High School Football: Top games of opening weekend

At long last, the 2024 high school football season is here.

While a chunk of the nation still has another week before kickoff, plenty of states will be in action on Friday night as the chase for state titles begins.

The Aug. 16 slate isn’t lacking, either. From a top-25 clash in the Sin City, to a matchup between two of the top teams in Utah, to a stacked schedule in the Peach State, five games will feature a pair of teams in the national On3 Massey Ratings top 100. 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.

Plenty of blue-chip prospects will be in action, too. Below are some of the nation’s top games and storylines to keep an eye on this weekend.

No. 18 Kahuku (Hi.) at No. 7 Bishop Gorman (Nev.)

The No. 1 team in Hawaii, Kahuku (1-0) survived a scare in its season-opener last Friday, as it watched what would’ve been a game-winning field goal from St. Louis (Hi.) sail wide right as time expired, leading to a 14-13 victory. The Red Raiders are set to face a much taller task on Friday, as Bishop Gorman (Nev.) is once again projected to be one of the nation’s best in 2024.

Headlined by LSU wide receiver commit Derek Meadows, three four-star offensive linemen and two of the nation’s top juniors, the Gaels are bringing some major firepower to the field in Las Vegas. The Massey Ratings predict Gorman to win 42-20.

No. 11 Corner Canyon (Utah) at No. 31 American Fork (Utah)

Corner Canyon ranks atop the Utah preseason rankings and is seeking its fifth state title in the last seven seasons this fall. A trip to American Fork, the No. 3 team in the state, awaits. Corner Canyon four-star wide receiver Jerome Myles is the name to watch as he looks to kick off his senior year the way he finished his junior year — with 122 yards and two touchdowns in a state title victory. American Fork is searching for its first win against the Chargers since 2015.

No. 30 Buford (Ga.) at No. 62 Milton (Ga.)

Highlighting the opening festivities in Georgia is a battle between two top-10 teams in the state. Buford, the preseason No. 2 team in the state, no longer has Dylan Raiola under center, but the Wolves remain loaded with talent, highlighted by USC linebacker commit Jadon Perlotte, Auburn cornerback commit Devin Wiliams, Tennessee running back pledge Justin Baker and 2026 four-star defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright, among others.

Milton, No. 9 in the state, is far from outgunned, however. Miami quarterback commit Luke Nickel is back to operate under center and will be hunting for elite Florida State wide receiver commit CJ Wiley, Georgia tight end commit Ethan Barbour and Auburn tight end commit Ryan Ghea all evening.

In total, the pair of rosters feature 22 ranked prospects across the 2025 and 2026 cycles.

No. 30 Sierra Canyon (Calif.) at No. 64 Punahou (Hi.)

Utah quarterback commit Wyatt Becker leads Sierra Canyon, the preseason No. 5 team in California, into Hawaii to take on Punahou (1-0), the No. 3 team in the Aloha State. Sierra Canyon enters the season with high hopes following an 11-1 campaign that ended in the state playoff semifinals against Mater Dei.

The Buff ‘n Blue cruised to a 35-0 victory last week, holding Konawaena under 100 total yards. Notre Dame linebacker commit Ko’o Kia led the defense with 12 tackles.

No. 100 Westlake (Ga.) at No. 93 Langston Hughes (Ga.)

Westlake will make the 20-minute trip down to Fairburn to begin the season against Langston Hughes in another matchup that features some of the Peach State’s top prospects. Tennessee wide receiver commit Travis Smith and Georgia offensive line pledge Juan Gaston will lead the Westlake offense, while Hughes will look to dominate the trenches behind Auburn OL commit Tavaris Dice and Georgia OL commit Dontrell Glover. Both schools check in just outside of the preseason top 10 in the state.

Other top games to watch

No. 46 Carrollton (Ga.) at Woodward Academy (Ga.)
All eyes will be on Carrollton and USC five-star quarterback commit Julian Lewis as he begins his senior season on the road against Woodward — led by Virginia wide receiver commit Josiah Abdullah and Notre Dame WR commit Jerome Bettis Jr. The game will air on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET. Carrollton is the preseason No. 5 team in Georgia, while Woodward checks in at No. 39.

Collins Hill (Ga.) at No. 51 Grayson (Ga.)
The No. 51 team in the nation and No. 6 team in Georgia, Grayson begins its 2024 campaign with a loaded roster that includes offensive tackle Nick Brooks and 2026 linebacker Tyler Atkinson, the No. 1 junior in the state, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Collins Hill features a pair of touted juniors in defensive lineman Deuce Geralds and EDGE Katrell Webb.

No. 65 Lone Peak (Utah) at Bingham (Utah)
Another top-10 matchup in Utah to open the season, Lone Peak and Bingham are set for action in South Jordan. Lone Peak, the No. 4 team in the state, features a trio of top-10 players in the state in offensive tackle Austin Pay, Nebraska tight end pledge Bear Tenney and 2026 defensive lineman Bott Mulitalo. Bingham is the preseason No. 7 team in the Beehive State.

St. Louis (Hi.) at No. 35 Mililani (Hi.) (Aug. 17)
Mililani (1-0), the No. 2 team in Hawaii, opened its season with a 29-0 victory over Kailua, but lost star quarterback and Washington commit Treston McMillan for the foreseeable future due to injury. St. Louis (0-1) will look to capitalize following its nail-biting defeat at home against No. 1 Kahuku last week.