High school football is back and while results are pending, every team in their respective state likely views themselves as the team to beat going into the year.
In reality, only a few select teams have the talent to actually be in those talks. Of those few select teams, who is actually the best of the best in their state?
That's a question that will be answered over the course of the next couple of months but entering the year, we took a shot at making our own guesses of who stands out amongst the rest.
With a majority of the country kicking off, here' the initial USA TODAY Sports Super 50.
Alabama: Thompson (Alabaster)
Season Opener: Thursday, Aug. 20, at Central (AL), 7 p.m. CT
Alaska: Soldotna
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, vs. West Valley (AK), 6 p.m. AKT
Arizona: Basha
Season Opener: Saturday, Aug. 29,
vs. No. 22 Chandler (AZ), 7 p.m. MT
Arkansas: Bryant
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Benton (AR), 7 p.m. CT
California: St. John Bosco (Bellflower)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, at No. 3 Bishop Gorman (NV), 7 p.m. PST
Colorado: Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village)
Season Opener: Thursday, Aug. 20, at Chatfield (CO), 7 p.m. MT
Connecticut: Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford)
Season Opener: Saturday, Sept. 12, vs. Suffield Academy (CT), 3:30 p.m. ET
Delaware: Middletown
Season Opener: Wednesday, Aug. 26, at St. Georges Tech (DE), 5 p.m. ET
Florida: IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, at Lone Peak (UT), 7 p.m. MT
Georgia: Buford
Season Opener: Saturday, Aug. 22, vs. Gainesville (GA), 5 p.m. ET
Hawaii: Mililani
Season Opener: Beat Liberty (HI) 31-24 on Aug. 14
Idaho: Bishop Kelly (Boise)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Aquinas (CA), 7 p.m. MT
Illinois: Mount Carmel (Chicago)
Season Opener: Saturday, Aug. 22, vs. East St. Louis (IL), 6 p.m. CT
Indiana: Brownsburg
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, at Lawrence North (IN), 7 p.m. ET
Iowa: Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Valley (IA), 7 p.m. CT
Kansas: Manhattan
Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 4, vs. Kansas City East Christian Academy (KS), 7 p.m. CT
Kentucky: Trinity (Louisville)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, at Anderson (OH), 7 p.m. ET
Louisiana: Ruston
Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 4, vs. Neville (LA), 7 p.m. CT
Maine: Thornton Academy (Saco)
Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 4, vs. Scarborough, 7 p.m. ET
Maryland: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at DeLand (FL), 7 p.m. ET
Massachusetts: Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury)
Season Opener: Tuesday, Sept. 1, vs. Everett (MA), 5 p.m.
Michigan: Catholic Central (Novi)
Season Opener: Thursday, Aug. 27, vs. Chippewa Valley (MI), 4 p.m. ET
Minnesota: Maple Grove
Season Opener: Thursday, Sept. 3, vs. Stillwater, 7 p.m. CT
Mississippi: Tupelo
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Brandon, 7 p.m. CT
Missouri: Blue Springs South
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Lee's Summit (MO), 7 p.m. CT
Montana: Frenchtown
Season Opener: at Bigfork (MT), 7 p.m. MT
Nebraska: Millard South (Omaha)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Millard North (NE), 7 p.m. CT
Nevada: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, vs. No. 2 St. John Bosco (CA), 7 p.m. PST
New Hampshire: Phillips Exeter Academy
Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 11, vs. St. Sebastian's School (NH), 6 p.m. ET
New Jersey: Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Armwood (FL), 7 p.m. ET
New Mexico: Cleveland (Rio Rancho)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, vs. Centennial (NM), 7 p.m. MT
New York: Iona Prep (New Rochelle)
Season Opener: Thursday, Sept. 3, at Christian Brothers (MO), 7 p.m. CT
North Carolina: Hough (Cornelius)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, at Northwestern (SC), 7 p.m. ET
North Dakota: Kindred
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Devils Lake (ND), 7 p.m. CT
Ohio: Anderson (Cincinnati)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, vs. Trinity (KY), 7 p.m. ET
Oklahoma: Bixby
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Owasso (OK), 7 p.m. CT
Oregon: West Linn
Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 4, vs. Central Catholic (OR), 7 p.m. PST
Pennsylvania: La Salle College (Wyndmoor)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Paramus Catholic (NJ), 7 p.m. ET
Rhode Island: Bishop Hendricken (Warwick)
Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 4, at Toll Gate (RI), 5:30 p.m. ET
South Carolina: Dutch Fork
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, at Ridge View (SC), 7:30 p.m. ET
South Dakota: Brandon Valley
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Bellevue West (NE), 7 p.m. CT
Tennessee: Baylor (Chattanooga)
Season Opener: Thursday, Aug. 20, vs. Brentwood Academy (TN), 8 p.m. ET
Texas: Waxahachie
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 28, at Ennis (TX), 7 p.m. CT
Utah: Orem
Season Opener: Beat Kamehameha Kapalama (HI) 16-7, Aug. 14
Vermont: Middlebury
Season Opener: Saturday, Sept. 5, at Burr and Burton (VT), 6 p.m. ET
Virginia: St. James Performance Academy (Springfield)
Season Opener: Saturday, Aug. 29, vs. Lehi (UT), 3 p.m. ET
Washington: Puyallup
Season Opener: Friday, Sept. 4, at Rocky Mountain (ID), 7 p.m. MT
West Virginia: Martinsburg
Season Opener: Thursday, Aug. 27, vs. Hedgesville (WV), 7 p.m. ET
Wisconsin: Arrowhead (Hartland)
Season Opener: Friday, Aug. 21, vs. Marquette University (WI), 7 p.m. CT
Wyoming: Star Valley (Afton)
Season Opener: Saturday, Aug. 29, at Soldotna (AK), 2 p.m. AKT
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA TODAY Sports Super 50 high school football rankings: Top team in each state
