High School Football is back this week with some fantastic games nationwide. Over the next few days, nationally ranked teams such as IMG Academy, St. Frances Academy, Mater Dei, Orange Lutheran and St. John Bosco will be in action.
Let's look at five particular matchups this week that will excite fans and create a lot of buzz. All team rankings are as per MaxPreps.
5 most exciting High School Football Games to check out this week
#5 JSerra Catholic vs. St. John Bosco
JSerra Catholic (6-3) will take on St. John Bosco (8-1) away from home on Friday. The Lions will enter the matchup following their narrow 35-33 win over Santa Margarita, whereas the Braves suffered a tough loss against the No.1 ranked Mater Dei in the latest game Friday.
History favors the Braves in this matchup, as they have yet to lose against JSerra Catholic and hold an overall record of 18-0 over their rivals. The Lions's quarterback, Ryan Hopkins, has been good this season having tallied 681 yards on a 54.8% completion rate and scoring eight touchdowns.
The Braves quarterback, Koa Malau'ulu, has been terrific this campaign, recording 12 touchdowns and an interception on a 66.0% completion rate while throwing for 854 yards.
#4 Roswell vs. Milton
On Friday, the Roswell Hornets (8-1) will play the unbeaten Milton Eagles (9-0) in an interstate affair. Both teams won their previous games, albeit in different fashions, on Oct. 26.
The Hornets played a high-scoring game against the Gainesville Red Elephants on Friday. They eventually took home a 45-48 victory on the back of an outstanding performance by quarterback Trey Smith. The QB finished with 251 yards, a touchdown and a quarterback rating of 120.8.
Conversely, the Eagles registered their ninth win of the season with a one-sided 56-0 victory over the Johns Creek Gladiators. Quarterback Luke Nickel completed 11 of his 12 pass attempts for 183 yards and three touchdowns while also carrying the ball a couple of times for 11 yards and a touchdown.
Milton holds a slight edge over Roswell in recent head-to-head matchups, as they have won 8 of their previous 13 meetings since 2010.
#3 Carrollton vs. Douglas County
The Carrollton Trojans (9-0) are led by Julian Lewis, the seventh-ranked quarterback in the country this season, as per On3. Behind their star QB, the Trojans will look to continue their unbeaten streak against the Douglas County Tigers (8-1).
The Tigers have had a fantastic season, with their only loss coming against the Buford Wolves in September. Since that loss, Douglas County has won four straight games, scoring more than 35 points in each matchup.
Lewis has been nothing short of spectacular this year, racking up 2,259 yards, 34 touchdowns, and just four interceptions while completing 76.1% of his passes.
For the Tigers, it has been the Zamarcus Lindley show this season. The running back has accumulated 1,052 yards on 124 carries and recorded 13 touchdowns through nine games in the season.
#2 Orange Lutheran vs. Mater Dei
One of the most anticipated matchups will take place in California on Friday, as No. 15-ranked Orange Lutheran will take on the top-ranked team in the country, Mater Dei. The Lancers are 7-2 this season, whereas the Monarchs are unbeaten through eight games.
Orange Lutheran was simply a class apart against the Servite Friars in their latest game, winning 38-0. Meanwhile, the Monarchs outclassed their rivals, St. John Bosco, with a 59-14 home victory on Oct. 25.
The Lancers' quarterback, TJ Lateef, has had a great season. He has accumulated 1,914 yards on a 70.9% completion rate and scored 20 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
Mater Dei's quarterback, Dash Beierly, has recorded 1,307 yards and 18 touchdowns in eight games this season. He has yet to throw an interception and has a quarterback rating of 130.4.
#1 IMG Academy vs. St. Frances Academy
Florida's IMG Academy and Baltimore's St. Frances Academy will play this week's biggest matchup at Morgan State University on Friday. IMG Academy is 6-1 this season, whereas the Panthers are 6-3 through nine games.
In their previous game, the Ascenders escaped with a narrow 14-13 overtime win over the East St. Louis Flyers. St. Frances secured a 35-7 victory over Clearwater Central Catholic High School in their latest game.
Mater Dei's defense has been excellent this season. Through seven games, they have recorded 17.0 total sacks, and the team's secondary has accumulated 10 interceptions during that span. They must be at their best against St. Frances, as the Panthers have scored 35 or more points in their last four games.