As August winds to a close, more and more high school football teams are starting their season.
Most notably, Texas high school football games are beginning this week, with No. 2 North Shore (Houston, Texas) taking on Katy (Texas).
But that’s just one of the big games that will take place this week.
SUPER 25: National rankings | Regional rankings
Mark your schedule for these games and be sure to tune in. Who do you think will win?
MATCHUP
No. 2 North Shore (Houston, Texas) vs. Katy (Texas)
When: 8/29, 8 p.m. ET
Analysis: North Shore knocked Katy out of the playoffs last year with a 49-38 win, giving Katy just its third loss in the last two seasons. Led by Zach Evans, North Shore went on to win the state championship and be crowned by Xcellent 25 and National Prep Poll as the 2018 National Champion. Can their victory tour lead to another title? Or is Katy out to right the ship and get revenge against the team that went 16-0 last year?
MATCHUP
No. 16 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) vs. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
When: 8/30, 6:30 p.m. ET
Analysis: American Heritage crushed its opening game of the year 49-10. But week two against reigning champions Gonzaga will be a far tougher task. How will four-star linebacker Dallas Turner and three-star cornerback Jamal Potts do against Caleb Williams’ offense?
MATCHUP
No. 9 Marietta (Ga.) vs. No. 11 St Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia)
When: 8/30, 7 p.m. ET
Analysis: After going 5-6 last year, Marietta started the 2019 season with a boom, winning 48-14. But facing St. Joseph’s Prep will be a different challenge than Rome (Georgia). Two of the best pro-style quarterbacks in the country in four-star 2020 QB Harrison Bailey vs. four-star 2021 QB Kyle McCord will go head-to-head as St. Joseph’s Prep works to start its season on a high note after going undefeated last year.
MATCHUP
No. 12 Saint Louis (Honolulu) vs. No. 13 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
When: 8/30, 1 a.m. ET
Analysis: Bishop Gorman struggled against out-of-state competition last season, going just 1-3 against top California and Arizona competition. Last week, the Gaels took down Orem (Utah) to start the season on a positive note. Saint Louis, of course, has won 28 games in a row, but they haven’t faced a team quite like Bishop Gorman since that 2016 loss. Can Gorman give them that loss and rectify any out-of-state struggles in one swoop?
MATCHUP
No. 4 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) vs. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
When: 8/30, 10 p.m. ET
Analysis: Two schools named after Saint John Bosco, also known as Don Bosco, will meet up this weekend. St. John Bosco is coming off a win over then-No. 20 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Maryland) and looks to have a wide array of wide receiver weapons. Don Bosco has a pair of elite running backs in Jalen Berger and Kyle Monangai, who will be tested at the highest level to open the season.
MATCHUP
Mililani (Hawaii) at Liberty (Henderson, Nevada)
When: 8/30, 1 a.m. ET
Analysis: Liberty is trying to establish itself as one of the two best teams in Nevada, and can do that against a very difficult schedule to begin the season. It fell to Chandler (Arizona) in a tight game last week and will try to get into the win column against Mililani, a team that’s already 3-0 and entered the Pacific Region top 10 this week. Liberty will have to find a way to stop wide receiver Kanoa Gibson, who has almost two-thirds of Mililani’s receiving yards, and get through the defense that has shut out its last two opponents.
MATCHUP
Allen (Texas) vs. Cedar Hill (Texas)
When: 8/30, 8 p.m. ET
Analysis: Allen, one of the historic powers in Texas, enters on the outside looking in on the Super 25. The first test will be taking down Cedar Hill, a team that was defeated in the first round of the playoffs last year. What will 2019 Allen look like? It will be a first look at the team without 2019 graduates including four-star quarterback Grant Tisdale and five-star wide receive Theo Wease.
MATCHUP
No. 22 Aledo (Texas) vs. Guyer (Denton, Texas)
When: 8/30, 7 p.m. ET
Analysis: After going 16-0 and winning the championship last year, Aledo is looking to continue its streak of dominance. They’ll face Guyer, who is looking to get over .500 after finishing at that mark last year.
The last time these two teams met was opening week 2018, when Aledo slaughtered Guyer 40-0. What can the Wildcats do to put up a better fight this year?
MATCHUP
No. 19 Hoover (Alabama) vs. Cocoa (Florida)
When: 8/30, 7 p.m. ET
Analysis: Hoover started the season with a comeback win culminating in a game-winning field goal. Now a Super 25 team, can they continue pushing momentum forward against Cocoa? Four-star running back Caziah Holmes will be the offensive key player Hoover needs to stop if it’s going to get another win to start this young season.
Carol City (Miami, Fla.) vs. Miami Northwestern (Fla.)
When: 8/31, 7 p.m. ET
Analysis: In 2017, Northwestern took down Carol City twice, including the championship game. Last year, Carol City only allowed seven points in the rematch and came away with the win. What will go down this year? A pair of four-star wide receivers in Thaiu Jones-Bell (Carol City) and Marcus Fleming (Northwestern) will take the field in this Miami battle.
No. 10 Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.) vs. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
When: 8/31, 6 p.m. ET
Analysis: Saguaro doesn’t lose to Arizona competition, but that hasn’t been the case against out-of-state teams. Over the last two years the Sabercats are 1-3 against teams not from the Grand Canyon State. Cathedral Catholic, coming off a 12-2 season and returning leading tackler three-star linebacker Jordan Allen and quarterback DJ Ralph, should be a good litmus test for them. As for the Dons, running back Zavien Watson racked up 146 yards and three touchdowns last week. If he can do that against the loaded Saguaro defense, he’ll have established himself as a legit playmaker.
MATCHUP
No. 17 Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) vs. Harrisburg (Pa.)
When: 8/31, 12 p.m. ET
Analysis: A Super 25 and top-10 Midwest Region team in Archbishop Hoban will host a top-10 East Region team in Harrisburg on Saturday. Arizona State commit and four-star running back DeaMonte Trayanum will try to lead the charge through Harrisburg’s defense, which limited Coatesville (Pennsylvania) to just six points last week in a rematch of the semifinals.
MATCHUP
St. Joseph’s Regional (Montvale, N.J.) vs. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
When: 8/31, 6:30 p.m. ET
Analysis: St Joseph Regional, the No. 6 team in the East Region, will take on California powerhouse JSerra. Can the Knights take advantage of the fact that JSerra’s quarterback transfer General Booty and the young defenders are still getting accustomed to the team? Running back Chris Street started the season with 132 yards and two touchdowns for JSerra and should again be the difference if the St. Joseph’s defense, led by lineman Amin Vanover, can’t stop him.
MATCHUP
No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) vs. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
When: 8/31, 7 p.m. ET
Analysis: The No. 1 team in the country sure looked to be in mid-season form in its win against De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) last week. To make up for the wildly tough St. Thomas Aquinas defense, Bergen Catholic safety Jordan Morant and defense tackle Tywone Malone will have to take advantage of any miscues whatsoever from the offense, led by quarterback Zion Turner.
No. 23 King (Detroit) vs. Catholic Central (Novi, Mich.)
When: 8/31, 7 p.m. ET
Analysis: Arguably the two top football teams in the Detroit area will face off in a battle of private vs. public school. Wide receiver Rashawn Williams and running back Peny Boone will jump-start King’s season with a win, while Catholic Central is playing its only Michigan opponent until Sept. 20 and hopes to start strong after an overtime playoff loss ended last season.
