The Sporting News has released its High School Football Spring Top 25 rankings, with Buford [GA] at No. 3 as the defending national champions. IMG Academy [FL] and St. Frances Academy [MD] hold the top two spots.
Key points
Buford [GA] is ranked No. 3 in the Spring Top 25.
IMG Academy [FL] is ranked No. 1 and St. Frances Academy [MD] is No. 2.
The high school football season starts in about three months.
The beginning of another high school football season is only about three months away in the earliest states, and that means it's a good time to take a look at where things stand in the spring.
The Buford [GA] Wolves will enter the 2026 season as the defending Sporting News High School Football National Champions. As things stand right now, they're still riding high at No. 3 in The Sporting News High School Football Spring Top 25.
The only two teams ranked above them are two teams that were scheduled to play last November in a game that would have played a big role in determining the national champion. The IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders are absolutely loaded as always, and they're coming off an undefeated 9-0 season in which they were ranked No. 1 headed into that scheduled matchup with the No. 2 St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers.
Due to the national championship ramifications surrounding that game, the two schools initially agreed to postpone their contest until early December, when the state championships would be well underway across the country. Neither IMG Academy nor St. Frances Academy competes in the state associations in their respective states, and their early November contest would have come long before the state championships were decided in many states.
But then a bombshell came when top-ranked IMG Academy ultimately decided to cancel the contest altogether, leaving St. Frances Academy scrambling to arrange another postseason contest. Ultimately, they were invited to host the Overtime Nationals championship game, where .
Q&A
Who are the top teams in The Sporting News High School Football Spring Top 25?
The top teams are IMG Academy [FL] at No. 1, St. Frances Academy [MD] at No. 2, and Buford [GA] at No. 3.
What is the significance of the matchup between IMG Academy and St. Frances Academy?
The matchup was expected to be crucial in determining the national champion, as both teams were highly ranked.
When does the high school football season start in the earliest states?
The high school football season is set to begin in about three months in the earliest states.
What was Buford [GA]'s record last season?
Buford [GA] finished last season as the defending national champions, but the article does not specify their record.
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Top Losses: OT Keenyi Pope (USC), Jake Kreul (Oklahoma), IOL Breck Kolojay, S Zech Fort (Georgia), CB AJ Marks (Wake Forest), DL Cam McHaney (Indiana), ATH Lekhy Thompkins (Louisville), IOL Will Conroy (North Carolina), DL Cameron Brickle II (Maryland), IOL G'Nivre Carr (Florida), DL Preston Carey (Georgia), ATH Alex Ward (Colorado)
**Top Returnees:**EDGE Zyron Forstall, WR Eric McFarland III, WR Osani Gayles, CB Aaryn Washington, CB Censere Gaylord, WR Zion White, LB Amarri Irvin, S Larry Moon III, S Charles Roberts, LB Liufau Loumoli, DL Joseph Graves
IMG Academy will once again field a team as talented as any squad in the country, with 11 players ranked among Florida's Top 100 prospects heading into the 2026 season. The Ascenders are scheduled to take on Hawaii's St. Louis in a neutral site game in California early in the season, along with high-profile matchups against The St. James Academy of Virginia, The NFL Academy from England and The Hun School of New Jersey. If they can survive that gauntlet undefeated again, then they should be in the running once more for a shot at the national championship.
SN No. 2 St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers
2025 Record: 9-1 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 2
Top Losses: EDGE Zion Elee (Maryland), S Jireh Edwards (Alabama), S Khmari Bing (Ohio State), LB DQ Forkpa (North Carolina), CB Hakim Satterwhite (Maryland), TE Damon Hall (Maryland), IOL Ed Baker (Tennessee), ATH Jaylen Burrell (Central State), TE Destin Mitchell, WR Coen Logan (Temple), Maurice Medley (Syracuse)
**Top Returnees:**CB Raylaun Henry, EDGE Anthony Sweeney, ATH Carter Bonner, S Jernard Albright, RB Sa'Nir Brooks, S Elijah Butler, WR James Branch, DL Jayden Travers, DL Alexander Taylor, TE Michael Nanbuife, EDGE Jermaine Smith Jr., WR Brandon Jefferson, WR Samir Edwards, CB Christopher Griffin
Credit St. Frances Academy for not resting on its laurels and taking on the Corner Canyon [Draper, UT] Chargers in that Overtime Nationals Championship Game last December. That gave the Panthers a share of the national title, and they'll look to make another run at the title with their full schedule yet to be released. An early-season date against DeLand of Florida has been reported, and the Panthers' schedule generally gives them plenty of opportunities to make noise on the national scene.
SN No. 3 Buford [GA] Wolves
2025 Record: 15-0 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 1 (SN National Champions)
Top Losses: DL Bryce Perry-Wright (Texas A&M), ATH Tyriq Green (Georgia), EDGE Dre Quinn (Ohio State), IOL Graham Houston (Georgia), S Nascar McCoy (Ole Miss)
Buford opened their sparkling new $62 million Phillip Beard Stadium last fall, and last year's Wolves promptly delivered the school's first national title as a housewarming gift. Repeating won't be easy, but the Wolves will put a talented product on the field once again, including a defense that should be among the best in the entire Southeast. If they can survive Georgia's daunting GHSA Class 6A playoffs unscathed, then they could add another piece of hardware to their trophy case this fall.
SN No. 4 St. John Bosco [Bellflower, CA] Braves
2025 Record: 9-2 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 18
Top Losses: WR Madden Williams (Texas A&M), WR Daniel Odom (Oklahoma), CB Joshua Holland II (USC), EDGE Dutch Horisk (Oregon), WR Carson Clark (San Jose State)
**Top Returnees:**S Jailen Hill, S Isala Aisa Wily-Ava, S Dillon Davis, LB Ethan Coach, LB Josiah Poyer, LB Justin Coach, DL Kekoa Peko, CB Dorian Franklin, IOL Elisha Mueller, S Brandon Nash, EDGE Elijah Tuua, WR Darren Tubbs, EDGE Simote Tupou, QB Koa Malau'ulu
After a flashy 9-0 start that carried them into the No. 1 position in the SN Top 25, the Braves' season only lasted two more games. First, there was the loss to archrival Mater Dei in the regular-season finale. Then, on a rainy Friday night in Southern California, the Braves were ousted from California's Southern Section playoffs in one of the most shocking postseason results in Golden State history, in a loss to Orange Lutheran.
But the Braves will put a defense on the field that features eight of the Top 100 recruits in California, and that fact alone means this squad is probably the team to beat out west this fall.
SN No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Raiders
2025 Record: 14-1 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 4
Top Losses: CB Justice Fitzpatrick (Georgia), Daniel Norman (Oklahoma), IOL Dylan Steen
**Top Returnees:**OT Mark Matthews, EDGE Wyatt Smith, WR Julius Jones, S Zayden Gamble, CB Jaden Carey, QB James Perrone, S Samari Howard, RB Tyler Reid, WR Austin Coles
For the second straight season, the Raiders concluded their season with a shutout win over the Lakeland Dreadnaughts for Florida's FHSAA Class 5A state championship. It marks the Raiders' seventh consecutive Florida state title.
They are set to host DeSoto of Texas in the season opener in a game that will serve as a potential early eliminator in the 2026 national title race.
SN No. 6 Bishop Gorman [Las Vegas, NV] Gaels
2025 Record: 11-1 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 5
Top Losses: S Jett Washington (Oregon), EDGE Prince Williams (Arizona), WR Massiah Mingo (New Mexico), WR Kaina Watson (Utah State), QB Maika Eugenio (Hawaii), ATH Andreas Diaz-Nicolaidis (UNLV)
Bishop Gorman throttled the Arbor View Aggies in Nevada's Open Division state championship game. It wasn't enough to lift them into the national title conversation, but the Gaels are always in the national title mix thanks in part to their domination of the Silver State's prep ranks. And with early non-conference games against St. John Bosco and Mater Dei on the ledger, they'll have plenty of opportunities to make a splash in the national pool this fall.
SN No. 7 Centennial [Corona, CA] Huskies
2025 Record: 11-2 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 14
Top Losses: TE Keawe Browne (Boise State), LB JD McKinley (Cal), CB Therman Williams
**Top Returnees:**WR Quentin Hale, S Jaden Walk-Green, EDGE Miles Schirmer, RB Malaki Davis, CB Jordan Kirkpatrick
There was only one team Centennial couldn't beat in 2025, and unfortunately, they had to face them twice. In a season when the Huskies finally beat their nemesis Mater Dei in two contests, they also suffered two losses of their own to one team as Santa Margarita beat them, 33-27, in overtime on August 28 before blowing them out, 42-7, in the Southern Section championship at the Rose Bowl.
With Mater Dei still potentially a step behind and Santa Margarita losing some major pieces from its 2025 title team, the Huskies could be in prime pouncing position again if the frontrunners from St. John Bosco stumble again.
DeSoto won the Texas UIL Class 6A Division II state championship after rebounding from a rough 3-3 start that included a 70-28 loss at the eventual Georgia GHSA Class 4A champion Creekside Seminoles in the season opener on August 30.
Another tough early-season trek to the Southeast looms on this year's schedule as the Eagles will pay a visit to Florida's St. Thomas Aquinas. The winner of that will be firmly in the national title conversation, heading into district and regional play in their respective states.
SN No. 9 Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles
2025 Record: 11-3 2025 Final Ranking: No. 6
Top Losses: DL Simote Katoanga (USC), WR Trent Mosley (USC), CB Jayden Crowder (USC), S Logan Hirou (UCLA), Manoah Faupusa (Arizona), Niniva Nicholson (Arizona State), QB Trace Johnson
Top Returnees: DL Isaia Vandermade, CB Ca'ron Williams, LB Allen Kennett V, WR Grant Mosley, ATH West Stansbury
Santa Margarita ran roughshod over the previously undefeated De La Salle Spartans in December to win California's CIF Open Division state title in their first year under program alum Carson Palmer, a Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL All-Pro quarterback.
It marked the first time Santa Margarita has won a state championship in 14 years, dating back to 2011. Now, the challenge is matching last year's accomplishments without the Golden State's Player of the Year in Trent Mosley. There's plenty of talent still on hand, but whether it's enough to keep the Eagles at the top of California's pecking order remains to be seen.
Top Losses: WR Chris Henry Jr. (Ohio State), OT Kodi Greene (Washington), TE Mark Bowman (USC), WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (USC), Tomuhini Topui (USC)
**Top Returnees:**CB Danny Lang, DL Montana Toilolo, IOL Lex Mailangi, CB Patrick Hall, DL Matamatagi Uiagalelei, LB DJ Clanton, LB Mike Davis Jr., QB Cameron Pooley, LB Ezekiel Su'a, S Ace Leutele, S Troy Bishop, QB Russell Sedona
Mater Dei struggled through its first three-loss season in a decade, stumbling to an 8-3 record in 2025. On paper, this coming edition of the Monarchs will be lacking some of the star power that had carried it to the national championship in previous seasons, and the question is whether there are some hidden gems that emerge from the younger classes that will help them climb the throne again in 2026.
SN No. 11 Duncanville [TX] Panthers
2025 Record: 12-2 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 15
Top Losses: EDGE Landon Barnes (Ole Miss), EDGE KJ Ford (Florida)
Duncanville lost to the North Shore Mustangs in the Texas UIL Class 6A Division I state championship last game, a 10-7 setback that will haunt these Panthers throughout the offseason. It might also prove to be the kindling needed to fire another run at a state title in 2026.
SN No. 12 Baylor [Chattanooga, TN] Red Raiders
2025 Record: 12-0 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 20
Top Losses: OT Gabriel Osenda (Tennessee), QB Briggs Cherry, OT Charlie Edgeworth, CB Jamyan Theodore (Tennessee), S Kolby Barrett
**Top Returnees:**RB David Gabriel Georges, QB Keegan Croucher, TE Braxton Rein
Baylor heads into 2026 as Tennessee's defending TSSAA Division II-AAA state champions. David Gabriel George is a 5-star talent at running back, and the Red Raiders will go as far as his legs will carry them once again. The question is – can he carry them to a run at the national title this fall?
Carrollton made an incredible late run up the rankings to earn a shot at the national title against Buford. In the end, the Trojans came up a touchdown short, but hanging tough against the national champs earned them a national Top 10 finish. The talent is in place to potentially make another impact on the state and national scenes.
SN No. 14 Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers
2025 Record: 10-1 2025 Final Ranking: Unranked
Top Losses: EDGE Richard Wesley (Texas), CB Havon Finney Jr. (LSU), CB Brandon Lockhart (USC), CB Madden Riordan (USC), WR Tron Baker (USC), CB Trey Brown (Kansas), EDGE Mikhal Johnson (Harvard), RB Jerod Terry, ATH Demarcus Barnes (Eastern Washington)
**Top Returnees:**DL Kasi Currie, DL Markus Fakatou, S Myles Baker, RB Jaxsen Stokes, S Faruq Muhammad, IOL Tyson Seidman, IOL Lance Ciechanowski, WR Christian Butler, S Mykel Ramos
Sierra Canyon's perfect season came to an abrupt end last November in the opening round of California's CIF Southern Section playoffs in a 21-9 loss to the eventual state champion Santa Margarita Eagles. The Trailblazers lost a lot of major contributors from that 10-1 squad, but there's always a lot of talent on campus.
This feels like a season that could go either way for the Trailblazers, and an early-season trip to Florida to take on Chaminade-Madonna could help determine whether they can emerge as a serious title contender in both California and the national picture.
SN No. 15 Grayson [Loganville, GA] Rams
2025 Record: 13-1 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 8
Top Losses: QB Travis Burgess (North Carolina), LB Tyler Atkinson (Texas), OT Grayson McKeogh (Notre Dame)
Top Returnees: IOL Jordan Agbanoma, S Jalen Welch, IOL KD Jones, DL Waylon Wooten, TE Joey Hunter, LB Eli Harris, S London Goggans, CB Jett Watson, CB Rilee Drew, EDGE Elijah Tillman, EDGE Andre Coley, QB Deuce Smith
It was an admirable run for Grayson. After losing their 5-star QB Travis Burgess for the season last August, they turned the reins over to Smith, who guided the Rams all the way to Georgia's Class 6A quarterfinals. It ended there in a loss to Carrollton, and with it, Grayson lost its best chance yet to capture an elusive national title.
To add insult to injury, the Rams had to stomach the sight of watching nearby Buford claim the state and national championship crowns instead. They lost some major pieces on both offense and defense, but Smith is back to provide a steady hand on offense as the Rams regroup for another run.
SN No. 16 Basha [Chandler, AZ] Bears
2025 Record: 12-1 2025 Final Ranking: Unranked
Top Losses: S Mason Lewis (Vanderbilt), LB Eli Cramer-Cronin (New Mexico), Dante Bruley (Wyoming), WR Kash Brock (Wisconsin), CB Xavier Rivera-Rogers (New Mexico), QB Broderick Veers (Oklahoma State)
Basha was Arizona's Open Division state champions last year, emerging from a trio of contenders in Chandler, which has emerged as one of the top cities for high school football in the country. They should be right in the mix for Arizona's top title again, and if they can survive an early-season trip to California's Orange Lutheran unscathed, they could potentially make a run at the national Top 10.
SN No. 17 East St. Louis [IL] Flyers
2025 Record: 9-4 2025 Final Ranking: Unranked
Top Losses: WR Kortez Rupert (Indiana), OT Terrell Berryhill Jr. (Purdue), TE Armaad Sharp (Eastern Michigan), Mytrell Tillman (Grambling State), LB Leon Howard Jr. (Central Michigan), EDGE Cornell McIntosh (Lindenwood)
**Top Returnees:**RB Myson Johnson-Cook, CB Raheem Floyd, WR Ronnie Gomiller, WR Laron Baker Jr., S Jabarri Lofton, ATH Jahmori Ware
East St. Louis stumbled out of the gate to an 0-2 record on the road against nationally-ranked opponents in Bergen Catholic and Bishop Gorman in 2025. That was enough to remove the Flyers from the national title picture before the season was even barely underway, but they've got a solid nucleus of talent returning to fuel another run. They'll have to survive another brutal early-season schedule with games against Chicago's Mt. Carmel, American Heritage of Florida, and Gainesville of Georgia.
SN No. 18 Edna Karr [New Orleans, LA] Cougars
2025 Record: 14-0 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 11
Top Losses: DL Richard Anderson (LSU), S Aiden Hall (LSU), Hayward Howard Jr. (Texas), Leon Noil Jr. (Mississippi State), WR Xavier Owens (Fresno State), ATH John Johnson III (West Virginia), RB Tre Garrison (Oregon State), CB Toe Sanders (Iowa State), CB Mojo Williams Jr. (Colorado), WR Greg Wilfred (West Virginia)
**Top Returnees:**EDGE Juelz Batiste, OT Zyion Wesley
After Edna Karr's hard-fought 17-10 win over the Catholic [Baton Rouge, LA] Bears in Louisiana's LHSAA semifinals, their blowout win in the state championship game over St. Augustine felt anticlimactic – more like the after party following the main event with the Purple Knights being unwelcome guests who were asked to leave. The Cougars will enter 2026 having gone wire to wire in back-to-back years, adding up to a 28-game win streak in Louisiana's top division.
SN No. 19 Chaminade-Madonna [Hollywood, FL] Lions
2025 Record: 11-3 2025 Final Ranking: Unranked
Top Losses: RB Derrek Cooper (Texas), WR Jasen Lopez (Florida State)
**Top Returnees:**WR Ah-Mari Stevens, S Angelo Smith, S John Gay, RB Amos Bradford, WR Tromon Isaac Jr., WR Armani Strong, TE Peter Pierre, EDGE Alexander Beltran, DL Ron'Christopher Gonzales, QB Brady Quinn
Chaminade-Madonna's season ended on a sour note in a 17-14 loss to Cardinal Newman in Florida's FHSAA Class 1A state championship game. A talented group of Lions returns to lead the way forward, and they'll get an opportunity in Week 2 to make a major statement against California's Sierra Canyon.
Top Losses: S Easton Jointer (Maryland), K Tommy Bauchiero (Rice)
**Top Returnees:**WR Kesean Bowman (Tennessee), LB Kenneth Simon II, OT Li'Marcus Jones, CB Romel Koon, OT Rance Brown, TE Judah Lancaster, WR Eli Ferguson, QB Crews Jenkins, S Braylen Bedford
Brentwood Academy lost to Baylor in Tennessee's TSSAA Division II-AAA state championship game, but the Eagles are loaded with talent again if they try to unseat their rivals from Chattanooga.
SN No. 21 DeMatha [Hyattsville, MD] Stags
2025 Record: 11-0 2025 Final Ranking: SN No. 9
Top Losses: S Darrell Carey (Maryland), IOL Zion Smith (North Carolina), WR Lavar Keys (Indiana), WR Joshua Parker (Coastal Carolina), EDGE Jordan Stevens (Coastal Carolina)
**Top Returnees:**EDGE James Pace III, DL Sean Saint Fleur, S Knyair Crumb, RB Terrance Grant Jr.
DeMatha captured the WCAC championship in a hard-fought win over the Gonzaga Eagles, enough to lift them into a national Top 10 finish. Getting back to that position won't be easy, but there are some key pieces still around to give the Stags a fighting chance.
SN No. 22 Don Bosco Prep [Ramsey, NJ] Ironmen
2025 Record: 11-1 2025 Final Ranking: Unranked
Top Losses: LB Matthew Occhipinti (UCF), IOL Rhett Morris (West Virginia), DL Robert Ekins (UMass)
**Top Returnees:**EDGE Aidan O'Neil, LB Mikahi Allen, WR Isaiah Alvarez, TE JT Geraci, QB Carson Schoen
Don Bosco Prep fell to St. Joseph Regional in New Jersey's NJSIAA Non-Public A state title game last fall, but the Ironmen probably still have the most talented team in the Garden State headed into the upcoming season. Now, they have to go prove it on the gridiron.
He's carried the Lions to back-to-back state title game appearances, and they'll be looking to avenge their loss to South Oak Cliff in last year's title tilt while trying to climb the national rankings as well.
SN No. 24 Bixby [OK] Spartans
2025 Record: 13-0 Last Week: SN No. 19
Top Losses: S Emory Snyder (West Virginia), LB Cord Nolan (Texas Tech), S Braeden Presley (Oklahoma State), LB Trey McGlothlin (West Virginia), S Tyler Wright (Kentucky), RB Jayson Moll (UAB)
**Top Returnees:**IOL Kaeden Penny, LB Cain Brackney, TE Connor Arant
Oklahoma's defending OSSAA Class 6A Division I champions will take the field having won eight straight state championships and 11 in 12 years. It's a historic run for the Sooner State's top program, and there's no reason to expect that these Spartans won't be competing for yet another trophy in 2026.
SN No. 25 South Oak Cliff [Dallas, TX] Bears
2025 Record: 15-1 Last Week: SN No. 17
Top Losses: OT Cortavious Tisaby (Arizona State), DL Kordae Houston (Syracuse), CB Marcell Gipson Jr. (Clemson), LB Jamarion Phillips (Baylor)
**Top Returnees:**OT Brian Swanson, DL Jaderian Jones, S Isaiah Udom, S Jyrion Hampton
South Oak Cliff won its third state title in five years, and the Bears have played in the state championship game every season during their run. It's a historic run, and their ability to beat Randle despite having to go up against SN's Offensive Player of the Year in Landen Williams-Callis helped these Bears cement their legacy as one of the Lone Star State's great football dynasties.
The question now is, can they extend it another year?
