You've seen The Sporting News High School Football Top 25.
And we've introduced you to the The Sporting News Composite Rankings which takes that top 25 and combines it with the rankings from seven other major selectors.
And now it's time for The NEXT 25 presented by The Sporting News.
The NEXT 25 is a weekly list of teams hoping to break into one of those Top 25 rankings in the weeks to come, and as soon as they do, they'll move up to the TSN Composite Rankings. And, of course, the Top 25 they crack could be ours. These are essentially the "bubble" teams sitting just outside the composite rankings.
They'll hang out here in The NEXT 25 until they get their opportunity to move up (or down if they don't perform in those contests), and several of the teams on this week's list are essentially competing in "play-in" games for The Sporting News High School Football Top 25 this weekend.
For example, our No. 1 team on this list, the South Oak Cliff [Dallas, TX] Bears, will take on the TSN No. 6 Duncanville [TX] Panthers. A win there would all but guarantee the Bears a spot in our Top 25 next week, especially combined with their 41-31 win last week over the highly-regarded Galena Park North Shore Mustangs who also appear in this list below.
The NEXT 25 No. 2 West Boca Raton [Boca Raton, FL] Bulls also have a golden opportunity to climb into a higher set of rankings with a home game against the TSN No. 13 Bergen Catholic [Oradell, NJ] Crusaders. Ditto for the NEXT 25 No. 4 Basha [Chandler, AZ] Bears at home against the TSN No. 12 Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers and the NEXT 25 No. 8 Lone Peak [Highland, UT] Knights who will visit the No. 2 Bishop Gorman [Las Vegas, NV] Gaels.
MORE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL HEADLINES
- How last week's Top 25 fared
- How the teams in last week's Composite Rankings fared
- Streak Busters Week 3 – double-digit win streaks fall across the country
- Last week's Roadmap to the National Championship
- The Sporting News High School Preseason All-American Offense
- The Sporting News High School Preseason All-American Defense
The NEXT 25 presented by The Sporting News
The ratings for opponents below are presented first by composite ranking with The Sporting News ranking, if applicable, in parentheses.
No. 1 South Oak Cliff [Dallas, TX] Bears
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — at No. 7 (TSN No. 6) Duncanville [TX] Panthers (0-0)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — South Oak Cliff 41, Galena Park North Shore [Houston, TX] 31
W/L Streak: 1 win
South Oak Cliff has as good an opportunity as any team this week to play their way into a higher set of rankings. With an upset win over TSN No. 6 Duncanville, they will graduate from The NEXT 25 to the official TSN Top 25. This will be the season opener for Duncanville while South Oak Cliff is coming off a win against another team ranked here in The NEXT 25.
No. 2 West Boca Raton [Boca Raton, FL] Bulls
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. No. 12 [TSN No. 13] Bergen Catholic [Oradell, NJ] Crusaders (1-0)
Last Game: 8/28/2025 — West Boca Raton 50, Palm Beach Central [Wellington, FL] Broncos
W/L Streak: 16 wins
The Bulls will put their 16-game win streak on the line against TSN No. 13 Bergen Catholic which is on a 12-game run of its own. Similar to South Oak Cliff above, this game is an opportunity for West Boca Raton to play its way into the TSN Top 25.
No. 3 McEachern [Powder Springs, GA] Indians
2025 Record: 3-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/12/2025 — vs. Campbell [Smyrna, GA] Spartans (3-0)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — McEachern 16, Marietta [GA] Blue Devils 13
W/L Streak: 3 wins
McEachern is coming off its first close call of the season, but the Indians have a week off before their next contest. They don't have a lot of high-profile matchups in the coming weeks to really make a splash on the national scene, but these titans of Georgia's GHSA Class 6A ranks will eventually move into at least the composite rankings if they just keep winning.
No. 4 Basha [Chandler, AZ] Bears
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. No. 17 (TSN No. 12) Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers (2-0)
Last Game: 8/28/2025 — Basha 42, Brophy College Prep [Phoenix, AZ] Broncos 6
W/L Streak: 1 win
This is as big as it gets for Basha, at least until it's time for Arizona's AIA playoffs. Basha has a chance to possibly play its way into the TSN Top 25 with a win over TSN No. 12 Orange Lutheran, one of California's Trinity League powers.
No. 5 Archbishop Moeller [Cincinnati, OH] Fighting Crusaders
2025 Record: 1-1
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. Trinity [Louisville, KY] Shamrocks (2-0)
Last Game: 8/30/2025 — Chicago [IL] Mt. Carmel Caravan 43, Archbishop Moeller 42
W/L Streak: 1 loss
Archbishop Moeller is coming off a loss to the Mt. Carmel Caravan of Chicago in a 43-42 barnburner, and now the Fighting Crusaders host Kentucky's top-ranked Trinity Shamrocks. Mt. Carmel was rewarded with the No. 22 spot in BlueStar Media's latest rankings, propelling them to the No. 36 spot in the TSN Composite Rankings. Moeller needs to win here to stay on the national radar and climb back into the composite rankings themselves.
No. 6 Northwestern [Miami, FL] Bulls
2025 Record: 0-1
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/4/2025 — vs. Carol City [Miami, FL] Chiefs (1-1)
Last Game: 8/23/2025 — Orange [CA] Lutheran Lancers 17, Northwestern 15
W/L Streak: 1 loss
Northwestern took last week off after losing at home in a close call the previous week to Orange Lutheran, currently ranked No. 12 in the TSN Top 25. They're back at it tonight against the Carol City Chiefs while they try to claw their way back into the TSN Composite Rankings – and, maybe eventually, back into the TSN Top 25.
No. 7 Baylor [Chattanooga, TN] Red Raiders
2025 Record: 2-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — at Brentwood [TN] Academy Eagles (2-0)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Baylor 35, Rabun Gap [GA]-Nacoochee 34
W/L Streak: 2 wins
Baylor knocked off a tough Rabun Gap-Nacoochee squad that is also ranked here in The NEXT 25, and now they hit the road to take on one of their top Tennessee rivals in the Brentwood Academy Eagles. They need to win this to have a shot at breaking into the Composite Rankings in the coming weeks.
No. 8 Lone Peak [Highland, UT] Knights
2025 Record: 3-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — at No. 3 (TSN No. 2) Bishop Gorman [Las Vegas, NV] Gaels (2-0)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Lone Peak 42, Timpview [Provo, UT] Thunderbirds 10
W/L Streak: 3 wins
This is Lone Peak's opportunity to play its way into the TSN Top 25. Win and they're in; lose, and even a victory over current TSN No. 16 Corner Canyon on September 19 probably won't be enough for anything more than the composite rankings.
No. 9 La Salle College [Wyndmoor, PA] Explorers
2025 Record: 2-0
Last Week: N/A
Last Game: 9/5/2025 — at Salesianum [Wilmington, DE] Sallies (1-0)
Next Game: 8/29/2025 — La Salle College 42, Malvern [PA] Prep Friars 35 (0-1)
W/L Streak: 2 wins
The Explorers will take on a Delaware Top 5 Salesianum squad that opened the season last weekend in a 52-6 romp over the RLCA [Bear, DE] Lions. La Salle should win it, but it is a potential trap game for the Explorers.
No. 10 Central [Miami, FL] Rockets
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — at Booker T. Washington [Miami, FL] Tornadoes (0-2)
Last Game: 8/30/2025 — Central 50, Edison [Miami, FL] Red Raiders 12
W/L Streak: 2 wins
Central shouldn't have any problems here as they continue to wind their way toward a September 19 meeting with the current TSN No. 8 American Heritage [Plantation, FL] Patriots.
No. 11 Archbishop Spalding [Severn, MD] Cavaliers
2025 Record: 1-1
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. Hun [Princeton, NJ] Raiders (1-0)
Last Game: 8/30/2025 — Archbishop Spalding 58, Archbishop Hoban [Akron, OH] Knights 28
W/L Streak: 4 wins
The Cavaliers rebounded to blow out one of Ohio's top programs last week after starting the season in Indiana with a 36-23 loss to the Hoosier State's top-ranked Brownsburg Bulldogs. It's been a tough two-game stretch to open the season, and it doesn't get much easier here in a home date with The Hun School of Princeton, New Jersey.
No. 12 Catholic [Baton Rouge, LA] TBDs
2025 Record: 0-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. Destrehan [LA] Wildcats (0-0)
Last Game: 12/6/2024 — Edna Karr [New Orleans, LA] Cougars 21, Catholic 19
W/L Streak: 1 loss
It's the season opener for Catholic after losing to Edna Karr in the semifinals of Louisiana's LHSAA Division I Select playoffs last December. They get Louisiana's No. 8 Destrehan Wildcats in a potentially dangerous season opener.
No. 13 Dutch Fork [Irmo, SC] Silver Foxes
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/25 — vs. Ridge View [Columbia, SC] Blazers (1-1)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Dutch Fork 54, Spartanburg [SC] Vikings 21
W/L Streak: 22 wins
Dutch Fork doesn't have many challengers in the Palmetto State these days, having won 22 straight contests, and they figure to beat Ridge View at home. But the Blazers did stay within a touchdown of the Northwestern [Rock Hill, SC] Trojans, another South Carolina program on a long win streak (16 games), so it's not an opponent Dutch Fork can afford to take for granted.
No. 14 Tupelo [MS] Golden Wave
2025 Record: 2-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/25 — vs. CPA [Nashville, TN] Lions (1-1)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Tupelo 36, Brandon [MS] Bulldogs 15
W/L Streak: 16 wins
Tupelo has won 16 straight, but they don't get a lot of opportunities to make noise beyond Mississippi's borders. But they get one of Tennessee's best Friday night, hosting the Christ Presbyterian Academy Lions of Nashville. For Tupelo, it's a must-win if they want to crack the composite rankings at any point this season.
No. 15 Cherry Creek [Greenwood Village, CO] Bruins
2025 Record: 2-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. Millard North [Omaha, NE] Mustangs
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Cherry Creek 24, Cardinal Mooney [Sarasota, FL] Cougars
W/L Streak: 15 wins
Fifteen straight wins, including a big one at Sarasota, Florida's Cardinal Mooney last weekend earns Cherry Creek a spot in The NEXT 25 rankings this week. They have opportunities the next couple of weeks to maybe climb into the composite rankings with games against Omaha, Nebraska's Millard North Mustangs and Lehi, Utah's Skyridge Falcons.
No. 16 Grant Union [CA] Pacers
2025 Record: 1-1
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/25 — at Cardinal Newman [Santa Rosa, CA] Cardinals (0-1)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Grant Union 42, Central East [Fresno, CA] 26
W/L Streak: 1 win
Grant Union was demolished two weeks ago in a 51-13 loss to the Folsom [CA] Bulldogs, so it will be a challenge for the Pacers to climb their way into the composite rankings. But back-to-back opportunities are coming on September 19 and 27 against De La Salle [Concord, CA] and Lincoln [San Diego, CA] – both of which are currently ranked in the composite rankings.
No. 17 Carthage [TX] Bulldogs
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/12/2025 — vs. Liberty-Eylau [Texarkana, TX] Leopards (0-1)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Carthage 21, Kilgore [TX] Bulldogs 10
W/L Streak: 1 win
Carthage is one of those big-time small schools in Texas – an enrollment of roughly 800 kids, but a threat to win a Class 4A title in Texas in any given year. So, while they will have trouble climbing all the way into the TSN Top 25, they could potentially crack the composite rankings at some point. The biggest problem is the Bulldogs' schedule; the biggest opportunity was last week's season opener against Kilgore, and it just isn't the kind of result that resonates on the national level.
No. 18 Rabun Gap [GA]-Nacoochee Eagles
2025 Record: 0-2
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — at Washington [Massillon, OH] Tigers
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Baylor [Chattanooga, TN] Red Raiders 35, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee 34
W/L Streak: 2 losses
Rabun Gap is 0-2, but those losses have come against the top-ranked team in Georgia (TSN No. 7 Grayson) and Tennessee (NEXT 25 No. 7 Baylor). A Friday night trip to Ohio to take on the legendary Washington Tigers won't be easy, but if Rabun Gap wants to break through to the next level, it's a game they'll have to win.
No. 19 Randle [Richmond, TX] Lions
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/4/2025 — at Alief Elsik [Houston, TX] Rams (0-1)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Randle 55, Foster [Richmond, TX] Falcons 0
W/L Streak: 17 wins
Randle picked up where it left off last season with a 55-0 win over the rival Foster Falcons in the season opener. That's 17 in a row now for the Lions, the defending Texas UIL Class 5A Division II state champions. They shouldn't have any problem making it 18 against an Alief Elsik team that is 0-1, coming off a 2-9 season a year ago.
No. 20 Celina [TX] Bobcats
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. La Vega [Waco, TX] Pirates (1-0)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Celina 50, Bellville [TX] Brahmas 28
W/L Streak: 17 wins
Like Randle above, Celina is on a 17-game win streak, coming off a 16-0 season in 2024. And like the Lions, the Bobcats showed no signs of slowing down last weekend in a 50-28 win over Bellville. Celina's toughest stretch of the season could be this game with La Vega Friday night, followed by a road trip to Gunter on September 12. If they make it through that, then it wouldn't be a huge surprise if the Bobcats rolled into the playoffs at 10-0 again this season.
No. 21 Archbishop Hoban [Akron, OH] Knights
2025 Record: 1-1
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. King [Detroit, MI] Crusaders (1-0)
Last Game: 8/30/2025 — Archbishop Spalding [Severn, MD] Cavaliers 58, Archbishop Hoban 28
W/L Streak: 1 loss
The Knights endured a long trip home from Maryland last weekend after losing to the Archbishop Spalding Cavaliers in a 58-28 rout. Hoban was considered the top team in Ohio by some ranking services, but the Knights have a lot to prove from here out. It'll start against another out-of-state foe in the King Crusaders from Detroit, Michigan, but at least Hoban gets to play this one at home as they try to regain their footing.
No. 22 Galena Park North Shore [Houston, TX] Mustangs
2025 Record: 0-1
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/25 — vs. Crowley [TX] Eagles (0-1)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — South Oak Cliff [Dallas, TX] Bears 41, North Shore 31
W/L Streak: 1 loss
The 2025 season got off to a rough start for the Mustangs in a 41-31 loss at South Oak Cliff in Dallas. Of course, their hosts are one of the top teams in Texas, too, and currently ranked No. 1 in The NEXT 25. North Shore should be able to break into the win column Friday night against Crowley back home in Houston.
No. 23 Allen [TX] Eagles
2025 Record: 1-0
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. Cedar Hill [TX] Longhorns (1-0)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — Allen 46, Midland Legacy 13
W/L Streak: 1 win
Allen kicked off the season with a big win, and they are on a mission to re-establish themselves as one of the favorites in Texas UIL Class 6A to make a run at the state championship. They should be able to handle this Cedar Hill Longhorns' squad at home to get to 2-0.
No. 24 Lakeland [FL] Dreadnaughts
2025 Record: 1-1
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/5/2025 — vs. Lake Mary [FL] Rams (2-0)
Last Game: 8/29/2025 — De La Salle [Concord, CA] Spartans 10, Lakeland 6
W/L Streak: 1 loss
After traveling to California last weekend and losing, 10-6, in heartbreaking fashion to the De La Salle Spartans, Lakeland is back home in Florida. They'll take on the Lake Mary Rams at home, a team that could easily take their place in The NEXT 25 if they can't get back in the win column.
No. 25 St. Joseph's Prep [Philadelphia, PA] Hawks
2025 Record: 0-2
Last Week: N/A
Next Game: 9/13/2025 — vs. St. Frances Academy [Baltimore, MD] Panthers (1-0)
Last Game: 8/30/2025 — DeMatha [Hyattsville, MD] Stags 45, St. Joseph's Prep Hawks 17
W/L Streak: 2 losses
St. Joseph's Prep has come out strong in the first half of their first two games only to fall apart over the final 24 minutes of each contest. They blew a 28-0 lead in the opener to the American Heritage [Plantation, FL] Patriots, and then last week, they gave up 42 second-half points to DeMatha after leading the Stags 10-3 at halftime. They get a break this weekend, but it won't get any easier in two weeks against St. Frances Academy, currently ranked No. 4 in the TSN Top 25. That game could send the Hawks tumbling out of consideration for a possible return to Top 25 status by season's end.
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