Scottsdale Desert Mountain, the defending 5A champion, forfeited its Week 2 winover Arizona College Prep, but it doesn't change its place in the rankings by The Arizona Republic, which is keeping the dominant team atop its 5A rankings. The Wolves have outscored their first five opponents, 288-14.
The forfeit is reflected in the loss column and counts as a non-contest in the MaxPreps calculations for power ratings, which seed the state playoff teams.
There is no change among the top teams in 6A with Chandler Hamilton, Chandler Basha, Peoria Liberty and Peoria Centennial leading the way.
Here are the latest high school football rankings for all six AIA conferences as of Sept. 28, 2026, as we reach the midpoint in the season for the big schools (6A
through 4A).
6A Conference
1. Hamilton, 5-0
2. Basha, 3-2
3. Chandler, 4-1
4. Liberty, 4-1
5. Centennial, 5-0
6. Pinnacle, 4-1
7. Perry, 4-1
8. Brophy Prep, 3-2
9. Mesa Mountain View, 3-2
10. Red Mountain, 3-2
5A Conference
1. Desert Mountain, 4-1
2. ALA Gilbert North, 5-0
3. Horizon, 5-0
4. Canyon View, 5-0
5. Desert Edge, 3-2
6. Mountain Pointe, 2-3
7. Millennium, 5-0
8. Desert View, 5-0
9. Notre Dame Prep, 4-1
10. Cactus, 3-2
4A Conference
1. Mica Mountain, 5-0
2. Snowflake, 5-0
3. Bradshaw Mountain, 4-1
4. Prescott, 5-0
5. Arcadia, 4-1
6. Northwest Christian, 4-1
7. St. Mary's, 5-0
8. Estrella Foothills, 5-0
9. Lee Williams, 4-1
10. Maryvale, 4-1
3A Conference
1. Benjamin Franklin, 6-0
2. Round Valley, 6-0
3. Gilbert Christian, 6-0
4. Show Low, 6-0
5. Pusch Ridge, 5-1
6. ALA Gilbert North, 4-2
7. Valley Christian, 5-1
8. Thatcher, 3-2
9. Pusch Ridge, 5-1
10. Payson, 4-2
2A Conference
1. Scottsdale Christian, 5-0
2. San Tan Charter, 5-0
3. Willcox, 6-0
4. Arizona Lutheran, 5-1
5. Santa Cruz, 5-1
6. Benson, 6-0
7. Chandler Prep, 4-1
8. St. Johns, 4-2
9. Parker, 6-0
10. Phoenix Christian, 4-2
1A Conference
1. Hayden, 6-0
2. Williams, 4-1
3. Mohave Accelerated, 5-0
4. Mogollon, 4-2
5. St. David, 5-1
6. Joseph City, 5-1
7. Cicero Prep/North Phoenix Prep, 4-1
8. Ray, 2-3
9. Superior, 3-3
10. Duncan, 3-2
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Desert Mountain stays atop Republic's 5A rankings despite forfeit
