Roadmap to the National Championship: National Week 2 features the Broward County National Football Showcase

Kendall Webb

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Roadmap to the National Championship: National Week 2 features the Broward County National Football Showcase image

The Broward County National Football Showcase will pit many of the nation's top teams against each other, and some of those teams will see their national title hopes dashed on the first big weekend of the national high school season.

Hawaii kicked off the national high school football season two weeks ago, and Georgia and a handful of other states joined the fray last weekend during National Week 1.

But this weekend, another 18 states kick off the season, meaning high school football will be played across roughly half the United States. And that lineup of states coming onboard includes two of the heavyweights at this level.

California and Florida.

A handful of California teams have been in action already, including a few that made trips to Hawaii to get the 2025 season started. And Florida was full of action last weekend with the state's preseason kickoff classics, including one that featured the Sunshine State's top-ranked program.

But everything from here out in Florida is official; it all counts in the standings, and that includes an incredible lineup of action at the Broward County National Football Showcase, kicking off on Friday afternoon, August 22. There are three head-to-head Top 25 matchups featured in the lineup of games in the south Florida event, including half of the current teams in The Sporting News High School Football Top 25.

 

 

Of course, one of those teams is the national top-ranked Mater Dei Monarchs of Santa Ana, California, who are making the cross-country trek to take on the No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders of Fort Lauderdale, Florida – one of the hosts of the event. That game is The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week.

With five of the nation's Top 10 teams in action at the event, it seems impossible to imagine a scenario where the results of the Broward County National Football Showcase won't have end up having an effect on that national championship picture. That could happen either through the affirmation of one team's credentials here or by clearing the path for other high-ranked teams not playing in the event.

In any case, it's almost here. And, if you're a fan of high school football, it deserves your full attention.

This is The Sporting News Roadmap to the National Championship, and this weekend, that road runs through Broward County, Florida.

THE SPORTING NEWS PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ALL-AMERICA TEAMS

The Sporting News Roadmap to the National Championship

Our weekly roadmap is a list of all the upcoming head-to-head games between Top 25 teams throughout the 2025 season. That will, of course, change as new teams enter and other teams exit after falling out. It will be updated every week with the hope of providing a clearer idea of where things stand heading into each weekend. And we will highlight the games on that week's schedule that could affect the national championship picture.

Of course, some of those games involve Top 25 teams against highly-regarded but unranked teams that could affect the national championship picture. And we'll also try to identify those teams playing spoiler in our weekly list of "trap" games that provide the best potential for upsets.

A look back to last week

We saw our first Top 25 action last weekend in Georgia, and the No. 14 Milton [GA] Eagles were the first team on the fringe of the national championship picture to fall outside the frame.

The Eagles saw their 15-game win streak end in a 20-13 loss at the No. 12 Buford [GA] Wolves, and the loss also ended their dreams of a national title. Last year, Milton finished as high as No. 2 in some final rankings, behind the unanimous national champion Mater Dei. That included the highly-respected MaxPreps list. The loss dropped them from the No. 14 position in The Sporting News rankings to No. 25. They'll have to win out from here to hang onto that spot.

 

 

Other Top 25 teams in action included the No. 8 Grayson [Loganville, GA] Rams and the No. 25 Corner Canyon [Draper, UT] Chargers, and we recapped all the action earlier this week in our Top 25 Roundup.

Roadmap to the National Championship: National Week 2

This will likely end up being the busiest week on the road to the national title with all of the high-profile, intersectional matchups taking place in Florida. In addition to the three Broward County matchups, the Sunshine State is also the site of a fourth head-to-head matchup this weekend featuring two teams ranked in our Top 15 when the No. 15 Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers visit the No. 14 Northwestern [Miami, FL] Bulls.

That brings us to the roadmap for National Week 2, and these are the games this weekend that will have an impact on the 2025 road to the high school football national championship.

NATIONAL WEEK 2

The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week

Sat, 8/23/25 — No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) Monarchs at No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Raiders

 

 

Other National Championship Roadmap Games

Fri, 8/22/25 — No. 20 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, PA) Hawks at No. 9 American Heritage (Plantation, FL) Patriots
Sat, 8/23/25 — No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, FL) Lions vs. No. 4 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) Panthers
Sat, 8/23/25 — No. 15 Orange (CA) Lutheran Lancers at No. 14 Northwestern (Miami, FL) Bulls

All of these games are season openers for both teams.

"Trap" Games

These games present a higher potential for upsets with Top 25 teams facing off against highly-regarded unranked teams. As such, these are games where those unranked teams may also have an opportunity to play their way into the Top 25.

Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 3 St. John Bosco [Bellflower, CA] Braves at Manatee [Bradenton, FL] Hurricanes
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 5 IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders at Hoover [AL] Buccaneers
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 8 Grayson [Loganville, GA] Rams vs. Rabun Gap [GA]-Nacoochee Eagles
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 11 Centennial [Corona, CA] Huskies vs. Servite [Anaheim] Friars
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 12 Buford [GA] Wolves at Benedictine [Savannah, GA] Cadets
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 22 Mission Viejo [CA] Diablos at Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 24 Corner Canyon [Draper, UT] Chargers at West Broward [Pembroke Pines, FL] Bobcats
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 25 Milton [GA] Eagles at The First Academy [Orlando, FL] Royals

The Easy Road

These games involve Top 25 teams in matchups that would be major upsets if the unranked team prevailed.

Thu, 8/21/2025 — No. 16 Thompson [Alabaster, AL] 37, Carver Montgomery [AL] Wolverines 6
Fri, 8/22/2025 — No. 2 Bishop Gorman [Las Vegas, NV] Gaels at Centennial [Las Vegas, NV] Bulldogs

Byes

The following teams are on a bye this week.

No. 7 Duncanville [TX] Panthers, No. 13 North Crowley [TX] Panthers, No. 17 DeSoto [TX] Eagles, No. 18 East St. Louis [IL] Flyers, No. 19 Bergen Catholic [Oradell, NJ] Crusaders, No. 21 Edna Karr [New Orleans, LA] Cougars, No. 23 Southlake [TX] Carroll Dragons

The Future Roadmap to the National Championship

This future roadmap is updated weekly, depending on results in previous games. As teams fall out of the Top 25, their games here will be deleted (although they may resurface in our weekly trap games). As new teams enter the Top 25, any matchups against other Top 25 teams will be added.

NATIONAL WEEK 3

Thu, 8/28/25 — No. 19 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, NJ) Crusaders at No. 18 East St. Louis (IL) Flyers

This is the season opener for both teams.

Fri, 8/29/25 — No. 16 Thompson (Alabaster, AL) Warriors at No. 8 Grayson (Loganville, GA) Rams

NATIONAL WEEK 4

Fri, 9/5/25 — No. 4 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) Panthers at No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) Braves
Fri, 9/5/25 — No. 17 DeSoto (TX) Eagles at No. 13 North Crowley (TX) Panthers
Fri, 9/5/25 — No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, FL) Lions at No. 9 American Heritage (Plantation, FL) Patriots

NATIONAL WEEK 5

Fri, 9/12/25 — No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) Monarchs at No. 11 Centennial (Corona, CA) Huskies
Fri, 9/12/25 — No. 18 East St. Louis (IL) at No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)
Fri, 9/12/25 — No. 9 American Heritage (Plantation, FL) Patriots at No. 21 Edna Karr (New Orleans, LA) Cougars
Sat, 9/13/25 — No. 4 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) Panthers at No. 20 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia, PA) Hawks

NATIONAL WEEK 6

Fri, 9/19/25 — No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) Monarchs at No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) Gaels

NATIONAL WEEK 7

There are currently no games involving Top 25 teams scheduled for National Week 7.

NATIONAL WEEK 8

Fri, 10/3/25 — No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) Monarchs at No. 15 Orange (CA) Lutheran Lancers

NATIONAL WEEK 9

Fri, 10/10/25 — No. 17 DeSoto (TX) Eagles at No. 7 Duncanville (TX) Panthers
Fri, 10/10/25 — No. 15 Orange (CA) Lutheran Lancers at No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) Braves

NATIONAL WEEK 10

There are currently no games involving Top 25 teams scheduled for National Week 10.

NATIONAL WEEK 11

Fri, 10/24/25 — No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Raiders at No. 9 American Heritage (Plantation, FL) Patriots
Sat, 10/25/25 — No. 18 East St. Louis (IL) Flyers at No. 5 IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL) Ascenders

NATIONAL WEEK 12

Fri, 10/31/25 — No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) Monarchs at No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) Braves
Fri, 10/31/25 — No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, FL) Lions at No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) Raiders

NATIONAL WEEK 13

Fri, 11/7/25 — No. 4 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) Panthers at No. 5 IMG Academy (FL) Ascenders

Previous Roadmap to the National Championship Results

NATIONAL WEEK ZERO: Kahuku, Hawaii

Both of these teams were unranked, but as our national game of the week, it was still a stop on our 2025 Roadmap to the National Championship.

Kahuku also had an opportunity to get into the national title conversation with games later in the season against the No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) Monarchs and the No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) Gaels. The loss to Saint Louis in shutout fashion ended those faint dreams of a national title.

The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week

Sat, 8/9/25 — UNR Saint Louis (Honolulu, HI) Crusaders 20, Kahuku (HI) Red Raiders 0

NATIONAL WEEK 1: Buford, Georgia

This week marked the beginning of the 2025 prep season in the Peach State, and all eyes were on Buford, Georgia, where the Wolves were hosting the first game in their new home.

On opening night at Phillip Beard Stadium at Dexter Wood Field, No. 12 Buford delivered the opening knockout of the season, ending the No. 14 Milton [GA] Eagles' dreams of entering the national title picture for a second straight season in a 20-13 decision.

The Sporting News National High School Football Game of the Week

Thu, 8/14/25 — No. 12 Buford [GA] Wolves 20, No. 14 Milton [GA] Eagles 13

Other Games featuring Top 25 Teams

Fri, 8/15/25 — No. 8 Grayson (Loganville, GA) Rams 51, Collins Hill (Suwanee) Eagles 3
Fri, 8/15/25 — No. 25 Corner Canyon [Draper, UT] Chargers 45, Bingham [South Jordan, UT] Miners 0

 

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Kendall Webb

Kendall Webb is a freelance writer with The Sporting News and the former publisher of the College Football America Yearbook. He is a proud alumnus of Kilgore College (AA), the University of Texas at Austin (BJ), Middle Tennessee State University (BS), and Harvard University (ALM). Webb has attended a high school or college football game in more than 40 states during his career as a freelance journalist, and he remains an avid follower of team sports at all levels.