Stadium Talk Top 25 High School Football Rankings: Week 13

These are the best high school football teams in the country.

Stadium Talk Top 25 High School Football Rankings: Week 13

A pair of upsets shook up the Stadium Talk Top 25 High School Football Rankings this week as a pair of ranked California programs saw their seasons come to an end in the postseason.

In the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs, No. 18 Centennial (Corona, California) fell to Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.), 31-28, and unbeaten, No. 20 Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) fell to Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos, Calif.) 52-42. In the same bracket, No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) rolled to a 54-14 win in its playoff opener against JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.).

All eyes this week will be focused on a Top 25 matchup between the top two independent teams in the nation. No. 14 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) travels to face No. 4 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland) on Friday.

Two new teams joined the Stadium Talk Top 25 for the first time with No. 17 Lakeland (Lakeland, Fla.) and No. 25 Frederick Douglass (Lexington, Kentucky) entering the poll after playoff victories.

Thirteen different states are represented in this week's Top 25, with Florida leading the way with six teams and Texas right behind with five teams. California, Georgia and Ohio each put two teams in the Top 25.

The Stadium Talk Top 25 High School Football Rankings are released every Tuesday morning throughout the regular season with a national champion crowned following the final state championship games across the country. Check out The Stadium Talk Podcast, Season One: High School Football in America on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Amazon.

25. Frederick Douglass High School (Lexington, Kentucky)

Frederick Douglass High School football players (in orange) make a tackle

Previous ranking: NR

Record: 12-0

Last game: Defeated Covington Catholic 33-6

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Woodford County (11-1)

Bottom line: The Frederick Douglass defense held Covington Catholic to just 47 total yards of offense and four total first downs as it advanced to the Class 5A state quarterfinals this week against Woodford County. Frederick Douglass is trying to win its first state title since opening its doors in 2017 after finishing as Class 5A state runner-up in 2019 and 2021.

24. Langston Hughes High School (Fairburn, Georgia)

Langston Hughes linebacker Terrance Love

Previous ranking: 25

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated River Ridge 49-7

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. North Forsyth (8-3)

Bottom line: Langston Hughes opened the Class 6A state playoffs with a blowout win over River Ridge after Terrance Love opened the scoring by returning an interception 58 yards for a touchdown.

Langston Hughes led 28-3 at halftime as quarterback Air Noland threw for three touchdowns and Jekail Middlebrooks had two long rushing touchdowns of 58 and 75 yards.

23. Lehi High School (Lehi, Utah)

Lehi High football player makes play on the ball

Previous ranking: 24

Record: 13-0

Last game: Defeated Stansbury 42-0

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Timpview (10-2)

Bottom line: Lehi made short work of previously unbeaten Stansbury in the Class 5A state semifinals behind four touchdown passes from quarterback Jackson Brousseau and will now play Timpview in this week's state championship game.

Lehi is trying to win back-to-back state championships for the first time in school history. Timpview is trying to win its first state title since 2014 after back-to-back state runner-up finishes in 2019 and 2020.

22. Archbishop Moeller High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)

Archbishop Moeller quarterback Matt Ponatoski

Previous ranking: 23

Record: 12-1

Last game: Defeated Mason 24-16

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Lakota West (13-0)

Bottom line: Archbishop Moeller led 24-0 against Mason before holding off a late charge to advance in the Division I state playoffs, where they'll face unbeaten Lakota West in next week's regional finals.

Moeller got a big lift from freshman quarterback Matt Ponatoski, who committed to play baseball for the University of Missouri in the eighth grade. Ponatoski came off the bench to go 7-of-18 passing for 106 yards and a 33-yard touchdown pass to Tennel Bryant.

Senior running back Jordan Marshall added 98 rushing yards and one touchdown on 12 carries.

21. Liberty High School (Peoria, Arizona)

Previous ranking: 22

Record: 10-0

Last game: Defeated Boulder Creek 37-7

Next game: Nov. 25 vs. O'Connor (7-3)

Bottom line: Liberty High School closed out its unbeaten regular season with a 37-7 win over Boulder Creek and received the No. 1 seed in the Open Division state playoffs. Liberty will open the state playoffs on Nov. 25 against O'Connor.

Liberty will be trying to win its first Open Division state title. The school's only other state championship came when it won a Class 6A title in 2019.

20. American Heritage High School (Plantation, Florida)

American Heritage running back Mark Fletcher

Previous ranking: 21

Record: 10-1

Last game: Defeated Inlet Grove 43-7

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Boynton Beach (8-2)

Bottom line: American Heritage opened the Class 2M state playoffs with a 43-7 victory over Inlet Grove on Monday night.

American Heritage led 21-7 at halftime and advanced to face Boynton Beach on Friday.

American Heritage running back Mark Fletcher, who is committed to Ohio State, rushed for three touchdowns in the win.

19. Belleville High School (Belleville, Michigan)

Belleville High linebacker/running back Jeremiah Beasley

Previous ranking: 19

Record: 12-0

Last game: Defeated Detroit Catholic Central 33-10

Next game: Nov. 19 vs. Cass Tech (9-3)

Bottom line: Belleville overcame three turnovers to advance to the Division I state semifinals with a 33-10 win over Detroit Catholic Central in a snowstorm behind two rushing touchdowns from junior running back/linebacker Jeremiah Beasley.

Belleville finished the game with 303 rushing yards and held Catholic Central to negative-12 rushing yards.

18. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

St. Joseph's Prep quarterback Samaj Jones

Previous ranking: 17

Record: 8-1

Last game: Defeated La Salle College 21-13

Next game: Nov. 19 vs. Northeast (8-2)

Bottom line: St. Joseph's Prep survived a battle with La Salle College in the Philadelphia Catholic League Class 6A final. St. Joseph's is trying to make the PIAA state championship game for the seventh consecutive year and win its fourth state title in five years.

St. Joseph's Prep did most of its damage on the ground as quarterback Samaj Jones ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries while Khaseem Phillips added 126 rushing yards and one touchdown on 13 carries.

With the win, St. Joseph's advanced to Saturday's Class 6A-District 12 final against Northeast.

17. Lakeland High School (Lakeland, Florida)

Lakeland High football players run on the field

Previous ranking: NR

Record: 10-0

Last game: Defeated Lake Gibson 49-0

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Mitchell (8-3)

Bottom line: Lakeland enters the Stadium Talk Top 25 rankings for the first time this season after a shutout win over Lake Gibson to advance to the Class 4S regional semifinals this week against Mitchell. It was the fourth shutout of the season for Lakeland's defense and seventh time this season they've held an opponent to six points or less.

Lakeland led 35-0 and did most of its damage on the ground, racking up 250 rushing yards. It was Lakeland's second win over Lake Gibson this season after losing to them twice in 2021.

16. St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio)

St. Edward High running back Marvin Bell

Previous ranking: 16

Record: 12-1

Last game: Defeated St. Ignatius 28-7

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Mentor (9-3)

Bottom line: St. Edward running back Marvin Bell led the way with three touchdowns in a 28-7 win over St. Ignatius to advance to the regional finals. St. Edward is trying to win its second consecutive Division I state championship.

St. Edward led 7-0 at halftime and St. Ignatius tied the score at 7-7 on its first drive of the third quarter before the Eagles reeled off 21 unanswered points. It was St. Edward's second win over St. Ignatius this season and the final game for St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle, who is retiring after 40 seasons at the school and an Ohio-record 11 state championships.

St. Edward's tribute to him after the game was pure class.

15. Katy High School (Katy, Texas)

Previous ranking: 15

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated Fort Bend Clements 59-0

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Houston Memorial (8-3)

Bottom line: Katy opened the Class 6A Division II state playoffs with a 59-0 shutout of Fort Bend Clements. Senior running back and Mississippi State commit Seth Davis had 155 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 10 carries. Senior running back Dallas Glass added 143 rushing yards and three touchdowns on nine carries for Katy.

It was the third shutout of the season for Katy, with all three shutouts coming in the last five games.

14. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida)

Previous ranking: 14

Record: 7-1

Last game: Defeated West Toronto Prep 96-0 (Nov. 4)

Next game: Nov. 18 at No. 4 St. Frances Academy (8-0)

Bottom line: With IMG Academy's season now down to just one game remaining at No. 4 St. Frances Academy on Friday in Baltimore, it's fair to ask the question — did a blown call in the first game of the year cost the Ascenders a shot at the national championship?

IMG opened the season with a 20-14 home loss to No. 3 Miami Central on Aug. 27, after the Rockets scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 20-yard interception return for a touchdown by junior cornerback Lawayne McCoy in the fourth quarter. With an official running directly behind him, McCoy tossed the ball in the air in celebration several yards before he was in the end zone, and the ball tumbled out the back of the IMG end zone, which should have resulted in a touchback and not a touchdown.

Internet super-sleuths reacted with their own screenshots and close-ups of the play, with Twitter user Aron Christiansen providing the definitive proof on the play.

13. Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Bishop Gorman High football players celebrate

Previous ranking: 13

Record: 12-1

Last game: Defeated Liberty 56-14

Next game: Nov. 19 vs. Bishop Manogue (11-2)

Bottom line: Bishop Gorman's defense took control, scoring two touchdowns in the first half on a 40-yard fumble return by Quincy Davis and a 63-yard interception return by Jeremiah Hughes to advance to Saturday's Class 5A state championship game against Bishop Manogue in Carson City.

Bishop Gorman has won a state championship in 11 of the last 12 seasons.

12. Guyer High School (Denton, Texas)

Previous ranking: 12

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated Marcus 42-7

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Dallas Highland Park (11-0)

Bottom line: Guyer senior quarterback Jackson Arnold threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 36 yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win over Flower Mound Marcus to open the Class 6A Division II state playoffs.

Landon Sides led Guyer with three receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown while senior tight end Si Stovall added two receptions for 38 yards and one touchdown.

11. Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tennessee)

Lipscomb Academy defensive back Kaleb Beasley

Previous ranking: 11

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated Silverdale Academy 77-13

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Knoxville Webb (10-0)

Bottom line: Lipscomb Academy led 70-7 at halftime against Silverdale Academy as it advanced to the Division II-Class AA state semifinals, setting up a showdown between unbeaten teams on Friday against Webb.

Lipscomb junior cornerback and Tennessee commit Kaleb Beasley had a huge game with three interceptions, returning two for touchdowns. Senior quarterback and Liberty commit Hank Brown was 17-of-18 passing for 272 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

10. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Florida)

Chaminade-Madonna defensive lineman Wayne Peart

Previous ranking: 10

Record: 9-0

Last game: Defeated Treasure Coast 45-6 (Nov. 3)

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Avant Garde Academy (6-3)

Bottom line: Chaminade-Madonna opens the Class 1M state playoffs on Friday against Avant Garde Academy. The Lions won the Class 3A state title in 2021.

While Chaminade-Madonna junior quarterback Cedrick Bailey has gotten the lion's share of attention headed into the playoffs, another player to watch is 6-foot-4, 290-pound senior defensive tackle and Toledo commit Wayne Peart.

Peart has 35 tackles and 6.5 sacks so far this season and has 14.5 sacks over the last two seasons.

9. Duncanville High School (Duncanville, Texas)

Duncanville High football player celebrating

Previous ranking: 9

Record: 10-0

Last game: Defeated Bryan 74-13

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Wylie (8-3)

Bottom line: Duncanville opened the Class 6A Division I state playoffs with a season-high 74 points in a 61-point win over Bryan.

Senior wide receiver Lontrell Turner led the way with 117 yards of total offense and one touchdown — 84 receiving yards and 33 rushing yards on just six touches.

Turner, who is 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, has offers from SMU, Texas Tech, Arizona and Baylor, among others.

8. Buford High School (Buford, Georgia)

Previous ranking: 8

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated Peachtree Ridge 63-6

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Walton (9-2)

Bottom line: Playing in the postseason in Class 7A for the first time, Buford opened its quest for a fourth consecutive state championship with a 63-6 win over Peachtree Ridge. Buford won its last two state titles on the Class 6A levels and won in Class 5A in 2019.

Senior running back and Alabama commit Justice Haynes kept his All-American season going by racking up 249 all-purpose yards — 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns on nine carries to go with two kickoff returns for 90 yards and one touchdown.

7. St. Thomas Aquinas High School (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

St. Thomas Aquinas quarterback Hezekiah Harris

Previous ranking: 7

Record: 10-0

Last game: Defeated Coconut Creek 59-14

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Atlantic (8-3)

Bottom line: St. Thomas Aquinas opened its quest for a fourth consecutive state championship by scoring a season-high 59 points in its Class 3M state playoff opener against Coconut Creek.

St. Thomas Aquinas senior quarterback Hezekiah Harris threw for four touchdown passes and rushed for another score. Junior wide receiver Chance Robinson caught two touchdown passes, and Conrad Hussey had a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

The Raiders improved to 10-0 with the win.

6. North Shore High School (Houston, Texas)

Previous ranking: 6

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated Dobie 49-3

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Dickinson (8-3)

Bottom line: North Shore opened the Class 6A Division I state playoffs with a blowout win over Dickinson as the Mustangs led 35-0 and added a score early in the third quarter to go up 42-0. It was the 24th consecutive win for North Shore, the defending Class 6A Division I state champion.

North Shore got a big game from Evan Jackson, who filled in at quarterback and was 6-of-9 passing for 122 yards and four touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Christopher Barnes added two receptions for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

5. St. John Bosco High School (Bellflower, California)

St. John Bosco quarterback Pierce Clarkson

Previous ranking: 5

Record: 10-1

Last game: Defeated Orange Lutheran 49-14

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Mission Viejo (10-1)

Bottom line: St. John Bosco senior quarterback and Louisville commit Pierce Clarkson put on a show as his team opened the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs with a big win over Orange Lutheran.

Clarkson, 6-foot and 190 pounds, went 21-of-27 passing for 325 yards, five touchdowns and one interception with 70 rushing yards and one touchdown on eight carries.

St. John Bosco junior linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asu led the defense with two sacks. The Braves' next opponent is Mission Viejo after it defeated No. 18 Centennial in its playoff opener.

4. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland)

St. Frances Academy running back Durell Robinson

Previous ranking: 4

Record: 8-0

Last game: Defeated Clarkson North 34-10

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. No. 14 IMG Academy (7-1)

Bottom line: St. Frances Academy did what it had to do in a 34-10 win over Clarkson North, improving to 8-0 ahead of Friday's much-anticipated game against No. 14 IMG Academy in Baltimore.

St. Frances is unbeaten in its previous two games against IMG, winning in 2019 and 2021.

3. Miami Central High School (Miami, Florida)

Miami Central quarterback Keyone Jenkins

Previous ranking: 3

Record: 10-0

Last game: Defeated St. Brendan 60-0

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Miami Northwestern (6-4)

Bottom line: Miami Central opened the Class 2M state playoffs with a 60-0 win over St. Brendan, jumping out to a 52-0 halftime lead as the Rockets began their pursuit of a fourth consecutive state title.

Miami Central will now face longtime rival Miami Northwestern for the second time this season. The Rockets won the first matchup, 42-7, on Oct. 7.

2. Westlake High School (Austin, Texas)

Westlake High football player scores touchdown

Previous ranking: 2

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated Cedar Ridge 58-10

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. New Braunfels (8-3)

Bottom line: Westlake opened its pursuit of a fourth consecutive state title with a 58-10 win over Cedar Ridge in the first round of the Class 6A Division I state playoffs. The win extended Westlake's streak to 51 consecutive victories.

Westlake junior running back Jack Kayser had 117 yards of total offense — 91 rushing, 17 receiving — and two rushing touchdowns in the win over Cedar Ridge.

1. Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California)

Previous ranking: 1

Record: 11-0

Last game: Defeated JSerra Catholic 54-14

Next game: Nov. 18 vs. Los Alamitos (9-2)

Bottom line: Mater Dei followed up last week's news that head coach Bruce Rollinson would retire at the end of the season with a 54-14 win over JSerra Catholic in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs. Mater Dei received a bye in the first round.

Mater Dei now faces Los Alamitos and five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson, a USC commit and the No. 5 player in the nation for the Class of 2023.

Stadium Talk Top 25 High School Football Rankings: Week 13

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), Previous Ranking: 1
Westlake (Austin, Texas), Previous Ranking: 2
Miami Central (Miami, Fla.), Previous Ranking: 3
St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.), Previous Ranking: 4
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), Previous Ranking: 5
North Shore (Houston, Texas), Previous Ranking: 6
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Previous Ranking: 7
Buford (Buford, Ga.), Previous Ranking: 8
Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas), Previous Ranking: 9
Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.), Previous Ranking: 10
Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.), Previous Ranking: 11
Guyer (Denton, Texas), Previous Ranking: 12
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), Previous Ranking: 13
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Previous Ranking: 14
Katy (Katy, Texas), Previous Ranking: 15
St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), Previous Ranking: 16
Lakeland (Lakeland, Florida), Previous Ranking: NR
St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.), Previous Ranking: 17
Belleville (Belleville, Mich.), Previous Ranking: 19
American Heritage High School (Plantation, Florida), Previous Ranking: 21
Liberty High School (Peoria, Arizona), Previous Ranking: 22
Archbishop Moeller High School (Cincinnati, Ohio), Previous Ranking: 23
Lehi High School (Lehi, Utah), Previous Ranking: 24
Langston Hughes High School (Fairburn, Georgia), Previous Ranking: 25
Frederick Douglass High School (Lexington, Kentucky), Previous Ranking: NR

Week 12 Rankings (Nov. 7)I Week 11 (Oct. 31) IWeek 10 (Oct. 25) I Week 9 (Oct. 18) I Week 8 (Oct. 11)I Week 7 (Oct. 4) I Week 6 (Sept. 27) IWeek 5 (Sept. 20) I Week 4 (Sept. 13) IWeek 3 (Sept. 6) IWeek 2 (Aug. 30) l Week 1 (Aug. 23) l Preseason (Aug. 8)

Check outThe Stadium Talk Podcast, Season One: High School Football in America on Apple Podcast, Spotify and Amazon.