Iowa High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams – Sept. 12

The Iowa On3 Massey Ratings Top 25 list as of Sept. 12 shows six teams in different spots from last week’s rankings. North Polk jumped three places to enter the top half, while Johnston and West Lyon also moved up on the list.

Conversely, Bettendorf, Liberty, and Pleasant Valley had lower rankings than their placements last week. With a long way to go before the 2024 Iowa high school football season ends, it’s still every team for themselves, as another round of games will unfold over the weekend.

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.

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1. Dowling Catholic

Previous: No. 1
The Maroons have found ways to win their first two contests of 2024. After beating John F. Kennedy by 12 points, they edged the Valley Tigers by three points. Dowling Catholic had nine third-down conversions out of 17 attempts to prolong their offensive drives despite having one interception. The Maroons will face another grueling challenge in the Ankeny Hawks on September 13.

2. Ankeny Centennial

Previous: No. 2
The Jaguars bucked the Massey Ratings predictions when they handily defeated Ankeny in their season opener 31-10. Ankeny Centennial facilitated their ground game to perfection, finishing with 378 rushing yards and six third-down conversions out of 12 attempts. The Jaguars followed that up with a 55-14 demolition of the Ames Little Cyclones. Standing in their way to a 3-0 record is Cedar Falls, the sixth-best Iowa high school football team.

3. Valley

Previous: No. 3
Before the Tigers lost to Dowling Catholic, they defeated the Southeast Polk Rams by three points. Zay Robinson dominated in that contest with nine catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. Massey Ratings predict an easy victory for Valley against Johnston (Sept. 13), Waukee Senior (Sept. 20), and Ames (Sept. 27).

4. Southeast Polk

Previous: No. 5 (+1)
Despite having a 1-1 record, the Rams have the top-ranked offense and defense in the state after defeating Ankeny. They’ve given up 16.5 points per game while averaging 20.5 per contest. The Rams should have an easier time against Prairie on Sept. 13 before their monumental showdown against Ankeny Centennial one week later.

5. Lewis Central

Previous: No. 4 (-1)
The two-time state champions have limited Harlan Community and Creston to 18 points while scoring 75. After two games, those numbers have them ranked third on offense and eighth on defense. Against the Panthers, Lewis Central generated 394 yards on offense, broken down into 211 passing and 183 rushing yards. Converting five third-down opportunities helped the Titans earn a 36-point victory over Creston. However, the undefeated squad will face a more formidable challenge in ADM on Sept. 13.

6. Cedar Falls

Previous: No. 6
The Tigers didn’t read the script when they edged Johnston with a 37-34 victory last week. Running back Vari Clark toyed with the Johnston defense with 32 carries for 158 yards and four touchdowns. On defense, Tyler Hermanssen had one interception, while linebackers Owen Dellinger and Jarrett Kies had 11 tackles each. The Tigers will put their undefeated record on the line against second-ranked Ankeny Centennial on Sept. 13.

7. Waukee Senior

Previous: No. 7
Scoring isn’t a problem for the Warriors, as they’ve tallied 99 points against Ames and Waukee Northwest. After winning their first two games, Waukee Senior’s schedule gets more challenging as they face third-ranked Valley (Sept. 20) and ninth-ranked Johnston (Sept. 27). However, Massey Ratings favor the Warriors to win both games.

8. Xavier

Previous: No. 8
The Saints’ prayers were answered in their first two games, defeating Waverly-Shell Rock (14-7) and Williamsburg (28-27). In addition to Xavier generating 281 yards on offense, having a turnover-free game helped them defeat the Raiders, who had more third-down conversions. The Saints have a date with Western Dubuque (Sept. 13) and Pella (Sept. 20) as they try to remain undefeated.

9. Johnston

Previous: No. 10 (+1)
The Dragons’ competitive fire came up short against Cedar Falls, leading to a 37-34 defeat. But after winning their games versus ADM and Waukee Northwest, Johnston can bounce back with an upset victory against third-ranked Valley. Edge rusher Micah Cook and Johnston’s sixth-best defense in Iowa high school football will be tested by a team looking to return to the winning track.

10. Bettendorf

Previous: No. 9 (-1)
After sneaking past Pleasant Valley by one point (25-24), the Bulldogs walloped Davenport West 42-8. Those two victories give them the 15^th-best defense in the state, and they can improve that standing with dominating wins over Urbandale (Sept. 13) and Linn-Mar (Sept. 20).

Teams 11-25 in the latest Iowa High School Football Rankings

11. Ankeny
12. North Polk (+3)
13. Indianola
14. Liberty (-2)
15. West Lyon (+1)
16. Pleasant Valley (-2)
17. North Scott
18. ADM
19. Humboldt
20. Van Meter
21. Solon
22. Mount Vernon
23. Pelia
24. Harlan Community
25. Linn-Mar