Five interstate high school games we can't wait to watch in 2025

The 2025 high school football season is set to feature several highly-anticipated interstate matchups, pitting teams from different parts of the country against each other with state and regional bragging rights at stake. We looked at hundreds of interstate games on the schedule and these five in particular, listed in chronological order, stand out as must-watch events:

IMG Academy (Fla.) at Hoover (Ala.) – Aug. 22

Yes, we have already predicted that Hoover will emerge victorious in this game, but let’s dive into what makes this such an exciting contest.

Folks might remember last year when IMG Academy opened up the season on the road with a loss to Corner Canyon (Utah). It’s a new year and a new team, but playing in front of a raucous crowd at Hoover’s Metropolitan Stadium, known by locals as ‘The Met,’ will be no easy task for the Ascenders. This is especially true since projected first-year starting quarterback Jayden Wade will face off against a very experienced Hoover defense looking to take advantage of his inexperience.

There’s really a lot to like about this game and plenty of ingredients to make this a memorable one.

Mater Dei (Calif.) at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) – Aug. 23

This game could be an early Game of the Year candidate as fans from coast-to-coast have been looking forward to this one since it was first announced in March.

Monarchs versus Raiders. Two private school powers from opposite sides of the country at the Broward County Classic High School Football Showcase. It doesn’t get much better than this.

When it comes to high school football, both programs are the standard in their respective states. Mater Dei has earned mythical national champion honors several times over the last decade while St. Thomas Aquinas has 17 state championships displayed in its trophy case.

If either team wants to be in the conversation for best team in the country come mid-December, winning this game right out of the gates will go a long way in making their case. Until then, we are just counting down the days until these two legendary programs meet in Fort Lauderdale.

East St. Louis (Ill.) vs. Bergen Catholic (N.J.) – Aug. 28

The week after the Broward County Classic High School Football Showcase, another collection of high-profile games takes place on the East Coast. Albeit a tad bit to the north. Okay, actually way further up the coastline along the Atlantic seawall.

The Battle at the Beach Classic takes place at Carey Stadium in Ocean City, N.J. and the event will be headlined by two national giants in East St. Louis and Bergen Catholic going head-to-head. What has arguably become the second-most popular high school football classic in the country, programs like IMG Academy and Winslow Township will also be making their way to the boardwalk. Maybe Bill Belichick will even show up again.

Looking at the contest between the Flyers and Crusaders, both teams are coming off state championship seasons and coming away victorious in a game like this will help bolster their national credentials. We’re really looking forward to this interstate game.

Parker (Ala.) at Carrollton (Ga.) – Sept. 13

When these two teams faced off last season, Julian Lewis was dealing and helped lead Carrollton to a 48-26 win over Parker. Now Lewis is in Boulder preparing for his first season at Colorado, and the Thundering Herd will have the advantage in quarterback experience with the return of Dylan Reese.

Experience is great, but talent often wins out, and both of these teams have talent to spare. The Trojans’ roster features multiple Georgia Bulldog commitments in athlete Ryan Mosley and offensive lineman Zykie Helton, plus several others that will play at the major college football level. Parker also has multiple players currently committed to FBS programs, headlined by four-star Texas defensive line pledge Vodney Cleveland.

If you want to see some hard-nosed, Alabama-Georgia high school football this year, this is a game worth circling on your calendar.

St. Frances Academy (Md.) at IMG Academy – Nov. 7

It may not make sense geographically but this interstate game has emerged as a top high school football rivalry over the last decade, with St. Frances Academy snapping a two-game losing streak to IMG Academy last November to even the all-time series at three wins each.

The Panthers and Ascenders routinely field some of the most talented rosters in the country and 2025 should not play out any differently. This game should feature more than 50 players in the 2026, 2027 and 2028 classes with Power Four offers.

Though Baltimore and Bradenton are nearly 1,000 miles apart, you wouldn’t know it based on how these these two programs battle it out when they meet on the gridiron. Clear your schedule for Nov. 7 and plan on following this game.