High school football: @EFrantzMP’s 2026 Great Lakes Region Rankings

Our weekly look at the top 2026 high school football teams in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Eric Frantz
By
Aug 24, 2026, 9:15am
The Great Lakes states are defined - in large - by silos, steeples and Friday night stadium lights. With kickoff approaching, here's our updated take on our annual and weekly list of the top high school football programs in the region. Also listed below are the MaxPreps computer rankings for every Great Lakes state.

Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin started regular season play last week. Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York kick off this week. Minnesota follows Sept. 3.

National acclaim and big-time talent. North Coast football is a force.
Previous @EFrantzMP Great Lakes Region Rankings Champions (final rankings in link)
2020: St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.)
2021: Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.)
2022: St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)
2023: Massillon (Ohio)
2024: East St. Louis (Ill.)
2025: Brownsburg (Ind.)
2026: TBD

@EFrantzMP's High School Football Great Lakes Regional Rankings: 8/24/26 Poll

Last week’s ranking in parenthesis

1 (2). Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.), 0-0 – DNP
2 (3). Brownsburg (Ind.), 1-0 - beat Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 48-25
3 (4). Massillon (Ohio), 1-0 - beat Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio) 31-18
4 (6). East St. Louis (Ill.), 1-0 - beat then-No. 1 Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.) 42-23
5 (7). La Salle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.), 0-0 – DNP
6 (8). St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), 0-0 – DNP
7 (10). St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) - beat Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio) 15-12
8 (11). Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.), 0-0 – DNP
9 (12). Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio), 1-0 - beat Middletown (Ohio) 35-3
10 (1). Mount Carmel (Chicago, Ill.), 0-1 - lost 42-23 to then-No. 6 East St. Louis (Ill.)
11 (13). Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.), 0-0 – DNP
12 (14). Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.), 0-0 – DNP
13 (20). Princeton (Ohio), 1-0 – beat then-No. 18 Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) 31-24
14 (17). Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio), 1-0 - beat St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) 20-7
15 (15). Bishop Watterson (Columbus, Ohio), 1-0 - beat Anthony Wayne (Whitehouse, Ohio) 35-0
16 (16). Big Walnut (Sunbury, Ohio), 1-0 - beat Hilliard Bradley (Ohio) 32-7
17 (19). Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 1-0 - beat Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.) 31-0
18 (NR). Westfield (Ind.), 1-0 - beat Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.) 49-21
19 (23). Avon (Ohio), 1-0 – beat St. Ignatius (Cleveland) 22-21
20 (25). Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio), 1-0 - beat Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) 27-7
21 (22). Moorhead (Minn.), 0-0 – DNP 
22 (24). Saline (Mich.), 0-0 – DNP
23 (NR). Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.), 1-0 - beat then-No. 5 Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.) 22-21
24 (NR). Carmel (Ind.), 1-0 - beat Fishers (Ind.) 47-0
25 (5). Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.), 0-1 - lost 22-21 to Lincoln-Way East (Frankfort, Ill.)

Dropped Out: 
9. Anderson (Cincinnati, Ohio), 0-1 - lost 59-13 by Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)
18. Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), 0-1 – lost 31-24 to then-No. 20 Princeton (Cincinnati, Ohio)
21. Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 0-1 - lost 20-14 to Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.) 

Keep an Eye On:
* Arrowhead (Wisc.), 1-0
* Catholic Memorial (Wisc.), 1-0
* Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, NY), 0-0
* Harper Woods (Mich.), 0-0
* Iona Prep (New Rochelle, NY), 0-0
* James Monroe (Rochester, NY), 0-0
* New Palestine (Ind.), 1-0
* Notre Dame Academy (Green Bay, Wisc.), 1-0
* Shakopee (Minn.), 0-0
* Warren Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), 1-0 

MaxPreps Computer Rankings
Below are the Top 25 teams in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings in each of the Great Lakes states. 

Illinois State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1East St. Louis1-052.9
2CMCHS (Chicago)0-160.0
3LWEHS (Frankfort)1-046.6
4Brother Rice (Chicago)0-145.0
5Loyola Academy (Wilmette)1-032.1
6Fenwick (Oak Park)1-034.6
7Batavia1-038.0
8ICCP (Elmhurst)1-041.2
9NA (LaGrange Park)0-145.3
10PCHS (New Lenox)1-040.7
11St. Rita (Chicago)0-142.8
12HHS (Arlington Heights)1-035.9
13Carmel (Mundelein)0-139.0
14SCNHS (St. Charles)1-023.8
15St. Francis (Wheaton)0-150.0
16Maine South (Park Ridge)0-146.2
17Marist (Chicago)1-022.7
18GWHS (Glen Ellyn)1-035.2
19Lyons (LaGrange)1-036.1
20Barrington0-137.8
21DGNHS (Downers Grove)1-032.1
22York (Elmhurst)1-033.9
23WWSHS (Wheaton)1-028.6
24Sandburg (Orland Park)1-019.9
25Joliet Catholic (Joliet)0-146.0
26Lockport0-139.3
27MCHS (Lombard)1-013.5
28Fremd (Palatine)1-029.3
29Oswego1-028.0
30HFHS (Flossmoor)1-027.6
31King (Chicago)1-031.8
32St. Laurence (Burbank)0-127.2
33Geneva1-022.0
34Morris1-019.0
35GNHS (Carol Stream)1-030.8
36SICP (Chicago)1-014.7
37Palatine1-027.8
38GSHS (Glenview)0-137.0
39HCHS (Hinsdale)1-019.3
40Byron1-015.8
41Wheaton North (Wheaton)1-026.3
42Niles Notre Dame (Niles)1-015.0
43Warren Township (Gurnee)0-147.4
44LWCHS (New Lenox)0-134.8
45SHGHS (Springfield)1-032.9
46NCHS (Naperville)0-139.5
47Rochester1-027.5
48NVHS (Naperville)0-138.7
49New Trier (Winnetka)1-028.1
50NNHS (Naperville)0-136.2


Indiana State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Brownsburg1-044.7
2Westfield1-031.8
3New Palestine1-039.9
4Carmel1-039.1
5WCHS (Indianapolis)1-044.8
6Center Grove (Greenwood)0-144.6
7Cathedral (Indianapolis)0-141.5
8Ben Davis (Indianapolis)1-041.7
9LNHS (Indianapolis)0-161.4
10Carroll (Fort Wayne)1-037.4
11Fishers0-152.1
12IBCHS (Indianapolis)1-029.2
13Avon1-037.6
14DCHS (Indianapolis)0-145.6
15HSHS (Fishers)0-146.6
16FWBD (Fort Wayne)1-041.5
17Roncalli (Indianapolis)0-139.6
18LCHS (Indianapolis)1-016.2
19FCHS (Indianapolis)1-030.6
20Zionsville1-029.7
21East Central (St. Leon)1-028.3
22Merrillville1-030.8
23Crown Point1-021.3
24Plainfield0-141.9
25BSHS (Bloomington)1-020.3
26Homestead (Fort Wayne)0-150.4
27Pike (Indianapolis)0-140.2
28Columbus North (Columbus)1-030.9
29Whiteland0-134.4
30Noblesville1-010.8
31FCHS (Floyds Knobs)1-030.2
32GSHS (Fort Branch)0-130.2
33FWSHS (Fort Wayne)0-128.0
34Warsaw1-028.3
35Penn (Mishawaka)1-020.6
36HHHS (Lincoln City)1-013.0
37Andrean (Merrillville)0-136.9
38Cascade (Clayton)1-017.0
39Harrison (West Lafayette)1-021.7
40EMHS (Evansville)1-019.0
41Adams Central (Monroe)1-022.5
42Yorktown1-010.3
43FWNHS (Fort Wayne)0-00.0
44Concord (Elkhart)0-127.6
45Elkhart1-029.3
46East Noble (Kendallville)1-019.9
47THSV (Terre Haute)0-124.5
48VLHS (Vincennes)1-028.4
49PHHS (Pendleton)1-025.6
50Mishawaka1-015.8


Michigan State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Catholic Central (Novi)0-00.0
2Cass Tech (Detroit)0-00.0
3Clarkston0-00.0
4DeWitt0-00.0
5SMP (Orchard Lake)0-00.0
6Rockford0-00.0
7Hudsonville0-00.0
8East Kentwood (Kentwood)0-00.0
9DLSC (Warren)0-00.0
10Adams (Rochester)0-00.0
11UCHS (Hudsonville)0-00.0
12Muskegon0-00.0
13West Bloomfield0-00.0
14Harper Woods0-00.0
15Romeo0-00.0
16BRHS (Bloomfield Hills)0-00.0
17Grand Blanc0-00.0
18Byron Center0-00.0
19King (Detroit)0-00.0
20Davison0-00.0
21Goodrich0-00.0
22Grandville0-00.0
23Zeeland West (Zeeland)0-00.0
24Notre Dame Prep (Pontiac)0-00.0
25LCCHS (Jackson)0-00.0
26Saline0-00.0
27UEHS (Shelby Township)0-00.0
28Mt. Pleasant0-00.0
29Oxford0-00.0
30Dexter0-00.0
31CCHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
32MSHS (Norton Shores)0-00.0
33Dakota (Macomb)0-00.0
34Harbor Beach0-00.0
35EGRHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
36SCHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
37Caledonia0-00.0
38WCHS (Grand Rapids)0-00.0
39Williamston0-00.0
40Portage Central (Portage)0-00.0
41Divine Child (Dearborn)0-00.0
42Belleville0-00.0
43Dow (Midland)0-00.0
44Menominee0-00.0
45Hudson0-00.0
46Frankenmuth0-00.0
47SCHS (Rochester Hills)0-00.0
48Groves (Beverly Hills)0-00.0
49Portland0-00.0
50PWHS (Pewamo)0-00.0


Minnesota State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Maple Grove0-00.0
2Minnetonka0-00.0
3Moorhead0-00.0
4Alexandria0-00.0
5Chanhassen0-00.0
6Elk River0-00.0
7Edina0-00.0
8Minneota0-00.0
9Marshall0-00.0
10JCCHS (Jackson)0-00.0
11Monticello0-00.0
12STA (Mendota Heights)0-00.0
13Rocori (Cold Spring)0-00.0
14Orono (Long Lake)0-00.0
15Spring Lake Park0-00.0
16Bemidji0-00.0
17Annandale0-00.0
18DGFHS (Glyndon)0-00.0
19Byron0-00.0
20Holdingford0-00.0
21Goodhue0-00.0
22EVWHS (Eden Valley)0-00.0
23Stewartville0-00.0
24Chaska0-00.0
25Eden Prairie0-00.0
26NCHS (Minneapolis)0-00.0
27Hutchinson0-00.0
28Becker0-00.0
29Waseca0-00.0
30FCHS (Harmony)0-00.0
31Breckenridge0-00.0
32Pillager0-00.0
33Grand Rapids0-00.0
34KMHS (Kasson)0-00.0
35Osakis0-00.0
36Mankato West (Mankato)0-00.0
37LSHS (Lakeville)0-00.0
38Barnesville0-00.0
39Caledonia0-00.0
40MCCHS (Slayton)0-00.0
41Pierz0-00.0
42Dawson-Boyd (Dawson)0-00.0
43Staples-Motley (Staples)0-00.0
44Fergus Falls0-00.0
45Pine Island0-00.0
46Hill-Murray (Maplewood)0-00.0
47Willmar0-00.0
48Parkers Prairie0-00.0
49Waconia0-00.0
50Chatfield0-00.0


New York State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1CBA (Syracuse)0-00.0
2St. Francis (Hamburg)0-00.0
3Bronxville0-00.0
4Somers (Lincolndale)0-00.0
5Rye0-00.0
6Garden City0-00.0
7Massapequa0-00.0
8Monroe (Rochester)0-00.0
9Maine-Endwell (Endwell)0-00.0
10CBA (Albany)0-00.0
11Sayville0-00.0
12LJBOMECE (CO-OP) (Buffalo)0-00.0
13CFHS (Binghamton)0-00.0
14Plainedge (Massapequa)0-00.0
15Waverly0-00.0
16Westlake (Thornwood)0-00.0
17SHS (Clifton Park)0-00.0
18BBPHS (Bayport)0-00.0
19Tioga (Tioga Center)0-00.0
20Glens Falls0-00.0
21Seaford0-00.0
22EIHS (Islip Terrace)0-00.0
23WMHS (East Setauket)0-00.0
24WFHS (Mastic Beach)0-00.0
25New Hartford0-00.0
26Farmingdale0-00.0
27Wantagh0-00.0
28Niskayuna0-00.0
29MWHS (Central Valley)0-00.0
30OFA (Owego)0-00.0
31CCHS (New Windsor)0-00.0
32HSBASGC (CO-OP) (Buffalo)0-00.0
33MVHS (Slate Hill)0-00.0
34Liverpool0-00.0
35Babylon0-00.0
36General Brown (Dexter)0-00.0
37Sleepy Hollow0-00.0
38Palmyra-Macedon (Palmyra)0-00.0
39Saratoga Springs0-00.0
40Whitesboro (Marcy)0-00.0
41Schuylerville0-00.0
42CNSHS (Cicero)0-00.0
43IRHS (Philadelphia)0-00.0
44Brighton (Rochester)0-00.0
45Mamaroneck0-00.0
46Ardsley0-00.0
47Shaker (Latham)0-00.0
48OFA (Ogdensburg)0-00.0
49Carey (Franklin Square)0-00.0
50Oceanside0-00.0


Ohio State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Washington (Massillon)1-047.4
2Anderson (Cincinnati)0-159.3
3Elder (Cincinnati)1-034.2
4BWHS (Columbus)1-024.6
5St. Edward (Lakewood)1-043.0
6Big Walnut (Sunbury)1-032.8
7Princeton (Cincinnati)1-047.1
8Avon1-037.8
9LWHS (West Chester)1-044.5
10Central Catholic (Toledo)1-00.0
11Glenville (Cleveland)0-157.3
12WJHS (Cuyahoga Falls)1-035.4
13Archbishop Hoban (Akron)0-140.2
14AMHS (Cincinnati)0-151.2
15OBHS (Delaware)1-041.9
16OOHS (Lewis Center)0-144.3
17St. Xavier (Cincinnati)0-151.7
18Lincoln (Gahanna)1-040.2
19PCHS (Pickerington)0-146.0
20Steubenville1-030.0
21UAHS (Columbus)1-029.9
22McKinley (Canton)1-029.0
23OLHS (Powell)0-151.3
24Mentor1-032.3
25PNHS (Pickerington)1-024.7
26Springfield1-036.6
27Lake (Uniontown)1-033.4
28CMHS (Youngstown)1-026.8
29Highland (Medina)0-150.0
30Hudson1-035.6
31AFHS (Youngstown)0-138.2
32SFDS (Columbus)1-032.1
33Ursuline (Youngstown)0-140.7
34Winton Woods (Cincinnati)0-139.6
35Wadsworth1-023.1
36St. Ignatius (Cleveland)0-147.2
37Badin (Hamilton)1-027.2
38Fairfield1-032.2
39Wayne (Huber Heights)0-135.5
40Middletown0-153.3
41Jackson (Massillon)1-028.5
42Olmsted Falls0-143.3
43TMHS (Trotwood)0-10.0
44LEHS (Liberty Township)1-028.5
45Springboro1-026.8
46La Salle (Cincinnati)1-020.2
47IVHS (Gnadenhutten)1-030.5
48Green (Uniontown)0-140.1
49AAHS (Kettering)1-032.7
50Fairmont (Kettering)0-136.9


Pennsylvania State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1SJP (Philadelphia)0-00.0
2LSCHS (Wyndmoor)0-00.0
3CCHS (Pittsburgh)0-00.0
4RCHS (Philadelphia)0-00.0
5Harrisburg0-00.0
6PTHS (McMurray)0-00.0
7Avonworth (Pittsburgh)0-00.0
8BMDHS (Harrisburg)0-00.0
9Easton Area (Easton)0-00.0
10Pine-Richland (Gibsonia)0-00.0
11MBAPC (CO-OP) (Drexel Hill)0-00.0
12DWHS (Downingtown)0-00.0
13North Allegheny (Wexford)0-00.0
14State College0-00.0
15IC (Philadelphia)0-00.0
16COHHS (Springfield)0-00.0
17North Penn (Lansdale)0-00.0
18Upper St. Clair0-00.0
19Aliquippa0-00.0
20Parkland (Allentown)0-00.0
21McKeesport0-00.0
22NL (New Tripoli)0-00.0
23Nazareth Area (Nazareth)0-00.0
24Central York (York)0-00.0
25Downingtown East (Exton)0-00.0
26Moon Area (Moon Township)0-00.0
27CBWHS (Doylestown)0-00.0
28SL (Center Valley)0-00.0
29Bethel Park0-00.0
30Coatesville0-00.0
31Hollidaysburg0-00.0
32Freedom (Bethlehem)0-00.0
33Springfield0-00.0
34TJHS (Jefferson Hills)0-00.0
35MTHS (Lancaster)0-00.0
36CVHS (Mechanicsburg)0-00.0
37WHHS (Pittsburgh)0-00.0
38Wyomissing0-00.0
39SCAHS (Catawissa)0-00.0
40BRHS (West Chester)0-00.0
41Liberty (Bethlehem)0-00.0
42Pennridge (Perkasie)0-00.0
43Twin Valley (Elverson)0-00.0
44CMMHS (Canonsburg)0-00.0
45Seneca Valley (Harmony)0-00.0
46Chester0-00.0
47ICA (Pittsburgh)0-00.0
48Clairton0-00.0
49Scranton Prep (Scranton)0-00.0
50Montour (McKees Rocks)0-00.0


Wisconsin State Rankings
# School Rec. Str. +/-
1Muskego1-037.8
2Arrowhead (Hartland)1-028.8
3Appleton North (Appleton)1-040.2
4Mukwonago0-138.6
5Hamilton (Sussex)1-036.7
6Bay Port (Green Bay)1-030.9
7Kimberly0-144.4
8NDA (Green Bay)1-038.0
9Neenah0-141.8
10West De Pere (De Pere)1-030.8
11Fond du Lac1-020.5
12Waunakee0-146.3
13Homestead (Mequon)1-031.5
14Oconomowoc1-019.2
15Racine Case (Racine)1-038.6
16Franklin0-140.7
17MHBHS (CO-OP) (Mount Horeb)1-036.4
18Grafton0-133.3
19Kaukauna1-014.1
20BEHS (Brookfield)0-138.1
21Verona1-020.8
22MU (Milwaukee)0-144.7
23Monona Grove (Monona)1-016.0
24Germantown0-139.5
25CMHS (Waukesha)1-014.2
26De Pere1-013.7
27Hudson1-013.8
28Badger (Lake Geneva)0-135.5
29KBHS (Kenosha)1-027.8
30Darlington1-018.6
31Slinger1-017.8
32Pewaukee1-014.1
33Stratford1-019.3
34Middleton0-144.9
35BWHS (Baldwin)1-014.2
36Northwestern (Maple)1-016.6
37Aquinas (La Crosse)1-022.1
38Mayville1-019.5
39New Richmond1-013.0
40Little Chute1-014.2
41Pulaski1-014.7
42Edgar1-015.7
43Marshfield1-023.8
44Stevens Point1-025.3
45Freedom1-018.0
46River Falls0-131.9
47Osceola1-026.3
48St. Joseph (Kenosha)1-017.7
49Columbus0-131.1
50West Salem1-018.7

Related Content