Video: We break down the new Top 25 rankingsDrama has already begun in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, as No. 17 Northwestern was stunned by South Pointe, 30-23, becoming the first Top 25 team to go down.
And even though it was technically a preseason game, No. 11 American Heritage lost handily to a very good Booker T. Washington (Miami) team. Up next for Booker T. Washington is a date with the No. 1 team in the country - St. Thomas Aquinas.
Only five of the Top 25 teams played this weekend, but by this time next week all 25 teams will have been in action, including five matchups featuring Top 25 teams alone.
And, speaking of next week, it could arguably be the best weekend of high school football ever. No. 3 Bishop Gorman puts its 39-game winning streak on the line when it travels to Texas to play No. 5 Cedar Hill in one of the biggest games of 2016.
Georgia power Grayson, the No. 2 team, hosts No. 4 IMG Academy. The Ascenders looked shaky in the first half in their preseason contest against Carol City, but they outscored the Chiefs 17-0 in the second half, pulling out a 17-7 win.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
New entrant Booker T. Washington will face St. Thomas Aquinas this week in a rematch from last year.
File photo by Ivan Sebborn
Opener: at No. 19 Booker T. Washington (Miami), Friday
2. (2) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)Opener: vs. No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla), Saturday
3. (3) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)Opener: at No. 5 Cedar Hill (Texas), Saturday
4. (4) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)Opener: at No. 2 Grayson (Loganville, Ga), Saturday
5. (5) Cedar Hill (Texas)Opener: vs. No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Saturday
6. (6) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)Opener: at Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.), Friday
7. (7) Roswell (Ga.)Four-star safety
Xavier McKinney returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and the Hornets never looked back, beating Buford 24-7 in the Corky Kell Classic.
8. (8) DeSoto (Texas)Opener: vs. Dallas Jesuit (Dallas), Friday
9. (9) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)Opener: vs. St. Xavier (Cincinnati), Saturday
10. (10) Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)North Carolina won the battle of the carolinas, as Mallard Creek snapped Dillon's 37-game winning streak with a 7-3 win. The Mavericks showed they have one of the best defenses in the country.
11. (12) Steele (Cibolo, Texas)Opener: at Madison (San Antonio), Saturday
12. (13) Katy (Texas)Opener: at No. 25 Westlake (Austin, Texas), Friday
13. (14) Colerain (Cincinnati)Opener: vs. Warren Central (Indianapolis, IN), Saturday
14. (15) Central Catholic (Pittsburgh)Opener: vs. St. John's (Washington, D.C.), Saturday
15. (16) Central (Miami)Opener: at East Ridge (Clermont, Fla.), Friday
16. (18) Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.)Opener: at Cocoa (Fla.), Sunday
17. (19) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)Opener: at Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), Friday
18. (20) Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)Opener: vs. Judson (Converse, Texas), Friday
19. (NR) Booker T. Washington (Miami)Opener: vs. No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Saturday
20. (21) Centennial (Corona, Calif.)Opener: vs. Chandler (Ariz.), Saturday
21. (22) Cass Tech (Detroit)Opener: vs. Oak Park (Mich.), Saturday
22. (23) Mountain Pointe (Phoenix)After trailing 6-0 in the first quarter, Mountain Pointe erupted for 51 unanswered points and junior running back
Gary Bragg led the way rushing for 202 yards and three scores in a 51-6 win over O'Connor (Phoenix).
23. (24) Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)Opener: vs. No. 24 Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Saturday
24. (25) Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.)The Sabercats entered halftime trailing 20-14 but they dominated the final 24 minutes, outscoring Serra (Gardena, Calif.) 21-0 to cruise to a 35-20 win. Things don't get any easier for the Arizona power as it locks horns with No. 23 Valor Christian this weekend.
25. (NR) Westlake (Austin, Texas)Opener: vs. No. 12 Katy (Texas), Friday
Bubble Teams
American Heritage will seek to get back into the Xcellent 25.
Photo by Randy Sartin
Technically they don't have a record to show, but losing to Booker T. Washington in a preseason contest by 20 is a big deal. They will have a chance to prove themselves this weekend against Georgia power Colquitt County, which just saw its 30-game winning streak come to an end against Mill Creek.
De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)There has been a lot of talk about the De La Salle Spartans not being in the majority of every major high school football poll, but they are barely on the outside looking in and they get things started against Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.) on Friday.
McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.)The reigning 7A state champions dominated a very good Spanish Fort team in their opener, yielding 168 total yards in an impressive 24-3 win. Up next for the Yellowjackets is a matchup against rival Davidson this Friday.
St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)The Green Knights enter 2016 as the No. 1 team in all of New Jersey in the MaxPreps National Football Computer Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, but they have to wait longer than most because they don't begin until the first weekend of September against SoCal power Serra (Gardena).
Allen (Texas)The Terry Gambill era officially begins this weekend for the Eagles as they host Alabama power Hoover on Friday night.
