The 2023 high school football season in Kansas has started already, and Manhattan, the defending Class 6A state champ, is ranked first in the Preseason Top 25. Last year, they won their first state title in 35 years with an exciting 21-20 double-overtime victory. They’ll miss their senior quarterback Keenan Schartz, but they still have a strong team. Other defending state champs to watch are Mill Valley in Class 5A, Bishop Miege in Class 4A, Andale in Class 3A, and Nemaha Central in 2A.
Check out the 2023 Kansas high school football rankings to see which teams are leading the state and aiming for national championships. High School Football America 100 National Rankings now have a new leader this season. Stay updated with the latest Kansas high school football rankings and explore rankings from previous seasons.
Read also: Indiana High School Football Rankings 2023
update: 9-12-2023
Kansas Top 25 High School Football Ranking 2023
The High School Football season in Kansas started, and we released the preseason rankings for the top 25 high school football teams in the state.
| # | School | Ovr. | Rating | Str. |
| 1 | Andale | 2-0 | 33.90 | -15.5 |
| 2 | Manhattan | 2-0 | 33.00 | 1.3 |
| 3 | Mill Valley (Shawnee) | 2-0 | 29.80 | -22.1 |
| 4 | Saint Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park) | 2-0 | 28.80 | 14.6 |
| 5 | Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission) | 2-0 | 27.50 | 2.2 |
| 6 | Northwest (Wichita) | 2-0 | 23.40 | -2.4 |
| 7 | Derby | 1-1 | 21.80 | 3.7 |
| 8 | Southeast of Saline (Gypsum) | 2-0 | 20.40 | 0.1 |
| 9 | Nemaha Central (Seneca) | 2-0 | 16.70 | -26.0 |
| 10 | Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park) | 1-1 | 16.40 | 13.5 |
| 11 | Cheney | 2-0 | 15.10 | -4.3 |
| 12 | Lawrence | 2-0 | 13.90 | -3.7 |
| 13 | Gardner-Edgerton (Gardner) | 2-0 | 13.20 | -19.8 |
| 14 | Blue Valley West (Stilwell) | 1-1 | 12.70 | 13.2 |
| 15 | Clay Center | 2-0 | 12.60 | -8.3 |
| 16 | Hays | 2-0 | 12.60 | 0.8 |
| 17 | Washburn Rural (Topeka) | 2-0 | 11.80 | -1.1 |
| 18 | Olathe North (Olathe) | 2-0 | 9.50 | -6.0 |
| 19 | Scott (Scott City) | 2-0 | 9.10 | -25.0 |
| 20 | Lawrence Free State (Lawrence) | 2-0 | 8.00 | -6.8 |
| 21 | Sabetha | 2-0 | 7.20 | -12.8 |
| 22 | Rock Creek (St. George) | 1-1 | 6.90 | 4.9 |
| 23 | Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park) | 1-1 | 6.90 | 14.6 |
| 24 | Eisenhower (Goddard) | 2-0 | 5.80 | -0.6 |
| 25 | Andover Central (Andover) | 2-0 | 5.30 | -4.4 |
Kansas class 1A High School football Rankings 2023
| Rank | School | Overall Record | Rating | Strength |
| 1 | St. Mary’s-Colgan (Pittsburg) | 2-0 | 1.10 | -16.4 |
| 2 | St. Marys | 0-2 | -10.30 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Sedgwick | 2-0 | -11.90 | -27.3 |
| 4 | Centralia | 2-0 | -12.70 | -31.4 |
| 5 | Wabaunsee (Alma) | 2-0 | -13.30 | -55.7 |
| 6 | Marion | 2-0 | -14.80 | -27.8 |
| 7 | Jefferson County North (Winchester) | 2-0 | -16.10 | -44.3 |
| 8 | Conway Springs | 0-2 | -17.60 | -4.3 |
| 9 | Smith Center | 1-1 | -19.00 | -19.9 |
| 10 | Inman | 0-2 | -21.50 | -13.5 |
| 11 | Troy | 1-1 | -24.40 | -42.6 |
| 12 | Medicine Lodge | 2-0 | -28.10 | -45.1 |
| 13 | Trinity (Hutchinson) | 1-1 | -32.80 | -35.6 |
| 14 | Plainville | 0-2 | -33.20 | -15.4 |
| 15 | Sterling | 1-1 | -33.90 | -37.0 |
| 16 | Jackson Heights (Holton) | 2-0 | -34.10 | -68.7 |
| 17 | Jayhawk Linn (Mound City) | 2-0 | -38.00 | -81.6 |
| 18 | Ellinwood | 2-0 | -38.10 | -71.4 |
| 19 | Riverside [Wathena/Elwood] (Wathena) | 1-1 | -40.90 | -36.1 |
| 20 | Ellis | 0-2 | -42.60 | -17.6 |
| 21 | Valley Heights (Blue Rapids) | 1-1 | -44.00 | -42.1 |
| 22 | Pleasanton | 2-0 | -45.40 | -74.1 |
| 23 | Sacred Heart (Salina) | 0-2 | -45.60 | -22.8 |
| 24 | Oakley | 0-2 | -45.90 | -22.1 |
| 25 | Mission Valley (Eskridge) | 0-2 | -52.00 | -23.9 |
| 26 | Erie | 1-1 | -53.80 | -40.5 |
| 27 | McLouth | 2-0 | -56.20 | -71.5 |
| 28 | Central Heights (Richmond) | 0-2 | -58.80 | -40.4 |
| 29 | Remington (Whitewater) | 0-2 | -59.00 | -33.5 |
| 30 | Belle Plaine | 1-1 | -59.30 | -44.7 |
| 31 | Republic County (Belleville) | 0-2 | -59.50 | -10.4 |
| 32 | Oskaloosa | 1-1 | -63.40 | -58.5 |
| 33 | Onaga | 0-2 | -71.20 | -50.2 |
| 34 | Valley Falls | 0-2 | -71.70 | -31.0 |
| 35 | Uniontown | 0-2 | -72.20 | -48.5 |
| 36 | Northeast (Arma) | 0-2 | -75.80 | -41.8 |
| 37 | Syracuse | 0-2 | -81.50 | -37.1 |
| 38 | Stanton County (Johnson) | 1-1 | -83.10 | -56.0 |
| 39 | Northern Heights (Allen) | 0-2 | -86.80 | -31.2 |
| 40 | Southeast (Cherokee) | 0-2 | -87.20 | -44.8 |
| 41 | Bluestem (Leon) | 0-2 | -92.20 | -59.4 |
Kansas class 2A High School football Rankings 2023
| Rank | School | Overall Record | Rating | Strength |
| 1 | Southeast of Saline (Gypsum) | 2-0 | 20.40 | 0.1 |
| 2 | Nemaha Central (Seneca) | 2-0 | 16.70 | -26.0 |
| 3 | Sabetha | 2-0 | 7.20 | -12.8 |
| 4 | Hoisington | 2-0 | 1.90 | -18.6 |
| 5 | Kingman | 1-1 | 0.30 | -1.3 |
| 6 | Ellsworth | 2-0 | 0.30 | -33.2 |
| 7 | Beloit | 0-2 | -6.60 | 10.4 |
| 8 | Rossville | 1-1 | -6.90 | -12.8 |
| 9 | Garden Plain | 1-1 | -8.90 | -1.3 |
| 10 | Humboldt | 2-0 | -10.50 | -41.1 |
| 11 | Silver Lake | 1-1 | -13.20 | -7.8 |
| 12 | Norton | 2-0 | -14.30 | -26.2 |
| 13 | Riley County (Riley) | 1-1 | -15.00 | -10.2 |
| 14 | Osage City | 2-0 | -16.00 | -41.8 |
| 15 | Russell | 2-0 | -16.30 | -38.0 |
| 16 | Halstead | 1-1 | -16.80 | -19.8 |
| 17 | Thomas More Prep-Marian (Hays) | 2-0 | -18.70 | -44.4 |
| 18 | Minneapolis | 2-0 | -21.20 | -52.7 |
| 19 | Hillsboro | 2-0 | -23.50 | -40.0 |
| 20 | Phillipsburg | 1-1 | -25.20 | -32.6 |
| 21 | Haven | 1-1 | -26.80 | -32.6 |
| 22 | Caney Valley (Caney) | 1-1 | -28.50 | -32.3 |
| 23 | Chaparral (Anthony) | 0-2 | -30.60 | -26.3 |
| 24 | Council Grove | 2-0 | -31.70 | -55.5 |
| 25 | Lakin | 2-0 | -35.80 | -82.4 |
| 26 | Atchison County (Effingham) | 1-1 | -37.30 | -44.0 |
| 27 | Larned | 1-1 | -40.70 | -33.1 |
| 28 | Cimarron | 0-2 | -44.10 | -0.6 |
| 29 | Riverton | 1-1 | -44.30 | -32.0 |
| 30 | West Franklin (Pomona) | 2-0 | -48.90 | -72.9 |
| 31 | Pleasant Ridge (Easton) | 1-1 | -51.10 | -39.9 |
| 32 | Cherryvale | 1-1 | -52.30 | -54.7 |
| 33 | Fredonia | 1-1 | -53.50 | -51.5 |
| 34 | Eureka | 1-1 | -55.30 | -58.8 |
| 35 | Douglass | 0-2 | -61.00 | -48.8 |
| 36 | Neodesha | 1-1 | -65.00 | -73.9 |
| 37 | Maur Hill Prep-Mount Academy (Atchison) | 0-2 | -65.60 | -48.9 |
| 38 | Lyons | 0-2 | -68.40 | -46.9 |
| 39 | Horton | 0-2 | -71.50 | -45.2 |
| 40 | Southwestern Heights (Kismet) | 0-2 | -76.00 | -46.3 |
Kansas class 3A High School football Rankings 2023
| Rank | School | Overall Record | Rating | Strength |
| 1 | Andale | 2-0 | 33.90 | -15.5 |
| 2 | Cheney | 2-0 | 15.10 | -4.3 |
| 3 | Clay Center | 2-0 | 12.60 | -8.3 |
| 4 | Scott (Scott City) | 2-0 | 9.10 | -25.0 |
| 5 | Rock Creek (St. George) | 1-1 | 6.90 | 4.9 |
| 6 | Pratt | 2-0 | 2.20 | -30.5 |
| 7 | Collegiate (Wichita) | 2-0 | -0.30 | -34.3 |
| 8 | Hayden (Topeka) | 2-0 | -0.40 | -13.3 |
| 9 | Holton | 0-2 | -1.70 | 12.0 |
| 10 | Hugoton | 2-0 | -9.40 | -60.1 |
| 11 | Holcomb | 1-1 | -10.30 | -23.6 |
| 12 | Wellsville | 2-0 | -10.40 | -43.0 |
| 13 | Girard | 1-1 | -11.70 | -17.5 |
| 14 | Parsons | 2-0 | -19.70 | -38.1 |
| 15 | Hesston | 0-2 | -20.10 | 2.1 |
| 16 | Frontenac | 1-1 | -20.80 | -21.6 |
| 17 | Chapman | 1-1 | -20.90 | -12.2 |
| 18 | Clearwater | 1-1 | -21.30 | -24.3 |
| 19 | Bishop Ward (Kansas City) | 1-1 | -22.50 | -36.2 |
| 20 | Perry-Lecompton (Perry) | 1-1 | -23.70 | -16.9 |
| 21 | Trinity Academy (Wichita) | 2-0 | -24.20 | -38.2 |
| 22 | Marysville | 0-2 | -26.00 | -4.2 |
| 23 | Colby | 1-1 | -30.80 | -22.0 |
| 24 | Burlington | 1-1 | -31.30 | -28.0 |
| 25 | Columbus | 0-2 | -36.10 | -23.9 |
| 26 | Concordia | 0-2 | -36.90 | -16.9 |
| 27 | Goodland | 0-2 | -39.00 | -16.3 |
| 28 | Santa Fe Trail (Carbondale) | 1-1 | -39.80 | -40.0 |
| 29 | Smoky Valley (Lindsborg) | 0-2 | -41.40 | -21.9 |
| 30 | Anderson County (Garnett) | 1-1 | -42.20 | -40.5 |
| 31 | Galena | 0-2 | -43.00 | -30.5 |
| 32 | Iola | 1-1 | -43.50 | -40.5 |
| 33 | Baldwin | 0-2 | -45.10 | -12.7 |
| 34 | Jefferson West (Meriden) | 1-1 | -48.30 | -45.0 |
| 35 | Prairie View (La Cygne) | 0-2 | -48.40 | -29.9 |
| 36 | Hiawatha | 1-1 | -48.90 | -49.3 |
| 37 | Royal Valley (Hoyt) | 0-2 | -50.00 | -16.1 |
| 38 | Baxter Springs | 2-0 | -51.30 | -79.8 |
| 39 | Nickerson | 1-1 | -52.90 | -46.1 |
| 40 | Osawatomie | 0-2 | -70.30 | -43.0 |
Kansas class 4A High School football Rankings 2023
| Rank | School | Overall Record | Rating | Strength |
| 1 | Saint Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park) | 2-0 | 28.80 | 14.6 |
| 2 | Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission) | 2-0 | 27.50 | 2.2 |
| 3 | Andover Central (Andover) | 2-0 | 5.30 | -4.4 |
| 4 | Wamego | 1-1 | 4.30 | -6.7 |
| 5 | Eudora | 2-0 | 0.30 | -47.4 |
| 6 | Louisburg | 2-0 | -1.30 | -22.4 |
| 7 | St. James Academy (Lenexa) | 0-2 | -1.60 | 9.0 |
| 8 | McPherson | 1-1 | -2.30 | -14.6 |
| 9 | Chanute | 2-0 | -2.30 | -23.9 |
| 10 | Wellington | 1-1 | -5.40 | 6.2 |
| 11 | Atchison | 2-0 | -11.10 | -38.1 |
| 12 | Abilene | 2-0 | -12.60 | -31.6 |
| 13 | Piper (Kansas City) | 1-1 | -13.30 | -10.3 |
| 14 | Buhler | 1-1 | -13.90 | -9.4 |
| 15 | Tonganoxie | 1-1 | -16.60 | -16.8 |
| 16 | Arkansas City | 1-1 | -22.10 | -26.1 |
| 17 | Basehor-Linwood (Basehor) | 0-2 | -22.30 | -15.1 |
| 18 | Mulvane | 2-0 | -22.70 | -31.5 |
| 19 | Circle (Towanda) | 0-2 | -24.00 | -20.9 |
| 20 | Rose Hill | 0-2 | -25.40 | 16.7 |
| 21 | Ottawa | 1-1 | -25.70 | -28.2 |
| 22 | Field Kindley (Coffeyville) | 1-1 | -26.70 | -25.7 |
| 23 | Labette County (Altamont) | 1-1 | -27.60 | -21.9 |
| 24 | Paola | 1-1 | -28.40 | -18.0 |
| 25 | Winfield | 1-1 | -28.50 | -24.5 |
| 26 | Augusta | 0-2 | -30.60 | -2.4 |
| 27 | Fort Scott | 1-1 | -34.50 | -36.5 |
| 28 | Independence | 1-1 | -36.10 | -22.7 |
| 29 | El Dorado | 0-2 | -43.00 | -10.9 |
| 30 | Ulysses | 0-2 | -43.90 | -20.2 |
| 31 | Bonner Springs | 0-2 | -49.50 | -5.3 |
| 32 | Schlagle (Kansas City) | 1-1 | -51.10 | -56.5 |
Kansas class 5A High School football Rankings 2023
| Rank | School | Overall Record | Rating | Strength |
| 1 | Mill Valley (Shawnee) | 2-0 | 29.80 | -22.1 |
| 2 | Hays | 2-0 | 12.60 | 0.8 |
| 3 | Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park) | 1-1 | 6.90 | 14.6 |
| 4 | Eisenhower (Goddard) | 2-0 | 5.80 | -0.6 |
| 5 | Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Wichita) | 2-0 | 5.20 | -16.0 |
| 6 | Maize | 1-1 | 5.10 | -6.8 |
| 7 | Hutchinson | 1-1 | 2.40 | -4.2 |
| 8 | Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh) | 2-0 | 1.80 | -15.7 |
| 9 | Great Bend | 1-1 | 1.50 | 5.1 |
| 10 | Valley Center | 2-0 | 1.30 | -9.4 |
| 11 | Bishop Carroll (Wichita) | 1-1 | 1.00 | -3.4 |
| 12 | De Soto | 1-1 | -0.40 | -3.1 |
| 13 | Maize South (Wichita) | 2-0 | -0.70 | -25.8 |
| 14 | Liberal | 2-0 | -2.80 | -23.3 |
| 15 | Salina Central (Salina) | 1-1 | -3.60 | -9.9 |
| 16 | Goddard | 1-1 | -4.40 | -13.3 |
| 17 | Spring Hill | 2-0 | -11.00 | -33.2 |
| 18 | Seaman (Topeka) | 2-0 | -12.60 | -50.2 |
| 19 | Newton | 0-2 | -14.20 | 1.9 |
| 20 | Pittsburg | 1-1 | -17.00 | -19.3 |
| 21 | Lansing | 0-2 | -17.90 | 0.6 |
| 22 | Leavenworth | 2-0 | -22.30 | -50.2 |
| 23 | Andover | 0-2 | -23.40 | -11.5 |
| 24 | South (Salina) | 0-2 | -25.50 | 9.0 |
| 25 | West (Wichita) | 1-1 | -30.20 | -27.8 |
| 26 | Highland Park (Topeka) | 2-0 | -35.50 | -55.0 |
| 27 | Emporia | 0-2 | -36.00 | -10.0 |
| 28 | Washington (Kansas City) | 2-0 | -39.20 | -63.9 |
| 29 | West (Topeka) | 0-2 | -49.40 | -17.6 |
| 30 | Sumner Academy (Kansas City) | 0-2 | -50.20 | -25.3 |
| 31 | Turner (Kansas City) | 0-2 | -50.80 | -17.6 |
| 32 | Harmon (Kansas City) | 0-2 | -77.30 | -45.2 |
Kansas class 6A High School football Rankings 2023
| Rank | School | Overall Record | Rating | Strength |
| 1 | Manhattan | 2-0 | 33.00 | 1.3 |
| 2 | Northwest (Wichita) | 2-0 | 23.40 | -2.4 |
| 3 | Derby | 1-1 | 21.80 | 3.7 |
| 4 | Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park) | 1-1 | 16.40 | 13.5 |
| 5 | Lawrence | 2-0 | 13.90 | -3.7 |
| 6 | Gardner-Edgerton (Gardner) | 2-0 | 13.20 | -19.8 |
| 7 | Blue Valley West (Stilwell) | 1-1 | 12.70 | 13.2 |
| 8 | Washburn Rural (Topeka) | 2-0 | 11.80 | -1.1 |
| 9 | Olathe North (Olathe) | 2-0 | 9.50 | -6.0 |
| 10 | Lawrence Free State (Lawrence) | 2-0 | 8.00 | -6.8 |
| 11 | Blue Valley (Stilwell) | 1-1 | 1.60 | 2.6 |
| 12 | Junction City | 1-1 | 0.00 | -2.4 |
| 13 | Olathe South (Olathe) | 1-1 | -0.60 | 1.3 |
| 14 | East (Wichita) | 0-2 | -1.60 | 8.5 |
| 15 | Blue Valley North (Overland Park) | 0-2 | -2.30 | 20.1 |
| 16 | Olathe East (Olathe) | 1-1 | -3.80 | -2.7 |
| 17 | Heights (Wichita) | 1-1 | -5.70 | 4.9 |
| 18 | Olathe West (Olathe) | 0-2 | -6.60 | 11.0 |
| 19 | Olathe Northwest (Olathe) | 0-2 | -6.70 | 18.9 |
| 20 | Shawnee Mission Northwest (Shawnee Mission) | 1-1 | -8.00 | -13.9 |
| 21 | Shawnee Mission North (Shawnee Mission) | 1-1 | -11.10 | -12.7 |
| 22 | Garden City | 1-1 | -13.40 | -29.6 |
| 23 | Shawnee Mission East (Shawnee Mission) | 0-2 | -14.80 | 4.6 |
| 24 | Dodge City | 1-1 | -17.40 | -15.1 |
| 25 | Topeka | 0-2 | -18.90 | 19.1 |
| 26 | Shawnee Mission South (Shawnee Mission) | 0-2 | -24.50 | 0.9 |
| 27 | Haysville Campus (Wichita) | 0-2 | -27.90 | -2.7 |
| 28 | South (Wichita) | 0-2 | -30.20 | 3.1 |
| 29 | Shawnee Mission West (Shawnee Mission) | 0-2 | -37.20 | 10.8 |
| 30 | Southeast (Wichita) | 1-1 | -37.90 | -41.9 |
| 31 | North (Wichita) | 0-2 | -53.30 | -25.8 |
| 32 | Wyandotte (Kansas City) | 0-2 | -58.60 | -33.0 |
Do you know how these high school football rankings work?
The rankings take in a team’s win-loss record, the quality of opponents they have faced, and their overall performance during the season.
These rankings serve several purposes:
- Polls and Rankings Committees: In many regions, rankings are determined by a panel of experts, coaches, and sports journalists who evaluate teams based on their performance, overall record, and other relevant factors.
- Win-Loss Records: A fundamental factor in high school football rankings is a team’s win-loss record. Teams with more wins and fewer losses tend to rank higher. The margin of victory may also be considered in some ranking systems.
- Quality Wins: Wins against highly-ranked or traditionally strong teams are often given more weight than wins against weaker opponents. Beating a strong team can significantly boost a team’s ranking.
- Scoring and Statistics: Some ranking systems also take into account offensive and defensive performance, including points scored and points allowed.
- Playoff and Championship Performance: In many cases, rankings may be adjusted based on a team’s performance in playoff rounds and whether they win a championship in their division or conference.
- Coaches’ and Media Polls: Rankings can also be influenced by polls conducted by coaches or the media.
- Historical Performance: The track record of a team over the years can sometimes factor into their ranking. A team with a history of success may start with a higher ranking.
- Local and Regional Variations: High school football rankings can vary by region, state, or governing body. Different organizations and areas may have their own unique ranking systems and criteria.
The final rankings typically come out at the end of the season after state championships have been determined.
Source – https://www.maxpreps.com/
