Alabama High School Football Rankings: Preseason Top 25 teams

Over the last few years, Alabama has cemented itself as one of the top states for high school football talent in America. That will be no different this year.

The On3 Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory. According to the model — four teams from Alabama rank inside the nationwide top 100.

Alabaster Thompson and Phenix City Central headline the year in the Yellowhammer State fresh off of appearances in the 7A state title game. Below are the top 25 programs in Alabama heading into the 2024 season.

1. Alabaster Thompson

Thompson made it all the way to the Alabama 7A state championship game last season before falling to Phenix City Central 21-19. The Warriors will look to make it back to the title game this year, and that chase begins against Loganville (Ga.) Grayson, the nation’s No. 38 squad. The Warriors will also face Birmingham Vestavia Hills, Pinson Clay-Chalkville, Hewitt-Trussville, Tuscaloosa Hillcrest and Hoover in 2024. Thompson’s 17th-ranked team is led by Auburn top-50 EDGE commit Jared Smith and fellow Tigers top-100 commit Anquon Fegans.

2. Phenix City Central

The No. 27 team in the nation entering 2024, Phenix City Central capped a perfect 13-0 season with a 7A championship game win over Alabaster Thompson. The Red Devils will kick off 2024 on Aug. 23 against Pinson Valley with a schedule that also includes Dothan, Enterprise, IMG Academy, Auburn and Opelika. Two Power 4 commits lead Central’s senior class in Miami four-star wide receiver commit Daylyn Upshaw and Alabama IOL pledge Mal Waldrep. The Devils do lose Auburn WR Cam Coleman, Alabama DB Red Morgan and Alabama DL Isaia Faga from last season’s title team.

3. Saraland

Another top-100 program nationwide, Saraland will look to finish what it started in 2023. The Spartans started 14-0 before dropping the 6A state championship to Pinson Clay-Chalkville. Spanish Fort, Montgomery Catholic and Theodore all lay in Saraland’s path this season. The Spartans’ senior class is absolutely loaded with the likes of Texas four-star quarterback commit K.J. Lacey, Auburn four-star DL pledge Antonio Coleman and Ole Miss four-star WR commit Dillon Alfred.

4. Birmingham Vestavia Hills

Vestavia Hills finished 2023 9-3 overall with a quarterfinal loss to Alabaster Thompson. This year, the Rebels will open on the road at Montgomery Carver on Aug. 23. The rest of Vestavia Hills’ schedule includes Auburn, Hewitt-Trussville, Tuscaloosa Hillcrest, Hoover, Pinson Clay-Chalkville and a rematch with Thompson. The Rebels do lose a key piece of last year’s defense in Tennessee EDGE and former five-star prospect Jordan Ross.

5. Hewitt-Trussville

Hewitt-Trussville’s 2023 campaign also came to a close against Alabaster Thompson, and the Huskies will have a shot at revenge on Oct. 4. The season opens against Montgomery JAG with additional games against Birmingham Vestavia Hills, Hoover and Tuscaloosa Hillcrest. Four-star cornerback Michael Igbinoghene headlines the Huskies’ senior class.

6. Pinson Clay-Chalkville

It was a perfect 14-0 season in 2023 for the Cougars, culminating in a 6A state championship win over Saraland. Heuytown is first up for Clay-Chalkville in 2024 on a schedule that features Birmingham Ramsay, Alabaster Thompson, Birmingham Mountain Brook and Birmingham Vestavia Hills. The Cougars lose a lot of top talent from the 2023 squad, including Alabama cornerback Jaylen Mbakwe, Oregon OT Jac’Qawn McRoy, Mississippi State WR Mario Craver, Auburn LB D’Angelo Barber and Arkansas CB Tevis Metcalf.

7. Auburn

The Auburn Tigers lost in the state playoffs to Phenix City Central to finish a 9-3 overall season. This year, the Tigers will start at home against North Miami Beach (Fla.), following up with games against Birmingham Vestavia Hills, Opelika, Enterprise, Dothan and Central.

8. Hoover

Hoover went 5-7 in 2023, ending with a 40-7 postseason loss to Hewitt-Trussville. The Buccaneers will look to improve upon that mark in 2024 with games against Birmingham Spain Park, Tuscaloosa Hillcrest, Hewitt-Trussville, Alabaster Thompson and Birmingham Vestavia Hills. The Bucs’ junior class includes talent like wide receiver Jonah Winston, and quarterback Noah Schuback.

9. Enterprise

The Wildcats ended their 2023 season with a 9-3 mark and a 13-10 postseason loss to Semmes Mary G. Montgomery. Pike Road, Dothan, Auburn, Phenix City Central and Opelika will constitute tough opposition for Enterprise in 2024. This senior class is loaded with Power 4 talent — top-75 defensive back Eric Winters is committed to Auburn, four-star EDGE Zion Grady is pledged to Ohio State and cornerback Andrew Purcell is committed to Kentucky.

10. Tuscaloosa Hillcrest

Hillcrest won 12 straight before it fell to Saraland in the 6A quarterfinal game last season. The Patriots will open the year against Florence before facing Hoover, Birmingham Vestavia Hills, Hewitt-Trussville and Alabaster Thompson. Hillcrest does lose a Power 4 member of its defense from a year ago in Ole Miss safety Travaris Banks.

11. Birmingham Mountain Brook
12. Dothan
13. Theodore
14. Opelika
15. Birmingham Spain Park

16. Birmingham Ramsay
17. Semmes Mary G. Montgomery
18. Montgomery Catholic
19. Muscle Shoals
20. Spanish Fort

21. Hueytown
22. Gulf Shores
23. Mobile Baker
24. Oxford
25. Pike Road