High school football: Top 10 games of the 2024 season

No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup set for Sept. 6 when Mater Dei hosts Bishop Gorman.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Zack Poff
By
Aug 9, 2024, 10:00am
The 2024 high school football season is loaded with some big-time matchups but none are bigger than No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) hosting No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) on Sept. 6 at Santa Ana Stadium. If the two prep superpowers are still undefeated when they take the field, it will be the 14th time since 2000 that No. 1 vs. No. 2 square off.

The last one came in 2022 when St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) beat Mater Dei 24-22 in the Southern Section Division 1 championship game. That was the sixth time No. 2 took down No. 1 since 2000.

It wouldn't be the first time Mater Dei and Bishop Gorman have met as the top two teams in the MaxPreps Top 25. J.T. Daniels and Bru McCoy led the Southern California school to a 35-21 win in 2017, snapping Gorman's 55-game win streak.

In addition to the showdown against Bishop Gorman, Mater Dei is involved in two other monster matchups this fall. The Monarchs face archrival St. John Bosco in late October and open the season against No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) on Aug. 22.

Bishop Gorman also takes on No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in the Broward County National Showcase, which will also feature No. 4 St. John Bosco facing No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.).

No. 7 Duncanville (Texas) at No. 5 DeSoto (Texas) is the only matchup that includes two teams from the Lone Star State and is our No. 3 game of the 2024 season. Both are back-to-back state champs. Duncanville is 29-1 over the last two years with the only loss coming against DeSoto last season, 49-35.

See the complete list below.
After leading Bishop Gorman to a national championship in 2023, head coach Brent Browner leads his Gaels against defending state champions from Hawaii, Florida and California to begin the 2024 campaign. (Photo: Jann Hendry)
After leading Bishop Gorman to a national championship in 2023, head coach Brent Browner leads his Gaels against defending state champions from Hawaii, Florida and California to begin the 2024 campaign. (Photo: Jann Hendry)
Top 10 games of the 2024 season

When: Sept. 6
Where: Santa Ana Stadium

2. No. 4 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at No. 1 Mater Dei
When: Oct. 25
Where: Santa Ana Stadium

When: Oct. 11
Where: Eagle Stadium

4. No. 2 Bishop Gorman at No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
When: Aug. 24
Where: Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium

5. No. 4 St. John Bosco vs. No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)
When: Aug. 24
Where: Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium

When: Nov. 1
Where: TBA

7. No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) at No. 1 Mater Dei
When: Aug. 22
Where: Santa Ana Stadium

8. No. 14 St. Frances Academy at No. 7 Duncanville
When: Sept. 14
Where: Panther Stadium

9. No. 3 IMG Academy vs. No. 19 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
When: Aug. 29
Where: Ocean City High School

10. No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna
When: Oct. 11
Where: Vince Zappone Field

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