Several shifts in Media Top 25

The second update of the Media Compilation comes with two major changes and one major flaw.

The first change is a new No. 1 team as Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) ascends to the top spot after De La Salle (Concord, CA) was defeated by Euless Trinity (TX) this weekend.

The Gaels were No. 2 in the previous poll by a single point and its three-touchdown victory over fellow Media Top 25 program Chandler (AZ) helped push it back in a prime position to repeat as the Compilation Champion after winning it last year.

The second is the raw number of teams that turned over this week as six programs dropped from the Media Compilation Poll.

Previous No. 4 DeSoto (TX), No. 6 Miami Central (FL), No. 19 Manvel (TX), No. 20 Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA), No. 22 Oxford (MS), and No. 24 Colerain (Cincinnati, OH) all fell out of the rankings. Of the six, Colerain was the only one to drop despite winning its game this week. The Cardinals figure to fly back into the poll next week if the team is able to win a showdown with St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) as both teams are currently receiving votes but outside the Top 25.

The flaw comes from the skewing of points as the High School Football America algorithm is not set to update for another week of the season, leaving De La Salle, Miami Central, and DeSoto at Nos. 1, 4, and 5, respectively, giving those teams 40, 37, and 36 points. The real impact is only on De La Salle as those 40 points kept it inside the Top 10 and ahead of DeMatha. The other two schools dropped from the poll and only retained those two votes but the impact of keeping the points from others is an error.

Jeff Fisher owns and operates the site and said that he considered running his computer model in advance of next week but chose not to.

“I understand what it does to the compilation poll,” Fisher said. “But since I instituted the algorithm in 2013, I’ve always waited to update until the first Sunday in September.

“With a Pennsylvania team and several New Jersey programs on the brink, I decided to hold. Those teams would drop without even playing, which I think is unfair. I may have to re-examine next year but after thinking about it for this season, I chose to stick with how we have done it in the past.”

The Media Compilation takes into account the four most respected human polls, the top computer model, and an emerging hybrid human-algorithm to make for the best rankings in the country.

Those under consideration are the NationalHSFootball.com HSFB100; USAToday Super 25; MaxPreps Xcellent25; PrepNation Top 25; Jeff Fisher’s Top 25 and the Freeman Computer Top 25.

For a mathematically sound compilation each team is given points from 40 to 16 for being inside the Top 25 of each of those six polls with no points awarded for any additional rankings due to the differing size of each poll.

Points are assigned in decreasing value starting with 40 being awarded for No. 1 and on down to 16 for No. 25 which will result in a more accurate representation of the polls. Assigning points starting at 1 point would skew the tally in the instance that a team received a single, high placement versus a team with lower placements in multiple polls, raising the baseline eliminates the outlier impact in the compilation.

The poll will be updated and released each Tuesday of the football season.

Here is the complete Media Compilation Top 25:

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No. (LW)	PTS	TEAM (ST)	HSFB	USAT	MAX	PN	JFAM	CPU
1 (2)	236	Bishop Gorman (NV)	2	1	1	2	3	1
Bishop Gorman moved up from No. 3 to the top spot in the USAToday and MaxPreps polls as each had its preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams lose in the opening weekend of the season. The Gaels looked just as solid as last year when it claimed the Media Compilation Crown. The strength of schedule debate that cropped up on the program last year may show its head again. Gorman only has one team left on its schedule even receiving votes right now and programs like Poly, Bellevue, and Servite may not be viewed as power programs this season. It could be hard to hold of others as the schedule plays out.
2 (3)	225	Aquinas (FL)	3	2	2	3	8	3
Aquinas dominated a very down Miami Booker T. Washington program to the tune of 35-3 last week and with losses in front of it at the USAToday and MaxPreps moved up from No. 4 and No. 8 in both to the No. 2 position. The Raiders may have the same issues as Bishop Gorman as the season goes on as the schedule doesn’t leave much meat on the bone as it will need Flanagan and Hallandale to remain relevant deep into the season to keep its placement as others gain big games.
3 (5)	217	Allen (TX)	6	7	5	4	2	5
Allen answered the opening bell with a knockout performance, breaking Denton Guyer with an impressive victory. The Eagles were known to have a solid defense with eight starters coming back but the offense was probably better than expected as it replaced Kyler Murray. With a regular season schedule markedly worse than the two teams in front of it, Allen will need to have another deep playoff run to move up in many polls. There isn’t a realistically loseable game remaining with Viera (FL) and then a so-so district until playoffs. It gained seven spots in the HSFB100, and five each at USAToday and MaxPreps.
4 (7)	211	Centennial (CA)	7	4	3	7	6	8
Centennial was a major beneficiary of losses by De La Salle and Bishop Amat — especially in the CalPreps computer — as the Huskies made a move up 13 spots to No. 8. It also got a nice bump at PrepNation, climbing eights spots and into the Top 10. California will have its games play out on the field so early rankings are relatively meaningless as the top teams play.
5 (8t)	202	DeMatha (MD)	4	3	4	8	21	4
DeMatha made an early statement with a big victory over Miami Central on ESPN this past weekend. It made a 12-spot jump at PrepNation and gained 10 on both the HSFB100 and MaxPreps. The Fisher Algorthim not updating certainly impacted this placement as it remained at No. 21 on that computer. If it beats No. 19 American Heritage this weekend it could challenge for the top spot.
6 (16)	193	Colquitt County (GA)	5	8	6	5	9	20
Colquitt got a big bump this week after it bettered Plant (Tampa, FL), 42-8. The win probably would have meant more a few years back but it was an strong showing regardless. The Packers jumped from unranked to No. 6 in the MaxPreps poll which and from unranked to No. 20 in the Computer Model. The team looks as complete, if not moreso, that last year when it claimed a Top 10 finish.
7 (8t)	177	St. John Bosco (CA)	1	6	10	1	10	—
St. John Bosco beat an overmatched La Mirada team this week and the result was logically ignored by most polls. The Braves gained a handful of points from USAToday and a singular spot at MaxPreps. The HSFB100 and PrepNation polls kept the Braves in the top spot as it checked the box with a victory.
8 (13)	163	Cedar Hill (TX)	10	5	25	6	13	24
The Longhorns came out and throttled South Oak Cliff in a somewhat expected result. The major takeaway was that the defense was already in midseason form and could make for another run to the state finals in Texas. It gained points from joining the MaxPreps poll, sliding up six spots in the HSFB100, and four on PrepNation.
9 (1)	156	De La Salle (CA)	16	21	24	13	1	15
Always a curious study is when a No. 1 team loses noting how fall it drops. The parachute deployed early as the Fisher Algorithm was not updated keeping the Spartans in the Top 10 for another week, but it will drop more next week. Two polls that previously had the team at No. 1 moved off the pick further than the other four polls. MaxPreps dropped its preseason pick 23 spots while the USAToday moved it down 20. The HSFB100 slid the team down 14, PrepNation six, and the Computer Model only three.
10t (11)	150	IMG Academy (FL)	14	17	23	20	20	2
IMG buoyed a bit in most every poll staying relatively close to its ranking last week with the exception of the PrepNation 25 which dropped it down 11 spots. IMG defeated Miramar in convincing fashion and has previously-ranked DeSoto on the horizon. The contest was originally thought to be a showdown for the top spot now isn’t a contender for Game of the Week.
10t (18)	150	Ocean Lakes (VA)	11	14	11	11	—	7
The second-largest jump of the week came from Ocean Lakes going from unranked to No. 7 in the Computer Model. The Dolphins opened its season as expected with a dominating win which gained a few places in the other polls but it was the Computer poll placement that gave it a tie for the Top 10.
12 (–)	148	Trinity (TX)	15	16	21	9	23	14
Euless Trinity beat De La Salle on jumped into the thick of the Media Top 25 with placements in all six polls. The Trojans defensive front was formidable as expected and perhaps its secondary was a little better than usual. Three-year starters at QB and RB helped push the Trojan offense and this could be a force to be reckoned with.
13 (12)	140	Katy (TX)	8	22	9	14	12	—
The Tigers traded rankings at the bottom of the Computer Poll for a spot at the bottom of the USAToday after opening the season with a ‘check the box’ vicotry. Katy has the same points as last week and has been jumped for positions each of the first two updates of the Compilation. It has another expected easy victory this week.
14 (15)	131	Mallard Creek (NC)	9	—	7	10	7	—
Mallard Creek had a bit of a battle with Butler in North Carolina this week. It slid back three spots in the HSFB100 and gained two at PrepNation with the USAToday and Computer still not giving it placement. A showdown this week with Byrnes will help paint a picture of where the Mavericks are at — and belong.
15 (17)	124	Clay-Chalkville (AL)	18	11	16	17	19	—
A solid showing this week gave the Cougars slight bumps in all four updating polls. The Computer is the lone holdout. Expectations are that Clay-Chalkville goes unbeaten this regular season and will have some proving ground games in the playoffs. It could be a rankings buoy until then being jumped by teams with more impressive wins and passing teams that lose.
16 (10)	122	Archer (GA)	24	10	12	22	15	—
Archer opened the year with a running clock win and then a solid showing against Peachtree Ridge but it has most every poll going in reverse. It held its place in the USAToday but lost eight spots on MaxPreps, seven from the HSFB100, three at PrepNation, and dropped from No. 22 to the outside of the Computer Model. A game with Grayson in a few weeks could push it higher or knock Archer out.
17 (–)	110	Spartanburg (SC)	19	—	13	16	24	23
An impressive showing on ESPN certainly helped boost the perception of the Vikings. All three standout players on the offense showed well with running back Tavien Feater, quarterback Austin Scott, and receiver Tavaris Scott each playing well. The defense shut down Wakulla in the second half as the margin widend. There is enough meat on the bone to climb to the Top 10 for this squad.
18 (21)	103	Paramus Catholic (NJ)	11	13	22	15	—	—
Paramus Catholic rattled around in the polls this week despite still not playing. It moved up in the HSFB100 and USAToday, gained placement at MaxPreps and dropped out of the Computer poll. With its schedule inside and outside of New Jersey this ranking will take care of itself.
19 (–)	98	American Heritage (FL)	13	15	19	12	15	—
Another skewed ranking is the Computer poll having IMG at No. 2 and AHP unranked as they played to a 19-7 contest in the Kickoff Classic weekend in Florida. The human polls recognize the perception of the contest while the computer doesn’t. The game with No. 5 DeMatha should adjust this ranking one way or the other.
20 (14)	90	Chandler (AZ)	17	25	—	23	—	9
Most every poll was forgiving of the 35-14 loss that Chandler suffered at the hands of Bishop Gorman. MaxPreps took a pound of flesh, dropping the Wolves from No. 16 to the outside of its Top25 while the HSFB100 slid it back seven, USAToday and the Computer both went back five, and PrepNation dipped two. The extent of the injury to Chase Lucas could have the team slide back in some polls again this week, regardless of result.
21 (24t)	80	South Panola (MS)	—	—	18	—	14	11
South Panola gained six spots in the MaxPreps poll — the lone human poll ranking the Tigers at this point — and slipped four in the Computer poll to gain two total points on the week. It won its second game of the season but Mississippi is in a bit of flux right now.
22 (–)	75	Martin (TX)	22	—	14	12	—	—
Arlington Martin dominated DeSoto this past weekend and the 46-26 score is closer than it should have been. The team made moves into three polls and theoretically could have jumped into the Fisher Algorithm but DeSoto kept its placement with the lacking update. It has a showdown this week with Dallas Skyline which could push it higher or knock it out.
23 (–)	70	Mater Dei (CA)	23	—	—	—	18	12
Mater Dei defeated Bishop Amat this week in a close contest, 24-21. The Monarchs moved in at No. 23 replacing Amat which was No. 20. The HSFB100 is the lone human poll in on the team with both computer-based products joining it. The ranking is shaky as the Trinity League schedule lurks and a loss or two could part of the puzzle.
24 (23)	67	Mainland (FL)	—	—	15	24	17	—
Mainland won this week but lost a perception battle as it is somewhat tied to Miami Central. It moved up three on MaxPreps, down one at PrepNation, and dropped from No. 16 to outside the Top 25 of the Computer poll staying being Miami Central within the class inside Florida.
25 (–)	65	La Salle (OH)	—	—	—	—	11	6
Ohio will figure itself out but for now the two computer sites really like the Lancers with two Top 12 placements. The team downed Carmel (IN) to open the year, 35-28. It took the spot previously occupied by Colerain at the bottom of the poll. Cincinnati football will be fascinating this year as five teams jockey for placement.
Dropped From the Media Compilation Top 25:
Previous No. 4 DeSoto (TX), No. 6 Miami Central (FL), No. 19 Manvel (TX), No. 20 Bishop Amat (La Puente, CA), No. 22 Oxford (MS), and No. 24t Colerain (Cincinnati, OH) .
Others Receiving Votes:
Louisville Trinity (58); Flanagan (54); Colerain (53); Mililani (48); Webb City (45); Rummel (40); Miami Central (37); DeSoto (36); Bingham (36); Cocoa (29); Amat (28); Westfield (25); Good Counsel (25); St. Xavier (23); St. Edward (23); Manvel (22); McEachern (21); Bergen Catholic (20); St. Ignatius (20); Christian Brothers (19); Pittsburgh Central Catholic (19), and Lake Taylor (16).
Stopped Receiving Votes:
Clinton (MS); Oxford (MS); Saguaro (Scottsdale, AZ), and Steele (Cibolo, TX).

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