California High School Football Games of the Week: September 5-7
The first two weeks of the 2024 high school football season in California have delivered, and another impressive docket of games are on tap this week.
Headlined by gigantic out-of-state clashes for No. 1 Mater Dei and No. 5 Orange Lutheran, as well as a top-10 in-state matchup, there’s plenty to look ahead to in the coming days.
Below are the key matchups to watch across the state this weekend.
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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Bishop Gorman (Nev.) vs. #1 Mater Dei (Calif.) — Friday, Sept. 6
Previous Meeting: Mater Dei 24, Bishop Gorman 21 (2022)
Santa Ana Stadium is set to host perhaps the nation’s biggest regular season game of 2024 on Friday night when Bishop Gorman heads to Mater Dei in a clash of two juggernauts out West. The game will feature 29 prospects ranked three stars or higher. Gorman (2-0) already has wins over the No. 2 team in Hawaii and the No. 3 team in Florida. Mater Dei (1-0) looked the part in its season-opening win and has won all three previous meetings against the Gaels. The On3 Massey Ratings heavily favors the home team, but Gorman possesses the roster to hang with the Monarchs. Kickoff is set for 10 p.m. ET.
St. Frances Academy (Md.) vs. #5 Orange Lutheran (Calif.) — Friday, Sept. 6
Previous Meeting: N/A
St. Frances Academy is keen on playing a tough schedule, and a particularly challenging stretch of games begins this week with a trip across the country from Baltimore to California to take on Orange Lutheran, the No. 5 team in the Golden State. The No. 14 Panthers (2-0) have taken care of business thus far behind an impressive defense, led by junior five-star EDGE Zion Elee. Lutheran (2-0) is led by Nebraska four-star QB commit TJ Lateef and is coming off a 31-point win on the road last week. A classic East vs. West showdown is on the cards in Orange County.
#7 Junipero Serra San Mateo vs. #11 De La Salle — Friday, Sept. 6
Previous Meeting: Junipero Serra 28, De La Salle 0 (2023)
Junipero Serra (1-0) had to wait an extra week before opening its season, but the Padres came through with a major 22-21 ranked win on the road over Folsom. Another tough test away from home is right around the corner, as Serra heads to Concord to take on De La Salle (1-0). The Spartans rolled to a 28-point win last week. Both teams will carry top-10 defenses in the state to the field on Friday. De La Salle is given a 62% win probability by the On3 Massey Ratings.
#20 Clovis North vs. #4 J Serra Catholic — Friday, Sept. 6
Previous Meeting: Clovis North 23, J Serra Catholic 7 (2023)
J Serra Catholic (2-0) made a big splash to open its 2024 season by crushing top-10 Sierra Canyon 35-7. The Lions then went on the road and defeated Aquinas by the same score. With expectations rising in San Juan Capistrano, Serra will welcome another elite defense in Clovis North (2-0) this week. The Broncos have allowed just six points in its pair of victories, though Serra provides a much taller task than either of its predecessors. The Lions are predicted to win 42-14 by the On3 Massey Ratings.
#2 St. John Bosco vs. #9 Sierra Canyon — Saturday, Sept. 7
Previous Meeting: St. John Bosco 42, Sierra Canyon 21 (2020)
After surviving its season-opener in Florida, St. John Bosco (2-0) returned home last week and proceeded to lay the wood on El Paso Eastwood, winning 71-14. The Braves, per usual, posses one of the best offenses and defenses in the state. After losing on the road to J Serra Catholic, Sierra Canyon (2-1) responded with a 25-point win over No. 16 Oaks Christian last week. USC athlete commit Madden Riordan already has five interceptions this season. Despite being the home team, the On3 Massey Ratings give Sierra Canyon just an 8% win probability for this Saturday.