The third USA Today Indiana Football preseason poll was revealed Monday after a committee of 19 Indiana sports writers and broadcasters ranked the top 10 IHSAA football teams in each class.

Zero ranked 6A schools dropped out of the top 10 heading into September. Brownsburg remains at No. 1 after an impressive 29-0 shutout over 5A contender Cathedral. Carmel controlled every facet of the blowout win over state runner-up Westfield to catapult inside the top 3. Tenth-ranked Lawrence North remains ranked ahead of No. 11 Fishers after dropping a close 31-28 affair to the Tigers on a last-second field goal. The best 6A matchup of Week 3 features No. 5 Hamilton Southeastern hosting No. 6 Avon in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference opener. 

Class 6A

                                        W-L  Pts.  Prev.

  1. Brownsburg (18)      2-0    189   1
  2. Center Grove            2-0    162   3 
  3. Carmel 2-0 151 7
  4. Crown Point (1)         2-0    138     5
  5. Hamilton Southeastern  2-0    108    6
  6. Avon 2-0   79 8
  7. Westfield             1-1      69   2 (34-10 L @ #7 Carmel) 
  8. Columbus North 2-0   45 9
  9. Penn 2-0   40 10
  10. Lawrence North      1-1      22   4 (31-28 L vs Fishers)

receiving votes: Fishers 18. Warren Central 14. Franklin Central 7.

It will be an action-packed Friday night with several ranked 5A programs facing their toughest test yet. Top-ranked New Palestine was one of two schools to receive all 19 first-place votes from the committee and will host undefeated Yorktown. Cathedral and Merrillville both dropped two slots after losses to reigning state champs, plus the upcoming schedule does not favor either program this week as Cathedral hosts Ohio-powerhouse St. Xavier, while Merrillville travels for a Duneland Athletic Conference rivalry meeting with 5A No. 4 Crown Point.

There will be more ranked matchups as No. 3 East Central visits 6A No. 10 Lawrence North, while No. 6 Concord visits 4A No. 5 Mishawaka. Indiana Preps will be on site to cover the battle between tenth-ranked Fort Wayne North Side at Fort Wayne Northrop. 

Class 5A

                                            W-L  Pts.  Prev.

  1. New Palestine (19) 2-0    190   1
  2. Bloomington South    2-0    142     4
  3. East Central     2-0    131     5
  4. Cathedral             1-1    120   2 (29-0 L @ 6A #1 Brownsburg)
  5. Merrillville                  1-1    112   3 (21-14 L vs Loyola Academy (IL))
  6. Concord                     2-0    106     7
  7. Plainfield                    2-0      97     8
  8. Lafayette Jefferson    1-1      55     9  (35-28 L vs 4A #1 Chatard)
  9. Warsaw                      1-1      52     6 (28-14 L vs 6A Warren Central)
  10. Fort Wayne North Side 2-0   10 NR

receiving votes: Franklin 9. Castle 9. Floyd Central 5. Whiteland 4. 

There’s no doubt the marquee 4A matchup will be No. 7 Roncalli on the road against top-ranked Bishop Chatard. No. 2 Heritage Hills received five first-place votes, which was tied for the most for a second-ranked team entering Week 3. Fifth-ranked Mishawaka fell two spots after blowing a three-possession lead to 6A No. 9 Penn. Tenth-ranked Pendleton Heights entered the rankings and will prepare to host New Castle. 

Class 4A

                                           W-L  Pts.  Prev.

  1. Bishop Chatard (14)  2-0    183  1
  2. Heritage Hills (5)     2-0    174   2
  3. East Noble                2-0    155   3
  4. Evansville Reitz       2-0    113     6
  5. Mishawaka           1-1    104  3 (28-22 L @ 6A #9 Penn)
  6. Leo 2-0   85 7
  7. Roncalli                  1-1      71     5 (22-15 L @ 6A Franklin Central)
  8. Columbia City 2-0   69 8
  9. Fort Wayne Dwenger 1-1      33     9 (3-0 L vs #5 Roncalli)
  10. Pendleton Heights 2-0   23 NR

receiving votes: Beech Grove 20. Northview 4. Yorktown 4. NorthWood 3. South Bend St. Joseph 2. Mooresville 2.

Evansville Memorial remained the favorites in 3A after receiving 18 first-place votes in the third poll. There will be a ranked matchup in Lizton Friday night featuring 3A No. 7 Tri-West at home against 2A No. 7 Triton Central. West Noble will travel to face 2A Eastside after entering the ranks at No. 10.

Class 3A

                                                    W-L  Pts.  Prev.

  1. Evansville Memorial (18)    2-0    189  1
  2. Mississinewa            2-0    136    3
  3. Cascade                         2-0    132    4
  4. Gibson Southern   1-1    121   2 (42-21 L @ Rochester (Ky))
  5. Maconaquah            2-0      98    7
  6. Knox (1) 2-0   86 8
  7. Tri-West 2-0   82 9
  8. Evansville Mater Dei  1-1    78  4 (31-28 L @ 5A Castle)
  9. Lawrenceburg          1-1      45    10 (39-12 L vs 5A East Central)
  10. West Noble 2-0   32    NR

receiving votes: Fort Wayne Luers 13. Indian Creek 6. Tippecanoe Valley 7. Mt. Vernon (Posey) 5. Griffith 4. Franklin County 4. Fairfield 3. Guerin Catholic 2. Heritage 1. Southridge 1.

Reigning 2A state champion Adams Central was the second team that received all 19 first-place votes, along with 5A New Pal. The Heritage Christian Eagles dropped to No. 9 and seek to rebound at home against the Golden Eagles of Guerin Catholic after losing a 52-50 thriller against No. 12 Scecina Memorial. There was a tie at No. 10 between Bluffton and Eastern (Greentown), who both received 16 points to sneak into the 2A top 10 rankings over Lafayette Central Catholic by just one voting point. 

Class 2A

                                              W-L  Pts.  Prev.

  1. Adams Central (19)   2-0    190  1
  2. Lutheran               2-0    160   2
  3. Brownstown Central 2-0    142   3
  4. Lapel                            2-0    129    4
  5. Andrean                      1-1      80     8 (41-14 L @ 5A #3 Merrillville)
  6. Linton-Stockton      1-1      77   6 (42-20 L vs Corbin (Ky.))
  7. Triton Central           2-0      74    7
  8. Eastbrook                  2-0      47     9
  9. Heritage Christian 1-1      35     5 (52-20 L @ 2A #13 Scecina)
  10. (tie) Eastern (Greentown) 2-0   16 NR 10. (tie) Bluffton 2-0   16 NR

receiving votes: Lafayette Central Catholic 15. North Posey 10. Scecina 10. Alexandria 9. Seeger 9. Tipton 8. Northeastern 7. Centerville 7. Wheeler 1.

There is a new top-ranked 1A team in South Putnam, who hits the road to make a statement against unbeaten Edgewood. Reigning 1A state champion Providence still received five first-place votes after a 45-38 loss against Louisville Holy Cross (Ky.). There will be a ranked 1A contest as No. 3 North Decatur hosts No. 9 Milan. Both Madison-Grant and Springs Valley received one first-place vote to move inside the top five. One matchup will decide who stays inside the top 10 as the 1A state runner-up South Adams has a tough road game ahead against 2A No. 10 Bluffton. 

Class A

                                            W-L  Pts.  Prev.

  1. South Putnam (11)    2-0    169  2
  2. Providence (5)       1-1    148  1       (45-38 L vs Louisville Holy Cross (Ky))
  3. North Decatur          2-0    142    3
  4. Madison-Grant (1)    2-0    130    5
  5. Springs Valley (1)     2-0    108     7
  6. North Miami             2-0      91   8
  7. North Judson            1-1      54  9 (38-6 L vs 3A #11 Knox)
  8. Carroll           1-1      53    4 (41-21 L vs 3A #7 Maconaquah)
  9. Milan                         1-1      39    6 (27-20 L @ 3A Batesville)
  10. South Adams 1-1   25 NR (56-0 L @ Marion Local (OH))

receiving votes: Frontier 21 (1). Riverton Parke 18. Taylor 17. Pioneer 16. LaVille 7. Fremont 2.

*Bold represents defending state champion*