High School Football: Preseason Top 25 team rankings
The month of August is well underway, meaning the 2024 high school football season is right around the corner.
Friday nights will soon take center stage. As the season nears, rankings are out, stacking up the top programs in the nation against each other. The On3 Massey Ratings – which were officially used during the BCS era and have generated high school sports team rankings since 2001 – is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory. It has rated the top 1000 teams ahead of the 2024 season.
Focusing on the top 25, plenty of familiar powerhouses are featured at the top. Texas easily leads the way with 10 schools in the group, including three of the top five. California and Florida each check in with three a piece.
Below are the nation’s top 25 high school football teams heading into 2024.
1. Mater Dei (Calif.)
The Monarchs won another state championship in 2023 and are poised to take home more hardware this season. Despite another head coaching change and one of the toughest schedules in the nation on deck, Mater Dei will be a force once again this fall, as over 10 blue-chip prospects in the On3 Industry Ranking are featured on the 2024 roster. That includes Alabama four-star cornerback commit Chuck McDonald, Oregon four-star running back commit Jordon Davison and 2026 Ohio State Five-Star Plus+ wide receiver commit Chris Henry Jr., the No. 1 recruit in the junior class.
2. Duncanville (Texas)
For the first time in school history, Duncanville has won back-to-back state titles. The Panthers are favorites to pull off a three-peat, thanks to perhaps the best one-two offensive punch in the nation. Oregon Five-Star Plus+ WR commit Dakorien Moore is the No. 3 prospect in the 2025 cycle and will be receiving plenty of targets from Alabama five-star quarterback commit Keelon Russell this fall. Russell is entering the season as the No. 26 prospect and No. 5 QB in the nation.
3. DeSoto (Texas)
Not to be outdone, DeSoto has also claimed consecutive state titles and is coming off an impressive 16-0 campaign in 2023. Bolstered by six seniors committed to Power Four programs, the Eagles are charged by Texas A&M four-star running back pledge Deondrae Riden, the nation’s No. 17 RB, and SMU 4-star WR commit Daylon Singleton. DeSoto is set to host Duncanville in a major Lone Star State clash on Oct. 11.
4. St. John Bosco (Calif.)
The Braves hauled in 11 more victories last season and remain one of the top programs in the nation. Bosco is projected to have an elite defense once again, powered by 2026 four-star athlete Madden Williams, 2026 USC 3-star ATH commit Joshua Holland and 2026 Arkansas 3-star safety commit Tay Lockett, among others. The annual showdown against Mater Dei is set for Oct. 25.
5. Southlake Carroll (Texas)
After falling to DeSoto in the 6A Division II playoff semifinals last season, the Dragons will look to get over the hump in 2024. Carroll will also boast a potent offense, headed by Tennessee 4-star tight end commit Jack Van Dorselaer, USC three-star running back commit Riley Wormley and 2026 TCU four-star WR pledge Brock Boyd. Carroll is one of just three schools in the top five for both offensive and defensive power in the Massey Ratings.
6. North Shore (Texas)
Houston’s finest won 15 times a season ago but fell to Duncanville in the state title game for the second year in a row. Still searching for its first championship since 2021, the Mustangs will be led by Ohio State Five-Star Plus+ CB commit Devin Sanchez, the No. 4 prospect in the 2025 cycle. LSU 4-star LB commit Charles Ross and Colorado four-star WR commit Quanell Farrakhan Jr. also highlight the class as top blue-chippers.
7. Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
The Las Vegas-based program continues to dominate the Nevada high school football scene and is in place to do the same once again this fall. The Gaels are slated to open the season against three other top-25 schools, including a road trip to Mater Dei in early September. Gorman’s roster features a stacked offensive line and one of the best receivers in the senior class in LSU four-star WR pledge Derek Meadows, the nation’s No. 41 prospect.
8. Atascocita (Texas)
Projected to have one of the nation’s top defenses, the Eagles will battle the best of the best in Texas this season after winning 11 games a season ago. Led by Oklahoma four-star running back commit Tory Blaylock, Atascocita will look to triumph past North Shore in the race for the 6A-Region III crown. The two programs will square off on Oct. 25 at Atascocita.
9. IMG Academy (Fla.)
The Ascenders continue to poach top talent from around the country and once again have an immensely deep roster ahead of the 2024 season. A total of 17 blue-chippers in the junior and senior classes are in the mix, 11 of whom are top-200 prospects in the On3 Industry Ranking. IMG is set to take on top programs from around the nation and will be led by the likes of Alabama 4-star IOL commit Michael Carroll, Missouri 4-star WR commit Donovan Olugbode and SMU 4-star QB commit Ty Hawkins.
10. Bixby (Okla.)
The Spartans have now collected six consecutive Oklahoma state titles and are showing no signs of relenting. Dominating in Division II before moving up to Division I in 2022 and continuing to win, Bixby is the only Oklahoma program in the Massey Ratings top 100. Auburn four-star offensive tackle commit Broderick Shull is the highlight recruit on the roster and is currently On3’s No. 24 overall prospect and No. 5 OT.
11. Corner Canyon (Utah)
12. Centennial (Calif.)
13. Aledo (Texas)
14. Guyer (Texas)
15. Liberty (Ariz.)
16. Longview (Texas)
17. Kahuku (Hi.)
18. Westlake (Texas)
19. Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.)
20. Skyridge (Utah)
21. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
22. Thompson (Ala.)
23. St. Frances Academy (Md.)
24. Katy (Texas)
25. Colquitt County (Ga.)