Louisiana High School Football Rankings: Preseason Top 25 teams

LSU’s success of the years has been partially attributed to it being notoriously difficult to pull elite talent away from the state of Louisiana. The class of 2025 appears to be reinforcing that notion, as six of the top 10 players in the Bayou State are committed to LSU.

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. According to the model — three Louisiana schools rank in the top 200 nationwide.

John Curtis and Baton Rouge Catholic, a 2023 postseason matchup, lead this year’s preseason rankings. Below are the top 25 programs in Louisiana heading into the 2024 season.

1. River Ridge John Curtis

John Curtis lost 38-35 to Baton Rouge Catholic in the Louisiana Division I Select quarterfinal last season, but the Patriots enter 2024 as the top team in the Bayou State. Curtis opens the season on the road at Metairie East Jefferson, with games against Archbishop Rummel, Warren-Easton, Holy Cross, Brother Martin, New Orleans Jesuit, Edna Karr and St. Augustine on the schedule. The Pats do lose LSU wide receiver Michael Turner from last year’s senior class.

2. Baton Rouge Catholic

Baton Rouge Catholic was crowned Division I Select state champs after its 55-31 win over Acadiana, capping a 12-2 season. The Bears will look to defend their title this season against a schedule featuring Destrehan, St. Thomas More and Zachary. Houston safety commit Jacob Bradford and junior safety Blaine Bradford should make for a lockdown defensive secondary. Bradford is the top safety in America and No. 13 player overall in the 2026 class.

3. Lafayette St. Thomas More

The Cougars ran the gauntlet in 2023 and finished with a perfect 14-0 record and a Louisiana Division II Select state title. This season, the Cougars will open with Carencro on the road before taking on Baton Rouge Catholic, Acadiana, Neville, Westgate and Teurlings Catholic.

4. New Orleans Edna Karr

Edna Karr’s 2024 squad already features four Power 4 commits, three of which are pledged to LSU. Four-star wide receiver TaRon Francis, junior four-star defensive lineman Richard Anderson and elite junior safety Aiden Hall are all staying in the Bayou for college. Three-star defensive lineman Corey Adams is committed to Ole Miss. The Cougars fell to Acadiana in the state semifinal last year, resulting in a 10-2 season. This year, Edna Karr will kick off against Reserve East St. John with games against St. Augustine, Brother Martin, Warren-Easton, Jesuit and Archbishop Rummel on the schedule.

5. Ruston

Ruston completed a perfect 14-0 season in 2023 with a Division I Non-Select state championship win over Zachary. The Bearcats will open with Monroe Ouachita Chrisitan and play future games against Acadiana, Neville, Alexandria and West Monroe. Three-star cornerback Aidan Anding will start in the defensive secondary.

6. Lafayette Acadiana

Junior defensive lineman Darryus McKinley headlines Acadiana’s 2024 squad as a four-star prospect in the 2026 class. McKinley’s brother — Dominick McKinley — was a Five-Star Plus+ prospect in last year’s class before joining LSU. The Rams made it to the Division I Select state title game, where they lost to Baton Rouge Catholic. A tough schedule awaits Acadiana in 2024 with games against Ruston, Zachary, St. Thomas More and Carencro.

7. Zachary

Zachary made it to the Division I Non-Select state title game with a 12-1 record before being downed by Ruston. The Broncos will kick off 2024 on Sept. 6 at home against Plaquemine. Acadiana, Carencro and Baton Rouge Catholic are all on the schedule as well for Zachary. The Broncos lose five-star tight end and LSU enrollee Trey’Dez Green from last year’s senior class.

8. Lafayette Christian

Lafayette Christian dropped the Division II Select state championship game to St. Thomas More in 2023, and the Knights will look to overcome that hump this season. A road game against No. 12 Archbishop Rummel will be a tough season opener. Games against Carencro and Westgate also come before the end of September. Last year’s senior class included LSU cornerback Ju’Juan Johnson and Texas defensive lineman Melvin Hills.

9. New Orleans Brother Martin

A 7-4 record in 2023 ended with a shutout loss to Alexandria in the postseason regional. The Crusaders will hope to improve upon that mark in 2024 against a brutal schedule that features East Ascension, Jesuit, Archbishop Rummel, Edna Karr, John Curtis, St. Augustine, Warren-Easton and Holy Cross.

10. New Orleans Holy Cross

Three-star running back Ke’Rynn Smith should provide for a solid rushing attack for Holy Cross in 2024. The Tigers will face the likes of Jesuit, John Curtis, Warren-Easton, Archbishop Rummel, St. Augustine and Brother Martin this season. Holy Cross finished 9-3 a year ago with a postseason loss to Acadiana.

11. New Orleans St. Augustine
12. Metairie Archbishop Rummel
13. Lafayette Carencro
14. Geismar Dutchtown
15. Destrehan

16. New Orleans Jesuit
17. LaPlace St. Charles Catholic
18. New Orleans Warren-Easton
19. Alexandria
20. Monroe Neville

21. Lafayette Teurlings Catholic
22. West Monroe
23. Gonzales East Ascension
24. New Iberia Westgate
25. Walker