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.
Leave a Reply