Roadmap to the National Championship: National Week 9 features top games in California, Georgia, and Texas

Kendall Webb

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Roadmap to the National Championship: National Week 9 features top games in California, Georgia, and Texas image

Gainesville at Milton

The Sporting News National Week 9 schedule features the Gainesville [GA] Red Elephants at the Milton [GA] Eagles Friday night in The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week.

Both teams enter the game with identical 6-1 records, and both of those losses came to teams currently ranked in The Sporting News High School Football Top 25. Milton lost, 20-13, at the SN No. 9 Buford [GA] Wolves in the season opener while Gainesville was defeated, 43-21, by the Carrollton [GA] Trojans back on September 12. The game will be Milton's second time in the national spotlight this season, having been featured in The SN Game of the Week in that contest against Buford on August 14.

Other top games include a couple of teams ranked in the Top 25 of The Sporting News Composite Rankings as the No. 22 Santa Margarita Eagles visit the No. 5/SN No. 4 Mater Dei [Santa Ana, CA] Monarchs. And the unranked DeSoto [TX] Eagles hope to continue their march back toward the national rankings when they make the short drive to Duncanville to take on the SN No. 20 Duncanville [TX] Pamthers.

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The Sporting News Roadmap to the National Championship

Our weekly roadmap is a list of all the upcoming head-to-head games between The Sporting News High School Football 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 while highlighting the upcoming games 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.

Roadmap to the National Championship: National Week 9

That brings us to the roadmap for National Week 9, 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 9

The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week

Friday, October 10

  • NR Gainesville [GA] Red Elephants (6-1) at SN No. 14 Milton [GA] Eagles (6-1) — 7:30 p.m. EST local

"Trap" Games

These games present a higher potential for upsets with SN 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 SN Top 25.

Thursday, October 9

  • SN No. 13 Edna Karr [New Orleans, LA] Cougars 48 (6-0), NR Brother Martin [New Orleans, LA] Crusaders 13 (5-2)

Friday, October 10

  • SN No. 15 DeMatha [Hyattsville, MD] Stags (5-0) at NR Our Lady of Good Counsel [Olney, MD] Falcons (4-2) — 7 p.m. EST local
  • NR Gainesville [GA] Red Elephants (6-1) at SN No. 14 Milton [GA] Eagles (6-1) — 7:30 p.m. EST local
  • NR DeSoto [TX] Eagles (3-2) at SN No. 20 Duncanville [TX] Panthers (2-1) — 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST local)
  • SN No. 1 St. John Bosco [Bellflower, CA] Braves (6-0) at NR Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers (3-3) — 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST local)
  • No. 22 Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles (4-2) at SN No. 4 Mater Dei [Santa Ana, CA] Monarchs (4-1) — 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST local)
  • NR Vista Murrieta [Murrieta, CA] Broncos (5-1) at SN No. 6 Centennial [Corona, CA] Huskies (5-1) — 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST local)

The Easy Road

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

Thursday, October 9

  • SN No. 3 Grayson [Loganville, GA] Rams 58 (8-0), NR Rockdale County [Conyers, GA] Bulldogs 10 (4-3)
  • SN No. 9 Buford [GA] Wolves 58 (7-0), NR Dacula [GA] Falcons 7 (3-4)
  • SN No. 11 Southlake [TX] Carroll Dragons 66 (7-0), NR V.R. Eaton [Fort Worth, TX] Eagles 7 (3-3)
  • SN No. 25 Bixby [OK] Spartans 64 (6-0) NR Edmond [OK] North Huskies 7 (1-5)

Friday, October 10

  • NR Blanche Ely [Pompano Beach, FL] Tigers (3-3) at SN No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna [Hollywood, FL] Lions (5-1) — 7 p.m. EST local
  • NR Ragsdale [Jamestown, NC] Tigers (0-6) at SN No. 19 Grimsley [Greensboro, NC] Whirlies (6-0) — 7 p.m. EST local
  • NR Chapel Hill [Douglasville, GA] Panthers (1-5) at SN No. 23 Carrollton [GA] Trojans (7-0) — 7:30 p.m. EST local
  • SN No. 16 Randle [Richmond, TX] Lions at NR Texas City [TX] Stingarees (3-1) — 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST local)
  • SN No. 17 Allen [TX] Eagles (5-0) at NR Princeton [TX] Panthers (4-1) — 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST local)
  • NR Granbury [TX] Pirates (2-3) at SN No. 22 Aledo [TX] Bearcats (6-0) — 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST local)
  • NR Mojave [North Las Vegas, NV] Rattlers (3-4) at SN No. 8 Bishop Gorman [Las Vegas, NV] Gaels (6-1) — 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST local)
  • NR Chaminade [West Hills, CA] Eagles (3-3) at SN No. 12 Sierra Canyon [Chatsworth, CA] Trailblazers (6-0) — 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PST local)

Saturday, October 11

  • SN No. 24 Don Bosco Prep [Ramsey, NJ] Ironmen (5-0) at NR St. Joseph Regional [Montvale, NJ] Green Knights (4-1) — 1 p.m. EST local

IDLE

SN No. 2 IMG Academy [Bradenton, FL] Ascenders (6-0); SN No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas [Fort Lauderdale, FL] Raiders (5-1); SN No. 18 Basha [Chandler, AZ] Bears (6-0); SN No. 21 South Oak Cliff [Dallas, TX] Bears (5-1)

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 10

There are currently no games scheduled between two teams ranked in our Top 25.

NATIONAL WEEK 11

There are currently no games scheduled between two teams ranked in our Top 25.

NATIONAL WEEK 12

Fri, 10/31/25 — SN No. 4 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) Monarchs at SN No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, CA) Braves
Fri, 10/31/25 — SN No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, FL) Lions at SN No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) Raiders

NATIONAL WEEK 13

Fri, 11/7/25 — SN No. 5 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) Panthers at SN No. 2 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

Top 25 Teams Eliminated from SN National Championship Consideration — No. 14 Milton Eagles

NATIONAL WEEK 2: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

It was the week that California and Florida jumped into the 2025 fray, and the Broward County National Football Showcase gave us some moments to remember.

No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas rallied from a 26-3 deficit to take No. 1 Mater Dei to the wire in a 26-23 loss. That was one night after No. 9 American Heritage climbed out of 28-0 hole to come back and beat No. 20 St. Joseph's Prep, 31-28.

In the end, two Top 25 teams were eliminated from national title consideration with No. 14 Northwestern [Miami, FL] and No. 20 St. Joseph's Prep falling out of the picture. Two Florida teams, meanwhile, saw their national title hopes put on life support with both No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas and No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna moving to the far fringe of the conversation.

The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week

Sat, 8/23/25 — No. 1 Mater Dei [Santa Ana, CA] Monarchs 26, No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas 3

Other National Roadmap Games featuring Top 25 teams in head-to-head matchups

Fri, 8/22/25 — No. 9 American Heritage [Plantation, FL] Patriots 31, No. 20 St. Joseph's Prep [Philadelphia, PA] Hawks 28
Sat, 8/22/25 — No. 4 St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers 42, No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna [Hollywood, FL] 13
Sat, 8/22/25 — No. 15 Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers 17, No. 14 Northwestern [Miami, FL] Bulls 15

Top 25 Teams Eliminated from SN National Championship Consideration — No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna [Hollywood, FL] Lions, No. 14 Northwestern [Miami, FL] Bulls, No. 20 St. Joseph's Prep [Philadelphia, PA] Hawks

NATIONAL WEEK 3: Loganville, Georgia

The SN No. 7 Grayson Rams only led once against the SN No. 14 Thompson [Alabaster, AL] Warriors. But that's all it took to get the win in a 24-23 overtime victory The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week.

The loss knocked Thompson out of the national championship picture, and indeed, out of the SN Top 25. The Warriors weren't the only team to see their dreams of national glory end.

The SN No. 9 Centennial [Corona, CA] Huskies were upset by the unranked Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles who already had a loss to Mission Viejo. And while the win propelled the Eagles into our latest Top 25 rankings, it essentially ended any hopes for the Huskies of fighting their way into the national title picture.

Ditto for the SN No. 15 DeSoto [TX] Eagles' hopes in a 70-28 unraveling at the unranked Creekside [Fairburn, GA] Seminoles on the road in Georgia.

Finally, the SN No. 17 East St. Louis [IL] Flyers saw their own faint national title hopes end in a 22-21 loss to the SN No. 18 Bergen Catholic [Oradell, NJ] Crusaders – but at least it came against another team ranked in the SN Top 25.

National Roadmap Games featuring SN Top 25 teams in head-to-head matchups

Upsets involving SN Top 25 teams against unranked teams

Top 25 Teams Eliminated from SN National Championship Consideration — No. 9 Centennial [Corona, CA] Huskies, No. 14 Thompson [Alabaster, AL] Warriors, No. 15 DeSoto [TX] Eagles, No. 17 East St. Louis [IL] Flyers

NATIONAL WEEK 4: Bellflower, California

The SN No. 3 St. John Bosco Braves held off the SN No. 4 St. Frances Academy Panthers, 21-14, in the The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week.

While the result didn't completely end St. Frances's hopes of a national title, it did make the path very narrow, and the Panthers would need a lot of help moving forward to navigate back into the championship picture.

National Roadmap Games featuring SN Top 25 teams in head-to-head matchups

Upsets involving SN Top 25 teams against unranked teams

Top 25 Teams Eliminated from SN National Championship Consideration — SN No. 8 American Heritage [Plantation, FL] Patriots; SN No. 12 Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers; SN No. 23 Liberty [Peoria, AZ] Lions

    NATIONAL WEEK 5: New Orleans, Louisiana

    In The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week, the SN No. 19 Edna Karr Cougars held off the SN No. 18 American Heritage Patriots, 24-17, in overtime.

    While the win wasn't likely to lift Edna Karr into the national title conversation, it certainly reverberated across the country with the Cougars beating one of the top teams in Florida in a game played in the Caesars Superdome.

    National Roadmap Games featuring SN Top 25 teams in head-to-head matchups

    NATIONAL WEEK 6: Las Vegas, Nevada

    In The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week, the SN No. 7 Mater Dei Monarchs  held off the SN No. 18 American Heritage Patriots, 24-17, in overtime.

    Mater Dei saved its season with this win and managed to stay firmly in the national title conversation thanks to the strength of their upcoming California Trinity League schedule. For Bishop Gorman, the loss almost certainly ended the Gaels' pursuit of the national championship for the opposite reason – their upcoming in-state Nevada schedule pales in comparison to Mater Dei's remaining lineup, and the Gaels would need a lot of help to climb all the way to the top spot.

    Upsets involving SN Top 25 teams against unranked teams

    It was the Week of the Upset as four SN Top 25 teams were defeated in games against unranked competition. The chaos started on Thursday night when SN No. 10 North Crowley [Fort Worth, TX]'s luck finally ran out in Texas. The Panthers had already escaped a couple of close calls against unranked opponents, beating the Lancaster [TX] Tigers, 22-18, at home in the season opener before fending off a challenge from the DeSoto [TX] Eagles a week later in a 36-27 win.

    Following a close call in a 28-27 victory on the road at the Guyer [Denton, TX] Wildcats, it felt like the Panthers' were on borrowed time. Indeed, an unranked Rockwall [TX] Yellowjackets' squad finally ended North Crowley's 19-game win streak in a 37-35 thriller on North Crowley's home field.

    Then on Friday night, a trio of SN Top 25 teams were also knocked off in upsets. First, it was the SN No. 11 Mission Viejo [CA] Diablos who were dominated in a 25-14 setback at the unranked McCallie [Chattanooga, TN] Blue Tornado. That was followed by the SN No. 4 Duncancanville [TX] Panthers coming up on the short end of a 28-27 result at the unranked Waxahachie [TX] Indians. Finally, out west, the unranked Lone Peak [Highland, UT] Knights knocked the SN No. 15 Corner Canyon [Draper, UT] Chargers out of the national title picture in a dominant 42-21 upset.

    Top 25 Teams Eliminated from SN National Championship Consideration — SN No. 1 Bishop Gorman [Las Vegas, NV] Gaels; SN No. 4 Duncanville [TX] Panthers; SN No. 10 North Crowley [Fort Worth, TX] Panthers; SN No. 11 Mission Viejo [CA] Diablos; SN No. 15 Corner Canyon [Draper, UT] Chargers

      NATIONAL WEEK 7: Mission Viejo, California

      In The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week, the SN No. 8 Bishop Gorman Gaels defeated the SN No. 13 Santa Margarita Eagles, 14-0.

      Santa Margarita already had a loss, but they were still on the fringe of the national title conversation by virtue of a road win at the Centennial [Corona, CA] Huskies which, in turn, had a win over the then-No. 1 Mater Dei [Santa Ana, CA] Monarchs. In the unlikely scenario that Santa Margarita had won this game and then won out the rest of the way through California's CIF playoffs, they would have been a strong contender for the national title. This second loss, however, officially knocked the Eagles out of the picture.

      The SN No. 11 Bergen Catholic [Oradell, NJ] Crusaders also saw their hopes of contending for a national championship dashed in a 14-9 loss at the unranked Don Bosco Prep [Ramsey, NJ] Ironmen.

      Top 25 Teams Eliminated from SN National Championship Consideration — SN No. 11 Bergen Catholic [Oradell, NJ] Crusaders; SN No. 13 Santa Margarita [Rancho Santa Margarita, CA] Eagles

        NATIONAL WEEK 8: Lehi, Utah

        In The Sporting News High School Football Game of the Week, the Skyridge Falcons defeated the Lone Peak Knights, 37-34.

        The Skyridge-Lone Peak game was voted The SN Game of the Week via a fan vote as there were no games where both teams were ranked in the SN Top 25. As such, it had no impact on the national title race. There were no upsets in the SN Top 25 either as every ranked team either won or was idle.

        The top-ranked team to lose was the Central [Miami, FL] Rockets, ranked No. 39 in The SN Composite Rankings. But the Rockets' loss to the Northwestern [Miami, FL] Bulls – ranked No. 2 in The SN NEXT 25 "bubble" rankings – was hardly a major upset.

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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.