Arizona High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams - August 26

The 2024 high school football season will begin in the state of Arizona this week.

According to the On3 Massey Ratings state top 25, seven ranked matchups — headlined by No. 3 Centennial vs. No. 4 Hamilton — will help begin the Grand Canyon State festivities with a bang.

Below are the updated top 25 programs in Arizona heading into the first week of the season.

The On3 Massey Ratings — which were officially used during the BCS era and have generated college high school sports team rankings since 1995 — rank sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory.

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1. Liberty

Currently the No. 15 program in the nation, Liberty won a state title last season and has lost just five games across the past three years entering 2024. While not loaded when it comes to nationally-ranked prospects, the Lions will be a major force and the favorite to repeat atop the mountain this fall. They open on the road in Goodyear at No. 18 Desert Edge this week.

2. Chandler

Not too far behind Liberty, Chandler enters the week ranked No. 39 nationally. The Wolves will open with Cesar Chavez on Aug. 29 before facing the likes of Mountain Ridge, Highland, Liberty, Casteel, Basha and Hamilton. The Wolves lose a handful of Power 4 caliber players from last season: Illinois RB Ca’lil Valentine, Notre Dame DB Kennedy Urlacher and Utah CB Sammie Hunter.

3. Centennial

Centennial made it to the 2023 Open Division state championship game before falling to Liberty, capping an 11-2 season for the Coyotes. Centennial will get a shot at revenge against Liberty in the final game of the season on Nov. 8. First up is a top-five clash on the road at No. 4 Hamilton on Friday — the No. 1 opening game to watch in the Grand Canyon State this week.

4. Hamilton

The Huskies will host Centennial as they look to make a major statement to kick off the season. Liberty dropped Hamilton in the first round of the Open playoffs last year after a 7-3 regular season. A tough two-game stretch against Desert Ridge and Boulder Creek awaits after the top-five matchup this week.

5. Basha

Basha put together an impressive 10-2 season in 2023, falling to Centennial in the state semifinals. The Bears will host the No. 2 squad in Nebraska for the first game of the season — Omaha Millard South. They will also go on the road to Mission Viejo (Calif.) on Sept. 20, the Diablos being the No. 14 team in the nation. Basha will have to make a replacement at the quarterback position in 2024 after losing Demond Williams Jr. to Washington at the next level.

6. Saguaro

Scottsdale Saguaro will begin its 2024 season at home this Thursday, welcoming No. 11 American Leadership Academy in from Queen Creek for an early ranked bout. A 9-5 season ended with an Arizona 6A state title for Saguaro a year ago, beating Red Mountain 40-20 in the final game.

7. Highland

Highland made it to the Open Division semifinals before a 54-12 loss ended the Hawks’ 9-3 season. They’ll open the season at home against Shadow Ridge on Friday evening, while games against the likes of Centennial, Chandler, Red Mountain, Williams Field and American Leadership Academy are also on the docket this season.

8. Phoenix Pinnacle

A 7-5 season a year ago ended in heartbreaking fashion for Pinnacle with a 27-24 overtime loss in the postseason to Red Mountain. The Pioneers will kick off 2024 against Albuquerque (N.M.) La Cueva before playing against American Leadership, Chaparral, Liberty, Sandra Day O’Connor, Centennial and Saguaro.

9. Brophy

The theme of the 2023 postseason in Arizona 6A, Brophy also took Red Mountain to overtime before losing 36-35 in the state semifinals. The Broncos have a loaded roster in 2024 to try to get over that hump with Power 4 talent like Wisconsin four-star IOL commit Logan Powell, Notre Dame cornerback pledge Cree Thomas, Kansas State DB commit Dominic Mitchell and Kansas IOL commit Anderson Kopp in the senior class. The Broncos will open the season against No. 13 Williams Field this week.

10. Higley

The Arizona 5A state championship belonged to Higley in 2023 as the Knights finished with a 13-2 record. Games against Desert Edge, American Leadership Academy, Horizon, Desert Mountain and Williams Field litter the Knights’ schedule in 2024 after they begin with a road trip to Campo Verde. Leading the way for Higley this season will be Arizona quarterback commit Luke Haugo.

Teams 11-25 in Arizona High School Football Rankings

11. American Leadership Academy
12. Red Mountain
13. Williams Field
14. Salpointe Catholic
15. Horizon

16. Casteel
17. Sandra Day O’connor
18. Desert Edge
19. Perry
20. Chaparral

21. Queen Creek
22. Mesa Mountain View
23. Desert Mountain
24. Desert Ridge
25. Boulder Creek