High school football rankings: Texas powerhouse Carthage is the early No. 1 in Small Town Top 25

Lone Star State teams account for nearly half of the teams represented in the rankings.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Kevin Askeland
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Sep 17, 2025, 10:00am
The team that finished on top of the Small Town Top 25 high school football rankings in 2024 is back in the same position after starting the season at No. 2.

Carthage (Texas) is off to a 2-0 start and has a rating of 48.2 according to the MaxPreps computer algorithm, putting it nearly five points ahead of No. 2 Brock (Texas). The Bulldogs began the season ranked behind preseason No. 1 Jackson (Ala.), which dropped to No. 3 in this month's rankings after losing its opener to Saraland 17-6.

Saraland's 4-0 record has helped keep Jackson high in this month's rankings as have three straight wins by a 31-point average margin.
Carthage takes the field for its season opener against Kilgore. Being on top is nothing new for the Bulldogs, who are 143-10 since 2014 and have won 10 state titles since 2008. (PHOTO: Wayne Grubbs)
Carthage takes the field for its season opener against Kilgore. Being on top is nothing new for the Bulldogs, who are 143-10 since 2014 and have won 10 state titles since 2008. (PHOTO: Wayne Grubbs)
Carthage opened its season with a 21-10 win over Kilgore, which defeated the Bulldogs in their season opener last year. Carthage won the next 15 games last year to finish No. 1 in the Small Town Top 25.

Brock moved up from No. 8 in the preseason rankings to No. 2 this month after three lopsided wins. The Eagles are averaging over 58 points per game. Wahoo (Neb.) jumped from No. 15 to No. 4, outscoring three opponents 132-7.

Aliquippa (Pa.) is the highest debuting team, jumping in at No. 9 after not being ranked in the preseason. The Quips have a loss to Avonworth (Pittsburgh), but had a big win over Belle Vernon in their season opener.

To qualify for the Small Town Top 25, schools must have an enrollment of less than 1,000 students in a town with a population under 10,000.
  
Small Town Top 25
Rank. (Preseason Ranking) School, Record, Rating
1. (Preseason No. 2) Carthage (Texas), 2-0, 48.2
2. (8) Brock (Texas) 3-0, 43.6
3. (1) Jackson (Ala.), 3-1, 43.1
4. (15) Wahoo (Neb.), 3-0, 41.8
5. (3) Louisville (Miss.), 2-1, 40.6
6. (4) Gunter (Texas), 2-1, 39.8
7. (7) Grundy Center (Iowa), 3-0, 38.9
8. (11) Hawthorne (Fla.), 3-1, 38.3
9. (6) Franklin (Texas), 1-1, 38.0
10. (NR) Aliquippa (Pa.), 2-1, 37.7
11. (NR) Tuttle (Okla.), 3-0, 37.0
12. (NR) Thomasville (Ga.), 3-1, 36.9
13. (13) Bellville (Texas), 2-1, 36.8
14. (NR) Columbia (Miss.), 3-0, 36.6
15. (16) Kirtland (Ohio), 4-0, 36.2
16. (21) Cuero (Texas), 3-0, 36.1
17. (12) Gilmer (Texas), 1-2, 35.9
18. (9) Marion Local (Ohio), 4-0, 35.8
19. (17) Liberty Center (Ohio), 4-0, 35.5
20. (NR) West Lyon (Iowa), 3-0, 33.5
21. (10) Columbus (Texas), 1-2, 33.4
22. (5) Malakoff (Texas), 1-2, 33.2
23. (24) Noxubee County (Macon, Miss.), 2-1, 32.7
24. (NR) Wall (Texas), 3-0, 32.4
25. (NR) Refugio (Texas), 3-0, 31.5

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