USA Today Network Indiana High School Football Poll — Week 2 (Aug. 25)

After opening week of the 2025 IHSAA football season, the second USA Today Network Indiana High School Football poll was revealed Monday evening. It’s the first in-season poll voted by a committee of 18 sports writers and broadcasters serving communities across Indiana.

Top-ranked Brownsburg dominated Maryland-powerhouse Archbishop Spalding in the season opener and outscored the entire season total of the 12 opponents the Cavaliers breezed through in 2024. The defending 6A champion Bulldogs moved up to as high as No. 21 in the national rankings, per Rivals. Brownsburg hosts 6A No. 7 Carmel at C.F. Roark Stadium on Friday. The top five ranked 6A schools stood strong with Week 1 victories. Hamilton Southeastern moved up to No. 6 after a third consecutive season opener win over Fort Wayne Carroll. Four newcomers joined the 6A rankings, including Carmel, No. 8 Avon, No. 9 Columbus North and No. 10 Penn.

Class 6A

W-L Pts. Prev.

Brownsburg (16) 1-0 177 1
Westfield (2) 1-0 155 2
Center Grove 1-0 148 3
Lawrence North 1-0 115 4
Crown Point 1-0 111 5
Hamilton Southeastern 1-0 84 7
Carmel 1-0 75 NR
Avon 1-0 34 NR
Columbus North 1-0 27 NR
Penn 1-0 24 NR

receiving votes: Warren Central 17. Zionsville 5. Ben Davis 4. Decatur Central 3. Franklin Central 1. West Lafayette Harrison 1. Fort Wayne Carroll 1.

A battle featuring defending state champions will take place Friday as top-ranked New Palestine hits the road to face last year’s 5A champ Decatur Central. Indianapolis-powerhouse Cathedral received three first-place votes and will travel to face 6A No. 1 Brownsburg in perhaps the most anticipated game of the week. Third-ranked Merrillville hosts Illinois-based Loyola Academy, who is ranked as high as No. 41 nationally, per Rivals. Bloomington South, East Central, Warsaw, Concord and Plainfield all earned Week 1 wins to remain in the mix. Lafayette Jefferson lost a tight, one-possession affair against the top-ranked 4A team, Bishop Chatard. Valparaiso dropped out of the rankings after a loss to 6A Penn, which allowed Floyd Central to move inside the top 10.

Class 5A

W-L Pts. Prev.

New Palestine (15) 1-0 177 1
Cathedral (3) 1-0 158 2
Merrillville 1-0 130 3
Bloomington South 1-0 104 4
East Central 1-0 103 4
Warsaw 1-0 95 6
Concord 1-0 68 8
Plainfield 1-0 40 9
Lafayette Jefferson 0-1 77 7 (35-28 L vs 4A #1 Chatard)
Floyd Central 1-0 23 NR

receiving votes: Valparaiso 9. Evansville North 4. Castle 1. South Bend Adams 1.

The top four ranked 4A schools all remained in the same spot after the opening week. Top-ranked Bishop Chatard and No. 2 Heritage Hills are still the closest race for the 4A favorites, separated by just 11 voting points. Third-ranked Mishawaka received one first-place vote, which placed the Cavemen at No. 3. Fifth-ranked Roncalli and No. 6 Evansville Reitz moved up one spot. Leo and Columbia City, two schools who may have to go through the state runner-up East Noble in a loaded Sectional 19 bracket, entered the ranks. Tenth-ranked Greenwood snuck into the rankings by just one voting point.

Class 4A

W-L Pts. Prev.

Bishop Chatard (12) 1-0 171 1
Heritage Hills (5) 1-0 160 2
Mishawaka (1) 1-0 133 3
East Noble 1-0 133 4
Roncalli 1-0 104 6
Evansville Reitz 1-0 97 7
Leo 1-0 54 NR
Columbia City 1-0 40 NR
Fort Wayne Dwenger 0-1 31 9 (3-0 L vs #5 Roncalli)
Greenwood 1-0 13 NR

receiving votes: Martinsville 12. Beech Grove 8. Bedford North Lawrence 7. Danville 7. Pendleton Heights 5. Greenfield-Central 4. Yorktown 4. New Prairie 2. Northview 2. Brebeuf Jesuit 1. NorthWood 1.

Evansville Memorial received two-thirds of the first-place votes following a dominant win in the season opener. Gibson Southern moved to No. 2 after outlasting 4A Danville 35-28. Mississinewa and Evansville Mater Dei jumped two slots, Cascade slid inside the top 5 and Maconaquah moved up to No. 7 after a dominant Week 1 victory. Fort Wayne Luers dropped five spots to No. 7 after a one-possession loss to 4A Leo. Both No. 8 Knox and No. 9 Tri-West entered the 3A rankings.

Class 3A

W-L Pts. Prev.

Evansville Memorial (12) 1-0 174 1
Gibson Southern (6) 1-0 159 3
Mississinewa 1-0 107 5
Evansville Mater Dei 1-0 104 6
Cascade 1-0 89 9
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 0-1 73 2 (14-7 L vs Leo)
Maconaquah 1-0 64 10
Knox 1-0 49 NR
Tri-West 1-0 42 NR
Lawrenceburg 0-1 33 4 (39-12 L vs East Central)

receiving votes: Guerin Catholic 31. West Noble 25. West Lafayette 23. Garrett 15. Tippecanoe Valley 4. North Harrison 2. Fairfield 1.

Seven schools in the preseason 2A poll emerged victorious in the season opener and zero teams dropped out of the top 10. Top-ranked Adams Central received all 18 first-place votes after a 7-0 shutout win over 3A Garrett. No. 3 Brownstown Central, No. 4 Lapel and No. 5 Heritage Christian all moved up inside the top 5 after securing Week 1 wins. Both No. 7 Triton Central and No. 9 Eastbrook survived scares with narrow, one-point wins over two returning sectional champions.

Class 2A

W-L Pts. Prev.

Adams Central (18) 1-0 180 1
Lutheran 1-0 154 2
Brownstown Central 1-0 133 4
Lapel 1-0 118 7
Heritage Christian 1-0 77 8
Linton-Stockton 0-1 72 3 (42-20 L vs Corbin (Ky.))
Triton Central 1-0 58 9
Andrean 0-1 48 5 (41-14 L @ Merrillville)
Eastbrook 1-0 41 10
Lafayette Central Catholic 0-1 17 6 (31-13 L @ Seeger)

receiving votes: Bluffton 16. Eastern (Greentown) 16. Alexandria 13. North Posey 10. Northeastern 10. Centerville 9. Seeger 7. Tipton 5. South Vermillion 3. Eastside 2. Scecina 1.

Class 1A featured eight schools in the preseason top 10 that won their season opener, while only one team dropped out. Top-ranked Providence prepares to host Louisville Holy Cross (Ky.) on Friday. Carroll (Flora) hosts 3A No. 7 Maconaquah in a ranked matchup. Two games might decide who stays in the rankings as No. 9 North Judson aims to bounce back with a statement against No. 11 LaVille, while tenth-ranked Pioneer hosts 3A No. 8 Knox.

Class A

W-L Pts. Prev.