High School Football Rankings: States with the most Top 100 teams

The 2024 high school football season is set to begin in less than two weeks. Friday nights will soon be the focal point for many.

Preseason rankings are out, stacking up the top competition across the nation. According to the On3 Massey Ratings — a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory — the top 100 teams in the country are featured throughout 22 states.

The state of Texas reigns supreme, while the usual suspects — Georgia, Florida and California — check in behind. Twelve states have at least three schools inside the top 100.

Texas in league of its own with 30 teams represented

Everything is bigger in Texas and that certainly includes high school football. Five of the top 10 teams in the Massey Ratings are in the Lone Star State, including: Duncanville (No. 2), DeSoto (No. 3), Southlake Carroll (No. 4), North Shore (No. 6) and Atascocita (No. 9).

An additional seven schools are featured throughout the top 30. Aledo checks in at No. 11, while Guyer (No. 13) and Longview (No. 19) are also near the top of the pack. Texas is represented more than Georgia, Florida and California combined:

Duncanville (No. 2 NATL.)
DeSoto (No. 3)
Southlake Carroll (No. 4)
North Shore (No. 6)
Atascocita (No. 9)
Aledo (No. 11)
Guyer (No. 13)
Longview (No. 19)
Westlake (No. 21)
Katy (No. 26)
Summer Creek (No. 30)
Allen (No. 31)
North Crowley (No. 35)
Prosper (No. 37)
Byron Nelson (No. 40)
Vandegrift (No. 41)
King (No. 44)
Cedar Hill (No. 48)
Rockwall (No. 56)
Dickinson (No. 57)
Lovejoy (No. 61)
Klein Collins (No. 62)
Woodlands (No. 67)
Westfield (No. 68)
Coppell (No. 83)
Lewisville (No. 85)
Carthage (No. 86)
South Oak Cliff (No. 87)
Lake Travis (No. 88)
McKinney (No. 90)

Georgia the only other state with at least 10 teams

Georgia continues to churn out top talent on the gridiron, cementing its spot as one of the top football goldmines in the country. Colquitt County and Buford each check in inside the top 25, while 11 other schools from the Peach State are featured, including the likes of Mill Creek (No. 29) and Walton (No. 32).

Georgia joins Texas as the only other state to have 10 or more schools represented in the Massey Ratings preseason top 100:

Colquitt County (No. 18 NATL.)
Buford (No. 24)
Mill Creek (No. 29)
Walton (No. 32)
Carrollton (No. 33)
Grayson (No. 38)
Thomas County Central (No. 45)
Milton (No. 50)
Rome (No. 58)
Coffee (No. 72)
Langston Hughes (No. 73)
Westlake (No. 76)
Lee County (No. 80)

Florida has three Top-25 programs

IMG Academy once again sits atop the Sunshine State and is poised for another big season, bringing an abundance of talent from across the country to Bradenton. Two top-20 programs — Chaminade-Madonna (No. 12) and St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 16) flank the Ascenders at the top. Florida is one of just three states to have a trio of schools inside the top 20 this preseason:

IMG Academy (No. 7)
Chaminade-Madonna (No. 12)
St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 16)
Miami Central (No. 34)
Cocoa (No. 60)
Venice (No. 63)
American Heritage (No. 66)
Christopher Columbus (No. 93)
Seminole (No. 95)

California has nation’s preseason No. 1 team

Just seven teams from California cracked the top 100, but two are featured in the top five. To no surprise, Mater Dei checks in as the preseason No. 1 team in the nation. The Monarchs are loaded from top to bottom and even have the nation’s top-ranked junior prospect on the roster in Five-Star Plus+ WR Chris Henry Jr.

The Monarchs’ rival, St. John Bosco, isn’t far behind at No. 5. The Braves will get a crack at Mater Dei once again this season and push for another national title. Centennial has also emerged as the clear No. 3 team in the state ahead of the 2024 season:

Mater Dei (No. 1)
St. John Bosco (No. 5)
Centennial (No. 14)
Mission Viejo (No. 47)
Sierra Canyon (No. 59)
J Serra Catholic (No. 78)
Servite (No. 100)

10 states feature two or more schools

Following the big four, 10 different states feature at least two schools in the top 100. Alabama, Utah, Hawaii and Maryland are all featured in the top 25. Alabama’s Thompson (No. 17) and Utah’s Corner Canyon (No. 15) are among the top programs in the nation.

Ohio continues to dish out top talent on the gridiron and is one of five states to be represented by four programs, headlined by St. Edward (No. 42). Maryland’s St. Frances Academy (No. 22) and Good Counsel (No. 52) are among the best in the DMV, while Hawaii’s Kahuku (No. 25) and Miliani (No. 39) continue to compete with top schools on the West Coast.

Alabama: Thompson (No. 17), Phenix City Central (No. 27), Saraland (No. 84), Vestavia Hills (No. 96)
Arkansas: Bryant (No. 49), Bentonville (No. 69), Conway (No. 79), Greenwood (No. 94)
Indiana: Brownsburg (No. 55), Center Grove (No. 64), Ben Davis (No. 74), Cathedral (No. 89)
Ohio: St. Edward (No. 42), Washington (No. 75), Archbishop Moeller (No. 82), Archbishop Hoban (No. 97)
Utah: Corner Canyon (No. 15), Skyridge (No. 28), American Fork (No. 51), Lone Peak (No. 99)
Hawaii: Kahuku (No. 25), Mililani (No. 39), Punahou (No. 81)
Illinois: Loyola Academy (No. 43), Mount Carmel (No. 46), East Saint Louis (No. 70)
Maryland: St. Frances Academy (No. 22), Good Counsel (No. 52), DeMatha (No. 65)
Arizona: Liberty (No. 23), Chandler (No. 54)
Mississippi: Oak Grove (No. 91), Starkville (No. 92)

Eight other states featured in Top 100

An additional eight states are represented in the preseason top 100:

Nevada: Bishop Gorman (No. 8)
Oklahoma: Bixby (No. 10)
Pennsylvania: St. Joseph’s Prep (No. 20)
Missouri: Liberty North (No. 36)
New Jersey: Bergen Catholic (No. 53)
Minnesota: Eden Prairie (No. 71)
South Carolina: Dutch Fork (No. 77)
Nebraska: Westside (No. 98)