Arkansas High School Football Top 25 Rankings - Sep. 1

The Natural State saw their high school football season kickoff last week, with all of the top teams taking the field. Arkansas has turned its attention to Friday Night Lights as we roll out our first Arkansas High School Football Top 25 Rankings of the season, with the Bryant Hornets starting off at the top spot.

Who else makes the cut for the Top 25 list out of Arkansas?

The Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.

Here are the top 25 Arkansas high school football teams, according to Massey.

1. Bryant Hornets

Not many teams in the state of Arkansas laid down a season opening statement like Bryant (1-0) did when they cruised by Benton in a 41-10 Salt Bowl rout.

All the question marks on offense were checked off as the Hornets began a new era behind center with Kyler Shelby, who saw limited game action in 2024 as a sophomore last season while playing behind Jordan Walker. Early returns from Shelby provides confidence that this program isn’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

Now Bryant will look to continue testing their mettle in Week 2 when they host Newton out of Georgia.

2. Bentonville Tigers

Bentonville (1-0) impressed when they kicked off the season with a 28-14 victory over then-No. 5 ranked Union. The Tigers won’t have too much time to celebrate as they have to turn around this week and take on No. 4 ranked Conway in Arkansas’ Game of the Week.

The 5-time state champion Tigers are coming off a 9-4 campaign and needing to replace plenty of starters on both sides of the ball. Bentonville is armed with a pair of Arkansas commitments in four-star wide receiver Dequane Prevo and three-star Blair Irvin.

If Bentonville can get by Conway, it would go a long way as the season heads into the middle portion and beyond.

3. Greenwood Bulldogs

Having the state’s best quarterback in Kane Archer certainly helps and the Bulldogs (1-0) boasting the UCF commit behind center makes them dangerous every Friday night on offense.

Archer and crew opened the 2025 regular season with a 35-31 win over Bentonville West as the future Knight completed 19 of 26 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns.

Greenwood hits the road for the next couple of weeks as they’ll take on Northside and Har-Ber before having a bye week.

4. Conway Wampus Cats

Conway (1-0) started the season off with an offensive blast as they defeated Jonesboro in a 68-37 shootout.

The Wampus Cats feature a couple of the state’s top players in three-star safety Tay Lockett (Arkansas commit) and interior offensive lineman Isaiah Bowman (Arkansas State commit). Lockett is already making an impact on both sides of the ball as Conway has become a viable state title contender.

This week they put themselves to the test when they face No. 2 ranked Bentonville.

5. Parkview Magnet Patriots

Parkview Magnet starts their season this week when they take on Maumelle (0-1) at home.

The Patriots have themselves a warmup game before next Friday when they travel on the road to take on top-ranked Bryant. Parkview Magnet will need to have a total team effort if they want to upend Bryant next week, especially from North Texas commit Nygel Farsee.

6. Fayetteville (1-0)
7. Rogers (1-0)
8. Joe T. Robinson (1-0)
9. Shiloh Christian (1-0)
10. Benton (0-1)

11. Lakeside (1-0)  
12. Arkadelphia (1-0)
13. Little Rock Christian Academy (1-0)
14. Pulaski Academy (0-1)
15. Bentonville West (0-1)

16. Farmington (1-0)
17. Mountain Home (1-0)
18. Greenbrier (1-0)
19. Southside (1-0)
20. Camden Fairview (0-1)

21. Valley View (1-0)
22. Elkins (1-0)
23. Marion (1-0)
24. Morrilton (1-0)
25. Cabot (0-1)

How to Follow Arkansas High School Football

For Arkansas high school football fans, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement in the Natural State.