Iowa High School Football Rankings: Top 25 Teams - Sept. 30

The Iowa On3 Massey Ratings top 25 list as of Sept. 30 showed minimal movement in the top ten. Meanwhile, six teams ranked from 11 to 25 switched spots, with four moving up. Likewise, only six of the top 25 Iowa high school football teams remain undefeated after the games during the last weekend of September.

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. Valley

Massey Ratings had the Valley Tigers winning over Ames 49-14. Iowa’s top-ranked team followed the prediction to the button, scoring that many points while winning by 35. The West Des Moines-based squad established a 42-0 halftime lead and never looked back. After scoring a season-high 49 points to improve their record to 4-1, Valley has 22^nd-ranked Waukee Northwest on deck in an Oct. 4 road game.

2. Dowling Catholic

The Maroons have won two straight games after their surprising loss to eighth-ranked Ankeny. Dowling Catholic blanked Roosevelt, 37-0, improving their mark to 4-1. The second half could have been scratched because the Maroons scored all their points in the first half. More importantly, Dowling Catholic has regained its confidence, which will be vital for its impending showdown against Ankeny Centennial.

3. Ankeny Centennial

After losing to fourth-ranked Southeast Polk, the Jaguars returned to the win column after dominating Des Moines East 44-7. Through five games, they’ve limited opponents to 13.2 points per game, earning them the third spot in the Iowa high school football defensive rankings. While defeating the Scarlets was easy, Ankeny Centennial could test their resolve.

4. Southeast Polk

The Rams barged through the Sioux City East defense, resulting in a 48-3 demolition. Sam Zelenovich and Drew Thompson had two touchdowns each. On defense, Cooper Martinson had six tackles (three for losses), while Brody Brandt had two interceptions. However, after dominating the Black Raiders, Southeast Polk’s schedule gets more challenging as they face sixth-ranked Johnston, 14^th-ranked Waukee, and second-ranked Dowling Catholic in their next three games.

5. Lewis Central

The Titans turned it against Glenwood, scoring a season-high 55 points and winning by 40. Lewis Central generated 429 yards on offense against the Rams, helping them earn their fifth victory in as many games. Barring any injuries to their key players, the Titans could sweep their opponents in October: Winterset, Norwalk, and Dallas Center-Grimes.

6. Johnston

While the Dragons have one of the most demanding schedules in the 2024 Iowa high school football season, they have emerged with a winning record after six games. They may have lost to Cedar Falls and Valley but bounced back with victories against eighth-ranked Ankeny and 14^th-ranked Waukee. Johnston earned those wins even if Massey Ratings predicted them to fail. Can they buck the trend again by defeating Southeast Polk on Oct. 4?

7. Bettendorf (+1)

After escaping a tight contest against Linn-Mar, the Bulldogs cruised to a 30-12 win over Hempstead. Bettendorf kept the pressure for the first three quarters by keeping the Mustangs off the scoreboard. While the Bulldogs will face more formidable opposition than Hempstead in their next three matches, they’ve proven capable of defeating ranked opponents like they did against ninth-ranked Pleasant Valley earlier this season.

8. Ankeny (-1)

As the team with the most challenging strength of schedule in the 2024 Iowa high school football season, the Hawks won only one of their four games against the top ten teams. Despite that futility, they remain persistent and have won their latest match versus Iowa City West. Unfortunately for Ankeny, their ordeal continues as they face 27^th-ranked Prairie, 11^th-ranked Liberty, and top-ranked Valley in their first three games for October.

9. Pleasant Valley

The Spartans pulled off their most impressive victory to date, a 49-6 trashing of the Dubuque Senior Rams. In addition to that total being their season-high, it’s also the fewest points they’ve allowed to an opponent this year. Pleasant Valley completed that one-sided game by gaining 505 yards on offense, including 382 rushing yards. However, their next challenge won’t be as easy because waiting for them is 17^th-seed Cedar Falls.

10. Pella

After two close victories against Indianola and Xavier, the Dutch finally won convincingly over Carlisle 34-21. Pella has exceeded expectations in the first part of the 2024 season, as Massey Ratings predicted them to lose three of their first five matches. Hence, remaining undefeated earned them a place in the top ten. The Dutch can target a 6-0 record when they face Newton on Oct. 4.

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

11. Liberty
12. North Polk Junior-Senior
13. Linn-Mar (+1)
14. Waukee (-1)
15. Solon
16. West Lyon
17. Cedar Falls
18. Humboldt
19. ADM
20. Iowa City High (+1)
21. Western Dubuque (+1)
22. Waukee Northwest (-2)
23. Xavier
24. Williamsburg
25. Waverly-Shell Rock (+1)