Stadium Talk Top 25 High School Football Rankings: Week 1

The 2022 high school football season is underway. Two teams made leaps into the Top 10 in the first regular-season Stadium Talk Top 25 High School Football Rankings. 

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) and Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada) posted blowout wins before their Top 10 battle on Aug. 26 in Las Vegas. Buford (Buford, Georgia) moved up following a win over Thompson (Alabaster, Alabama) in a battle between two teams coming off three consecutive state titles each. Thompson dropped in the ranking after the loss, while Centennial (Corona, Calif.) moved up following an 85-0 win over Corona Santiago. 

Texas leads the way with four teams represented in the Top 25, followed by California and Florida with three each. Arizona and Georgia each placed two teams in the Top 25. Out of the 25 schools in the top 25, there are 15 defending state champions. 

Weekly top 25 polls will be released every Tuesday morning throughout the season on Stadium Talk, with a national champion crowned after the last state championship games are completed across the country. Coaches are welcome to send National Player of the Week nominations to Stadium Talk’s Tony Adame at tony.adame at bigedition.com.

Stadium Talk Preseason Rankings

Previous ranking: 9

Record: 0-1

Last week: Lost to No. 15 Buford (Ga.) 38-7

Next game: Aug. 27 vs. Lipscomb Academy (Tennessee)

Bottom line: It was a rough start to the season for three-time defending Class 7A state champion Thompson High, which traveled to No. 15 Buford to start the season and lost 38-7.

Thompson only trailed 7-0 at halftime but got outscored 31-7 in the second half. 

Previous ranking: 25

Record: 0-0

Last week: Off

Next game: Aug. 26 at Ralston Valley

Bottom line: Three-time defending state champion Cherry Creek High gets one tune-up against Ralston Valley on Friday before heading to Ohio for a matchup against No. 20 St. Edward on Sept. 3. 

Previous ranking: 24

Record: 2-0

Last week: Defeated Salt Lake City East 35-0

Next game: Aug. 26 vs. Herriman

Bottom line: Skyridge High rolled through its first two opponents, outscoring Fremont and Salt Lake City East by a combined score of 87-7, including the first shutout of the season with a 35-0 win over Salt Lake City East in Week 2. 

Senior linebacker/defensive end Tausilia Akana, one of the nation’s top-rated recruits, was recently named to the High School Butkus Award preseason watch list for the top high school linebacker in the nation. 

Previous ranking: 23

Record: 2-0

Last week: Defeated Wai’anae 41-6

Next game: Aug. 26 vs. Leilehua

Bottom line: Defending Open Division state champion Kahuku High was dominant in its first two games, defeating Kamehameha Kapalama and Wai’anae by a combined score of 90-6.

Kahuku should be 5-0 when it heads to the mainland to face No. 2 St. John Bosco (California) on Sept. 17.