.
Friday, 7 p.m.
Top players
These have been two of the premier programs in Indiana. Center Grove is the back-to-back 6A state champs while the Fighting Irish won the 5A crown in 2020 and 2021. Cathedral got bumped up to 6A for this season and 2023. The Trojans have reeled off five straight wins since a 29-28 double overtime loss against Trinity (Louisville). The Irish bring in a five-game winning streak too after a 42-35 loss against Brownsburg. Both will be tough outs in the 6A postseason bracket that gets underway on Oct. 28. Center Grove has won six of the last eight meetings, including two straight.
Top players
The only losses these two teams have suffered has come against out-of-state competition. Hough dropped its season-opener 27-24 against Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) and the Mavericks two losses came against No. 8 Buford (Ga.) and South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.). This will be the 18th meeting since 2010 and Mallard Creek has won 12 of 17 but the Huskies have won the last three.
