USA Today Preseason Top 25

[OldSchoolLion 1,461]

As is the trend of late, 14 of the 25 are private schools.  Interesting that Texas has 3 public schools in the top 25.

*private school

*1. St Thomas Aquinas (FL)

2(2). North Shore (TX)

*3(1). Mater Dei (CA)

*4(3). St John Bosco (CA)

*5(20). St Johns College (DC) 8/24 vs Southridge, 8/31 vs Deerfield Beach

*6(4). St Frances Academy (MD) 8/24 @ Miami Central, 9/20 vs Norland, 10/4 @ Venice, 10/18 vs IMG

*7(5). IMG

8(10). Duncanville (TX)

9. Marietta (GA) 10/4 vs Edgewater

10. Saguaro (AZ)

*11(6). St Joseph's Prep (PA) 9/13 vs IMG

*12(12). St Louis (Hawaii)

13(24). Phenix City Central (AL)

14. Narbonne (CA)

15. Miami Central (FL)

16. Pickerington Central (OH)-8/30 vs Winter Park 

*17(18). Gonzaga (DC)

*18. Bishop Gorman (NV)

*19(8). Archbishop Hoban (OH)

*20. Dematha (MD)

*21. Eastside Catholic (WA)

22(23). Lakeland (FL)

23. Aledo (TX)

24. Martin Luther King (MI)

*25. John Curtis (LA)

 

[ColumbiaHighFan2017class 2,226]

Really surprised to see STA ranked number 1 especially with the question marks they got a QB

 

I know Lakeland schedule isn't the best but I would have Lakeland as best team in FL going into season

[Joshua Wilson 664]

These are questions I am still trying to get answered with getting rankings and a class by class preview done.

[OldSchoolLion 1,461]

Leesburg (1-9 last season and 14-36 over the past 5 seasons) travels to play #17 Gonzaga.  That could be very ugly.  

[Tigers13 14]

Probably so but I believe the HC at Gonzaga used to be at Leesburg.

[Just A Coach 194]

Viera went up to DC to play Gonzaga a few years ago and beat them. I think Viera lost in the second round that year. I watched the film and Viera was by far the most physical team on the field. Although, Gonzaga did have a LB that was pretty darn mean.

[KeemD321 320]

2 hours ago, Just A Coach said:

Viera went up to DC to play Gonzaga a few years ago and beat them. I think Viera lost in the second round that year. I watched the film and Viera was by far the most physical team on the field. Although, Gonzaga did have a LB that was pretty darn mean.

Yep Viera won that game but lost to them the previous season when they hosted them. Cocoa also played them and lost by a field goal if I recall.

[OldSchoolLion 1,461]

The FL teams playing Gonzaga this year will have to deal with this guy and an o-line reported to be "one of the strongest in the nation." 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/video/qb-caleb-williams-on-fire-at-psu-7-on-7-camp/

[OldSchoolLion 1,461]

In the original post, I have added the 2018  end-of-season USA Today rankings in parentheses after each team's current ranking(for those teams that were ranked).   Interesting to see a few regulars not ranked this preseason, ie. De LaSalle, Allen, and St Edward.  Biggest shocker?...Marietta at #9...a team with more losing seasons than winning ones in the past 5 years.

[OldSchoolLion 1,461]

The 2018 USA Today Final Poll featured 15 private schools.  Prior to that, to the best of my knowledge, there had never been more than 9 private schools on the Final Super 25 poll since it started in 1982.  In 1990 and 1991, there were no more than 2 private schools on the Final Super 25 polls.  Those numbers have been creeping upward since.   

Are there truly more elite programs amongst the private schools?  Or are pollsters simply showing more love, for whatever reason, to the private schools?

[ColumbiaHighFan2017class 2,226]

35 minutes ago, OldSchoolLion said:

In the original post, I have added the 2018  end-of-season USA Today rankings in parentheses after each team's current ranking(for those teams that were ranked).   Interesting to see a few regulars not ranked this preseason, ie. De LaSalle, Allen, and St Edward.  Biggest shocker?...Marietta at #9...a team with more losing seasons than winning ones in the past 5 years.

Marietta is over ranked because of these national polls caring too much about "star players" 

 

Sure they got some talent at Marietta but 9th in nation for a unproven team is ridiculous no matter how much talent they have

[Perspective 195]

5 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

The FL teams playing Gonzaga this year will have to deal with this guy and an o-line reported to be "one of the strongest in the nation." 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/video/can-anyone-knock-clemson-out-of-the-playoff-20190808124824000000/

Unless the Clemson O-Line is suiting up for Gonzaga this year, I think you may have copied/pasted the wrong link. 

[Perspective 195]

To their credit, the national private schools are showing a greater tendency to play each other.   And when this happens, only one of the two teams can win.   When you're ranking 10,000 plus high schools, the pollsters tend to prefer undefeated teams in the top 25 or so. 

I, too, was surprised to see STA ranked #1, especially with the questions mark at the QB spot.  Personally, I've got Lakeland beating STA in a rematch of last year's 7A championship game. 

[OldSchoolLion 1,461]

4 minutes ago, Perspective said:

Unless the Clemson O-Line is suiting up for Gonzaga this year, I think you may have copied/pasted the wrong link. 

Sorry about that and thanks for letting me know.  I fixed the link in the previous post.  

[Perspective 195]

4 minutes ago, OldSchoolLion said:

Sorry about that and thanks for letting me know.  I fixed the link in the previous post.  

Thanks. 

If memory serves me right, the USA Today article referred to him as the top dual-threat QB in his class.  He's a big boy.  Plant's going to have their hands full with him and his teammates. 

[Joshua Wilson 664]

17 hours ago, OldSchoolLion said:

Leesburg (1-9 last season and 14-36 over the past 5 seasons) travels to play #17 Gonzaga.  That could be very ugly.  

I am not going to say the game could be ugly. I think Leesburg knows deep down that this game will be a tough one. The biggest reason why this game is even on the schedule is Coach Trivers at Gonzaga was the HC at Leesburg for a few years before he got the Gonzaga job. So this more like an experience trip for Leesburg than just a game. More to it than not.

[Bamarod 73]

On 8/10/2019 at 7:23 AM, OldSchoolLion said:

The FL teams playing Gonzaga this year will have to deal with this guy and an o-line reported to be "one of the strongest in the nation." 

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/video/qb-caleb-williams-on-fire-at-psu-7-on-7-camp/

Not sure if that was the freshman that played against Viera at QB two years ago but that position alone cost them the game. Gonzaga lost a lot of senior talent the year before and were not ready to play that game so early in the season. Even talented programs need a few games for key freshmen to  gain needed experience.

 

[topnotch305 201]

Throw this whole top 25 away smh.