MaxPreps High School Football Rankings 2025: Underdog Team Surges to No. 1 Nationwide

High School Football Fever Builds as MaxPreps Unveils 2025 Preseason Top 25 and Game-of-the-Week Slate Subheadline: Mater Dei leads a power-packed national ranking while fans gear up for MaxPreps’ first live-stream showdown in Georgia. If the crack of shoulder pads and fresh-cut grass weren’t enough to signal that high school football season is back, MaxPreps just made it official. The prep-sports giant released its 2025 Preseason Top 25 rankings this week, headlined by reigning national champion Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), and announced the first “MaxPreps Game of the Week” broadcast featuring Georgia heavyweights Collins Hill and nationally ranked Grayson. Power Programs Dominate the Top 10 1. Mater Dei (CA) – unanimous preseason No. 1 after a 15-0 title run 2. St. John Bosco (CA) – reloaded with eight Power 5 commits 3. Bishop Gorman (NV) – looking for third straight Nevada crown 4. Grayson (GA) – returns 17 starters, including 5-star QB Jaylen Hampton 5. IMG Academy (FL) – national schedule features four Top 25 opponents 6–10. Chaminade-Madonna (FL), American Heritage (FL), Duncanville (TX), Central (FL), North Shore (TX) round out a Southern-tinged elite Why Mater Dei Starts on Top • Senior QB Brady Smalls threw for 3,750 yards and 42 TDs in 2024. • The Monarchs boast a pair of five-star edge rushers, Nate Tuipulotu and Kaden Brooks. • MaxPreps computer model projects Mater Dei to win every regular-season game by double digits. Game of the Week: Collins Hill vs. Grayson, Aug. 23 MaxPreps’ live-stream package kicks off in Suwanee, Ga., where Collins Hill will host No. 4 Grayson in a nationally televised Friday night clash. Viewers can watch free on the MaxPreps YouTube channel or through the CBS Sports app. What’s at Stake: • Early résumé bullet for Grayson’s national-title hopes • First look at Collins Hill’s rebuilt secondary against Hampton’s big arm • Recruiting spotlight: 40+ college scouts expected on the sideline Key Storylines Heading Into Week 1 Transfer Portal Trickles Down: Several blue-chip talents relocated this offseason, including WR Kevin McCoy (IMG → Bishop Gorman) and LB Malik Ford (Duncanville → St. John Bosco). State-by-State Supremacy: California, Florida, and Texas combine for 12 of the Top 25 positions, underscoring a regional arms race in facilities and NIL-friendly booster collectives. Tech & Stats: The MaxPreps mobile app now updates live drive charts and win-probability graphs for more than 15,000 varsity games each weekend, giving fans real-time analytics alongside traditional box scores. How to Follow the Action • Bookmark the MaxPreps “National Top 25” hub for weekly rankings and upset alerts. • Subscribe to the MaxPreps YouTube channel for free HD streams every Friday night. • Enable push notifications in the MaxPreps app to receive final scores and bracket updates the moment they post. Bottom Line With preseason rankings stirring debate and a marquee Georgia matchup less than two weeks away, MaxPreps has positioned itself as the epicenter of high school football conversation. Whether you’re tracking Mater Dei’s march toward another mythical national crown or tuning in to see if Grayson justifies its lofty preseason slot, Friday nights have never looked bigger—or streamed clearer—than they will in 2025.