When the Nelson County Cardinals and the Bardstown Tigers meet, community pride and county bragging rights are on the line. Nelson County enters this 2026 matchup operating a multiple-spread offensive attack. Their coaching staff relies heavily on pre-snap reads and quick Run-Pass Options (RPOs) to exploit defensive mismatches. By stretching the field horizontally, Nelson County aims to keep defensive fronts guessing and neutralize aggressive edge rushers with a quick-rhythm aerial assault.

Bardstown, boasting a storied football history with four state championships, brings a deep tradition of physical dominance and defensive athleticism. The Tigers counter spread attacks with a disciplined 3-3-5 or 4-2-5 defensive alignment. This sub-package defense places a premium on speed, utilizing hybrid safety-linebackers (the “rover” position) to crash the box in run support or drop quickly into deep coverage against four-vertical concepts. Offensively, Bardstown utilizes a dynamic, high-tempo spread-pistol system featuring a dual-threat quarterback designed to win one-on-one battles in space.

Kickoff: Friday, Sept 11, 2026 (7:30 PM EDT)

Location: Garnis Martin Field (Bardstown, KY)

Streaming: NFHS Network / Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) Portal

The Trench Warfare and Secondary Adjustments

The most critical tactical battle lies in Nelson County’s offensive tackles against Bardstown’s defensive ends. If Bardstown generates pressure using a traditional four-man rush, they can drop seven defenders into a Cover 4 (Quarters) or Cover 3 cloud shell, forcing Nelson County’s quarterback to meticulously matriculate the ball down the field in 10-to-12 play drives. However, if Nelson County’s offensive line successfully establishes their inside-zone rushing attack on early downs, Bardstown will be forced to bring a safety into the box, opening up deep play-action shots over the middle.

Live Scoreboard & Results Update

Quarter	Nelson County (Away)	Bardstown (Home)
1st	7	6
2nd	14	14
3rd	10	7
4th	7	8
FINAL	38	35

Scoring Summary:

• Q1: Bardstown strikes first on its opening drive with a 14-yard quarterback scramble on 3rd-and-long (PAT blocked, 0-6). Nelson County answers methodically, capping a 9-play drive with a 6-yard inside zone rushing touchdown (PAT Good, 7-6).

• Q2: Bardstown takes the lead early in the second quarter on a 42-yard vertical post route (2-pt conversion good, 7-14). Nelson County responds immediately with a 65-yard tunnel screen (PAT Good, 14-14). Just before the half, Nelson County exploits a coverage bust for a 22-yard corner-route touchdown (PAT Good, 21-14). Bardstown pieces together a two-minute drill, scoring on a 4-yard slant with 12 seconds remaining in the half (PAT Good, 21-20).

• Q3: Nelson County opens the third quarter hammering between the tackles, pushing into the end zone on a 1-yard quarterback sneak (PAT Good, 28-20). After a Bardstown fumble, the Cardinals extend the lead with a 32-yard field goal (31-20). The Tigers answer with a 55-yard jet sweep down the sideline (PAT Good, 31-27).

• Q4: Nelson County drains seven minutes off the clock, finishing with a 3-yard power plunge (PAT Good, 38-27). Bardstown quickly strikes back on a 19-yard fade route and converts the 2-point attempt (38-35). Bardstown attempts an onside kick with 1:45 remaining, but Nelson County recovers to secure the rivalry win.

Florida not only boasts excellent high school football, but it arguably has the highest concentration of elite programs nationwide. Three Florida teams are currently ranked among the top six in the USA Today Super 25 national rankings, and the state’s top 25 is rapidly shifting just two weeks into the season.

No. 1: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)

St. Thomas Aquinas has reclaimed the top spot nationally after a dominant performance at the Broward County National High School Football Showcase, where they took a 38-0 halftime lead en route to a 38-14 victory over DeSoto, the 2025 Texas state champions—the Raiders’ 16th consecutive win. Aquinas enters the season as the reigning High School Football America national champions and is seeking an unprecedented seventh consecutive Florida Class 5A state title after a 14-1 record last year. Senior offensive tackle Mark Matthews, the state’s top-ranked recruit and future Texas A&M player, headlines a roster that also includes three other players ranked among Florida’s top 20 prospects.

No. 2: IMG Academy (Bradenton)

IMG Academy is keeping pace with Aquinas, leading some state polls and sitting just behind nationally. The Ascenders went undefeated (9-0) in 2025 under head coach Greg Studrawa and kicked off 2026 with a blowout win over Texas’ Cornerstone Christian, solidifying their position as the program every top Florida team is after.

No. 3: Columbus (Miami)

No one in Florida—or the country—made a bigger impact in Week 2 than Columbus. The Explorers went from unranked to third in the state after a stunning 33-28 victory over Bishop Gorman (Nevada), the national powerhouse that had previously held the top spot. A’mir Sears scored two touchdowns and intercepted three passes in the victory. Immediately afterward, Columbus visited St. Thomas Aquinas, giving them the opportunity to confirm their excellent debut against the best in the state.

No. 4: Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood)

Chaminade-Madonna began the year among the top five teams in the nation, but a 24-7 loss to Southern California’s Sierra Canyon at the Broward County Showcase dropped them in the rankings. Even so, Chaminade starts the year as the reigning Class 1A state runner-up and remains one of the most talented teams in the state.

No. 5 and Beyond: A Group of High-Level Teams

Miami Carol City, under the direction of new head coach Toro Wallace and bolstered by several key transfers, completes the state’s elite. West Boca Raton has been one of the fastest-rising teams early in the season, climbing seven spots after a dominant 24-7 victory over the reigning Class 4A champion, American Heritage (Plantation), a result that also caused American Heritage to drop 10 places in the standings. Miami Northwestern moved up nine spots after beating Lakewood 20-18, and Lakeland, a historical powerhouse in Polk County, has also shown an upward trend. Cardinal Newman, the reigning Class 1A champion, defeated its rival, the also defending champion Cardinal Mooney, 47-46 in a true classic between two state champion programs.

Why do Florida’s rankings change so quickly?

Because many of Florida’s top programs compete against each other—and against national powerhouses from other states—in non-conference events, such as the Broward County Tournament, the state rankings tend to change dramatically almost every week. A single result, like Columbus’s surprising victory over Bishop Gorman, can redefine not only Florida’s Top 25, but also the national landscape.

High school football in Indiana begins 2026 with one program clearly at the top, closely followed by a group of talented teams. Here are the state’s top 10 teams as the season kicks off.

No. 1: Brownsburg Bulldogs

Brownsburg starts the season ranked No. 1, and it’s hard to argue with their track record: the Bulldogs are two-time Class 6A state champions and enter 2026 riding a 19-game winning streak. Head coach John Hart, named the 2024 NFL AFC Don Shula High School Coach of the Year, has built a program that has defeated the same opponent, Westfield, in two consecutive state championship games. Nationally, Brownsburg began the year ranked 17th in the High School Football America 300 rankings.

No. 2: Westfield Shamrocks

Westfield enters 2026 as the program in the state that best understands Brownsburg’s level of competition, having lost two close games last season: 14-10 in the regular season and 38-31 in the state championship game. This history of close wins is often a great motivator for a program, and Westfield returns with a talented roster led by Nicholas Schurman, a promising offensive lineman from the Class of 2027, who has committed to Purdue.

No. 3: New Palestine Dragons

New Palestine begins the year as the reigning Class 4A state champion, capping an undefeated 14-0-1 season with the title. A perfect record with only one tie represents a near-perfect season for a program, and the Dragons return in 2026 intent on defending their crown.

No. 4: Center Grove Trojans

Center Grove began the season ranked No. 4 in the preseason, and although the Trojans suffered a tough 20-14 loss to a rising Warren Central team early in the year, they remain one of the most talented and competitive programs in the state year after year.

No. 5: Carmel Greyhounds

Carmel enters 2026 after a 9-2 season in which both losses came against teams that contended for the state championship, including the Trinity Shamrocks of Kentucky, who won the state title. Four-star safety Drake Coellner, from the class of 2028, leads a talented defense looking to put Carmel back in contention for the title.

Season-End Shifts

The start of the 2026 season has already brought changes to the bottom of the standings. Warren Central made the biggest jump of the season, climbing from 7th to 4th in the state ranking system after defeating Center Grove, which was ranked 4th in the preseason. Ben Davis broke into the Top 10 after beating Cathedral, ranked 6th in the preseason, 33-27, pushing the Fighting Irish down to 8th, while Avon made its ranking debut. Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern, both previously ranked, dropped out of the Top 10 during that same period, demonstrating how quickly the middle of the Indiana standings can shift once the season begins.

Why does the top of the Indiana standings feel so stable?

Unlike other states where the preseason number one seed changes drastically once the regular season begins, Indiana’s top three—Brownsburg, Westfield, and New Palestine—have remained virtually unchanged, as all three begin the year as either defending state champions in their respective divisions or as the team that just lost the final. The real drama of 2026 is unfolding in the second half of the top 10, where the results of the first few weeks have already significantly altered the landscape.

High school football in Nevada is practically dominated by a single program, and that program just pulled off one of the biggest wins of the fledgling national season. Here’s how the state’s top teams stand heading into the first weeks of 2026.

No. 1: Bishop Gorman Gaels

Bishop Gorman began the season as the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s No. 1 team and the overwhelming favorite to win its sixth consecutive state title, and the Gaels wasted no time proving it. In one of the most exciting games of the entire national season, Gorman defeated the preseason No. 1-ranked St. John Bosco 38-28 in Las Vegas. This result propelled the Gaels to the top of the High School Football America 300 national rankings and marked their third straight win in high-stakes matchups against the powerhouse California team. Senior defensive end Hayden Stepp, a five-star player committed to Oregon, leads Gorman’s roster as they seek what would be a symbolic fifth national championship for the program.

Arbor View Aggies

Arbor View enters the season as one of Gorman’s strongest rivals in the state, having challenged the Gaels in the NIAA Open Division state championship game last year. The Aggies possess enough talent to be considered the second-best team in the state by several ranking systems, and a rematch against Gorman would be one of the highlights of Nevada’s 2026 schedule.

Liberty Patriots

Liberty rounds out the state’s elite, opening the season with a resounding 42-0 victory over Tafuna (American Samoa) and hosting Utah’s Skyridge in one of their upcoming crucial games. Running back Ezra Sanelivi provides Liberty with a dynamic offense capable of challenging the best defenses in the state.

Faith Lutheran Crusaders

Faith Lutheran has established itself as one of the private school programs capable of competing with Gorman and the other elite public and charter schools in the state, regularly appearing among the top teams in Nevada’s state rankings in recent seasons.

Centennial Bulldogs

Centennial opened the 2026 season with a dominant 74-41 victory over Burbank, California, indicating that the Bulldogs’ offense will pose a problem for opposing defenses throughout Southern Nevada all season long.

Other Programs to Watch

Sloan Canyon, Palo Verde, Coronado, Foothill, and Green Valley round out the group of programs vying for the remaining elite spots in Nevada, while Mater Academy East and Churchill County have entered the conversation for a top-10 statewide finish early in the season after strong performances against ranked opponents, demonstrating that Nevada’s depth extends far beyond the Gorman-Arbor View rivalry at the top.

Note on Nevada’s New Playoff Format

A major structural change for 2026: Most Clark County School District programs opted to play a separate schedule this year instead of competing for the NIAA state championship, while the remaining private and charter schools, including Gorman, will play each other to fill the gaps in the schedule. This represents a significant shift in the state postseason setup this year.

Check our Rankings page for how Nevada’s Top 10 continues to shift, and our Scores page for results from around the state.

Arkansas high school football begins 2026 with a clear leader at the top and a group of very strong teams hot on its heels. The Arkansas Sports Media preseason poll, voted on by a statewide panel of sportswriters, offers a clear and well-documented picture of the standings heading into Week 1.

No. 1: Bryant Hornets

Bryant is the unanimous choice, receiving all 12 first-place votes in the preseason poll. The Hornets have won seven state championships in the last eight seasons and are looking for their third consecutive Class 7A title in 2026; however, their schedule is extremely difficult for a team that holds the top spot in the preseason. Bryant debuts against rival Benton in the Salt Bowl, travels to Louisiana to face Alexandria, and then takes on Maryland’s powerful St. Frances Academy—a stretch so challenging that the Hornets could start the season 0-3 and still be considered the best team in the state once the league begins. Senior quarterback Kyler Shelby is the player Bryant needs to have a great season if the Hornets are to overcome this difficult challenge.

No. 2: Bentonville Tigers

Bentonville ranks No. 2 with 102 points in the preseason poll, a solid performance that reflects the program’s consistency at the top of Northwest Arkansas football year after year.

No. 3: Conway Wampus Cats

Conway rounds out the top three with 101 points, just one point behind Bentonville. The Wampus Cats lost several key players from last season, but they have the return of defensive end Elijah Branch (6’2″) and tight end Elijah Collum, who committed to Arkansas State, giving the program a solid foundation to build upon, even with the departure of some key pieces.

No. 4 (tie): Benton Panthers

Benton enters as the clear favorite in Class 6A and tied for fourth place overall with 57 points, receiving 11 of the 12 first-place votes in their own category. Facing Bryant in the Salt Bowl, the season opener, gives Benton its first real test against the best in the state.

No. 4 (tie): Bentonville West Wolverines

Bentonville West tied Benton with 57 points to share the No. 4 spot, giving Arkansas two teams in the state’s top five and reinforcing the wealth of talent that has emerged in the region.

No. 6: Shiloh Christian Saints

Shiloh Christian rounds out the top six, another Northwest Arkansas program that has solidified its position at the top of the state rankings.

No. 7: Greenwood Bulldogs

Greenwood enters the Class 5A preseason as a favorite and is ranked No. 7 overall, a division that could produce one of the most competitive championship races in the state this season.

No. 8: Joe T. Robinson Senators

Joe T. Robinson ranks No. 8, surpassed by Greenwood at the top of Class 5A, but still in the state conversation.

No. 9: North Little Rock Charging Wildcats

North Little Rock rounds out the top 9, a program with enough history and talent to remain competitive year after year, regardless of graduation losses.

No. 10: Fayetteville Bulldogs

Fayetteville closes out the preseason Top 10, giving Northwest Arkansas four teams within the state’s elite group—a clear indication of how the sport’s dominance in Arkansas has shifted in recent years.

Check our Rankings page for how Arkansas’s Top 10 shifts as the 2026 season plays out, and our Scores page for results from around the state.

A brief clarification before we continue: Wyoming high school football doesn’t have a widely circulated statewide preseason Top 10 ranking like in larger states, and I was unable to confirm an official 2026 preseason ranking through a search. What follows is based on the programs that most recently topped the state rankings and are expected to be among the best again. Consider this a “teams to watch” list rather than a definitive, numbered ranking, and update it once your own coverage or a live source confirms this year’s order.

Star Valley Braves

Star Valley has been the benchmark for Wyoming football for years, with a winning streak that stretched to over 20 games last season and showing no signs of slowing down. The Braves’ formula has been simple and brutally effective: a dominant defense combined with an offense capable of scoring in bursts, including three touchdowns in the final two minutes of the first half during a recent victory. If any team starts 2026 as the undisputed favorite, it’s Star Valley.

Cody Broncs

Cody has solidified its position as the closest contender at the top of the Wyoming rankings, reaching the second seed in the state after decisively defeating its crosstown rival. A program with that level of sustained success is always a topic of conversation about the best teams in Wyoming.

Sheridan Broncs

Sheridan begins the year with a favorable home schedule: five home games and four road games in 2026. While the order of some head-to-head matchups has changed from last season, the Broncs remain one of the most consistent programs at the top of the Wyoming Class 4A rankings.

Mountain View Buffaloes

Mountain View has quietly established itself as one of the most physical and defensive programs in the state, climbing the rankings after limiting an opponent to just over 150 total yards in a shutout-worthy performance. Programs that win thanks to their defense in Wyoming’s wind and weather are often poised for a long playoff run.

Riverton Wolverines

Riverton has shown glimpses of being able to compete with the state’s elite, even in a season that included a loss to Cody. The Wolverines trailed by only four points at halftime in that game before the Broncs pulled away. That level of competitiveness against a seeded opponent keeps a program firmly in the state conversation.

Natrona County Mustangs

Natrona County has gained momentum with solid, if less spectacular, wins in recent seasons and remains one of the programs poised to climb the rankings with a strong start in 2026.

A Note on Wyoming’s 2026 Outlook

One important detail to note heading into this season: Wyoming is one of only three states—along with New York and Oklahoma—that begin 2026 with a program boasting a 50-game or longer winning streak, proving that even in a sparsely populated state, sustained dynasties are a reality.

For the most recent official Wyoming rankings, the Wyoming football sections of WyoPreps and MaxPreps are the most reliable sources to consult as the season progresses.

Check our Rankings page for the latest on Wyoming’s top teams, and our Scores page for results as the 2026 season unfolds.

Vermont high school football doesn’t get the national attention of states traditionally dominated in the sport, but the championship battles in the Green Mountain State are just as exciting, especially after a 2025 season that ended in the most dramatic fashion possible. Here’s the state’s Top 10 heading into 2026.

No. 1: St. Johnsbury Academy

St. Johnsbury Academy starts the year ranked No. 1, but this ranking comes with a caveat: the Hilltoppers were the ones who lost the Division I state championship game last year, falling 13-7 to Middlebury Union in a hard-fought defensive battle. St. Johnsbury still begins 2026 as the preseason favorite thanks to the overall strength of their program and how close that championship game was, but this is a team with a lot to prove after seeing the championship slip away in the final minutes.

No. 2: Middlebury Union

Middlebury Union begins the season as the reigning Division I state champions, having beaten St. Johnsbury and then defeated Burr & Burton Academy twice during the year, including a Division I semi-final victory. This record proves that a team can compete with the strongest teams in the state, not just beat lower-ranked opponents. Middlebury returns to 2026 with compelling evidence that they deserve to be at the top, and not just with last year’s trophy.

No. 3: Hartford

Hartford came close to reaching their own final last season, falling to Fair Haven Union 14-13, a surprising result considering Hartford had beaten that same Fair Haven side by 33 points earlier in the year. The playoffs often bring down even the most seemingly unbeatable regular-season teams, and Hartford will be looking to avoid a repeat loss in 2026.

No. 4: Burr & Burton Academy

Burr & Burton begins the year as one of the most consistently dangerous programs in the state, even after falling to Middlebury in last year’s Division I semifinal. A program with such a track record of recent championships is always among the top-ranked in Vermont, and this year’s roster gives the Bulldogs a real shot at making a title run again.

No. 5: Rutland Senior

Rutland starts 2026 after a heartbreaking end to last season: a 33-13 year-end loss to the top-ranked St. Johnsbury Academy. It’s worth noting that Rutland was the only team all season to defeat St. Johnsbury, which speaks volumes about the Raiders’ potential even in a losing season. Senior quarterback Giovanni Spallieri returns as a key piece of Rutland’s offense heading into the new year.

Rounding Out the Top 10

The rest of Vermont’s preseason Top 10 includes Essex Community Education Center at No. 6, Champlain Valley at No. 7, Fair Haven Union—last year’s Division II runner-up, who pulled off a stunning upset victory over Hartford—at No. 8, Colchester at No. 9, and Bellows Falls Union rounding out the pack at No. 10.

Why Vermont’s Rankings Are Worth Watching

The Vermont football scene is smaller and more interconnected than in most states, meaning the same teams often face each other multiple times throughout the season and in the playoffs. That familiarity is precisely what made last year’s final and semifinal upsets so dramatic: every team in this Top 10 has likely already faced, or will soon face, every other team.

Check our Rankings page for updates to Vermont’s Top 10 as the season develops, and our Scores page for results from around the state.

Southern California not only boasts the largest pool of talent in high school football, but it might also be the most competitive region in the entire country. The CIF South alone publishes a preseason Top 25 ranking, and to reach the top of that list, you have to beat programs that would be the clear number one in almost any other state. Here’s an analysis of the region’s elite heading into the 2026 season.

No. 1: St. John Bosco (Bellflower)

St. John Bosco begins the year ranked No. 1, and the Braves are looking for revenge. They suffered a stunning home loss in last year’s CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs to Orange Lutheran, an unexpected 20-19 defeat on a rainy November night that ended a season many believed could have brought them another national title. Coach Jason Negro begins his seventeenth season at the helm, and that early elimination is precisely the kind of motivation that often fuels a rebound season for a program with this much talent.

No. 2: Corona Centennial

Corona Centennial begins the 2026 season right after Bosco, and the Huskies have already shown they can compete with the best in the section. Last season, they suffered a crushing 42-7 loss to Santa Margarita in a game played at the Rose Bowl, a defeat that certainly hasn’t slowed the program’s trajectory. Centennial remains one of the most talented teams in the section year after year, regardless of who graduates.

No. 3: Santa Margarita (Defending Champion)

No one had a more outstanding 2025 than Santa Margarita. In his first year back at his alma mater, coach Carson Palmer guided the Eagles to a shared Trinity League title with St. John Bosco and Mater Dei, and then continued to rack up victories: a CIF South Section Division 1 championship and a CIF State Open Division title, capped by a 47-13 win over De La Salle at Saddleback College. When Palmer raised the Division 1 trophy, it was the first time since Corona Centennial in 2015 that a program other than Bosco or Mater Dei had won the section’s top division. That’s how exceptional St. Margaret’s season was.

No. 4: Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

Mater Dei begins 2026 ranked No. 4—its worst preseason ranking in a decade—after finishing last season with an 8-3 record, with losses to Centennial and Santa Margarita offset by a crucial win over rival St. John Bosco. Head coach Raul Lara’s defense boasts the most returning talent, headlined by cornerback Danny Lang, one of the state’s top recruits and a future USC player. With a Trinity League schedule that also includes road games against Centennial and Bishop Gorman, Mater Dei’s coaching staff has openly acknowledged that preseason rankings mean little once the demanding competition begins.

Other programs to watch

Beyond the top four, San Clemente returns with a strong core of players who reached the CIF final last year; Palos Verdes welcomes back veteran quarterback Ryan Rakowski for his fourth consecutive season as the starter; Edison begins the year under head coach Jeff Grady as one of the most consistent programs in the section. Orange Lutheran, following their stunning victory over St. John Bosco, is also part of the conversation after proving last November that the gap at the top of Southern California football is smaller than the standings sometimes suggest.

Why do Southern California standings change so quickly?

Because many of the region’s top programs face each other multiple times a season—in the league, in non-league tournaments, and in the postseason—Southern California standings tend to change more dramatically from week to week than almost anywhere else in the country. A single upset, like Orange Lutheran’s playoff victory over Bosco, can completely change the national landscape, not just the local one.

Check our Rankings page for how this Top 10 shifts as the season unfolds, and our Scores page for results from Southern California’s biggest games.

Alaskan high school football doesn’t get the same national attention as Texas or Georgia, but the competition at the top of the state is just as fierce, and this year, one program is looking to make history. Here are the state’s top five preseason teams heading into the 2026 season.

No. 1: Soldotna Stars

Soldotna begins the 2026 season exactly where it left off last year: at the top of the standings. The Stars had a perfect 10-0 season in 2025, come into this season riding a 13-game winning streak, and are looking for their fourth consecutive state title. This kind of sustained dominance is rare anywhere in the country, let alone in a state with a football player population as small and dispersed as Alaska’s.

One of the season’s marquee matchups will be a non-conference showdown between Soldotna and Wyoming’s Star Valley, a program that also boasts four straight Class 3A state titles. A matchup like that gives Alaska’s top team a true test against out-of-state competition, something rarely achieved with in-state games.

The rest of the state’s top programs prepare to spend the season chasing Soldotna, with the Kenai Peninsula and South-Central Alaska expected to generate much of the competition at the top of the standings. The Alaskan football scene is organized by divisions rather than a single ranking, and Division I programs—the state’s largest schools—typically dominate the season-long debate about who is truly number one statewide.

How the Alaskan Season Is Structured

The Alaska School Activities Association’s (ASAA) 2026 football schedule lists practices beginning July 29 and the first games of the season on August 13, making Alaska’s season one of the earliest to start in the nation. Division II and III teams finish their regular seasons on October 10, while Division I teams play a slightly longer schedule until mid-October, before the playoffs begin and culminate in the championship weekend. The finals will be held at Wasilla High School and Colony High School, depending on the standings.

After the Season

Alaska’s standings tend to change rapidly due to the small number of games played between the top teams and the rest: a single loss can completely alter the top five in a state this size. We will track these changes as the season progresses.

The 2026 high school football season kicked off over the past week, and Week 1 delivered exactly what opening weekend always promises: statement wins, heartbreaking finishes, and a few results nobody saw coming. Here’s a look at how the season opened around the country.

Nevada: Weather Delays the Season Opener

The Southern Nevada season opened under a rare stretch of thunderstorms, forcing several games into weather delays and at least one postponement. Nevada’s top-ranked program, Bishop Gorman, headlined the week with a marquee matchup against California power St. John Bosco — one of the most anticipated non-conference games of the young season.

Hawaii: Waipahu Springs the First Big Upset

Unranked Waipahu delivered the season’s first major surprise, knocking off reigning Open Division champion Campbell — a team ranked nationally in the HSFA 300 — by scoring 17 points in a two-minute span of the first quarter and cruising to a 40-17 win. The result instantly reshapes the early picture of Hawaii’s Top 10.

Utah: An Instant Classic in Triple Overtime

Snow Canyon needed triple overtime to escape with a 64-62 win over Spanish Fork in a game its first-year head coach said felt more like a basketball game than football. Games like that are exactly why opening weekend hits different than any other week on the schedule — nobody’s record matters yet, so every possession feels enormous.

Ohio: Rivalries Renewed, Streaks on the Line

Ohio’s Week 1 slate leaned heavily on history, featuring rivalry games with series dating back decades — including a rematch between Benedictine and Gilmour Academy after last year’s tight 21-19 finish, and a Mayfield-Elyria series in which Mayfield has won seven of the last eight meetings. Defending Division VI state champion Kirtland also opened its title defense in Week 1.

What to Watch in Week 2

With Week 1 in the books, expect early rankings to shuffle — especially in states like Hawaii, where a single upset can flip the Top 10 overnight. Postponed games from weather delays will also need makeup dates, which could affect scheduling down the stretch for teams in the Southern Nevada area. Check our Scores page for full results as they’re posted, and our Rankings page for this week’s Top 10.