No. 1 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and No. 6 Northwestern (Miami) are set for a monster high school football showdown sure to impact next week's MaxPreps Top 25. IMG is coming off a bye while Northwestern opened with a big win over crosstown rival Miami Central.
Friday's game will be the fourth meeting in four seasons between IMG Academy and Northwestern. The Ascenders have won the previous three meetings, outscoring the Bulls 79-14. IMG Academy (6-0) has outscored its opponents 291-62 this season.
Northwestern wasn't the only Florida team to climb in this week's rankings as Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) jumped to No. 24 after the Chiefs upset previous No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) 17-10. The Cardinal Gibbons defense played lights out as
Mason Thomas returned an interception for a late, fourth-quarter score.
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) is the other newcomer to the MaxPreps Top 25 after beating Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 13-7 in front of an ESPN2 audience. Hamilton owns a 90-point scoring differential in its first three games.
No. 10 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) was the biggest mover, climbing five spots after finishing the regular season with an impressive 39-23 win over Hoover (Ala.). The Warriors ride into the Alabama 7A playoffs as the No. 1 seed carrying a 14-game win streak.
New to this week's MaxPreps Top 25, Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) takes the field before a big win over Saguaro on Friday.
Photo by Darin Sicurello
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 1
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. No. 6 Northwestern (Miami)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 2
Last week: Beat West Brook (Beaumont) 55-14
Next week: Idle
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 4
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 31 at Archbishop Wood (Philadelphia)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 5
Last week: Beat Higley (Gilbert) 63-7
Next week: Oct. 30 at Centennial (Peoria)
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 6
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Parkview (Lilburn)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat Central (Miami) 21-14
Next week: Oct. 30 at No. 1 IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 7
Last week: Beat Cinco Ranch (Katy) 41-0
Next week: Oct. 31 vs. Dickinson
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 8
Last week: Idle (COVID-19)
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Tift County (Tifton)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 11
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Westlake (Saratoga Springs)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 15
Last week: Beat Hoover 39-23
Next week: Idle
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 12
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 30 at Howell Central (St. Charles)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 13
Last week: Beat Waco 56-9
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Mansfield
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 14
Last week: Beat Eastern (Louisville) 48-3
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Bowling Green
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 16
Last week: Beat Wakeland (Frisco) 41-3
Next week: Oct. 29 vs. Centennial (Frisco)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 17
Last week: Beat Paramus Catholic (Paramus) 25-7
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. DePaul Catholic (Wayne)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: 18
Last week: Beat Hilliard Bradley (Hilliard) 34-7
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Westerville Central (Westerville)
Record: 0-1 | Last week: 10
Last week: Lost to No. 6 Northwestern (Miami) 21-14
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Edison (Miami)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 19
Last week: Beat Spring Valley (Columbia) 21-0
Next week: Oct. 30 at South Pointe (Rock Hill)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 21
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Boyd (McKinney)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 22
Last week: Beat DePaul Catholic (Wayne) 34-10
Next week: Idle
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 23
Last week: Beat Mayfield 42-0
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Benedictine (Cleveland)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 24
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Hays (Buda)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: 25
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 30 vs. Columbus North (Columbus)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: NR
Last week: Beat St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) 17-10
Next week: Oct. 30 at American Heritage (Plantation)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: NR
Last week: Beat Saguaro (Scottsdale) 13-7
Next week: Oct. 30 at Desert Vista (Phoenix)
