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Orem quarterback Tayden Ka'awa carries the ball against Springville in the 5A football state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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Lone Peak quarterback Kepa Niumeitolu (12) celebrates a touchdown with teammates Sean Tahi (1) and Cameron Wray against Corner Canyon in the 6A football championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025.

Marcia Harris, Special to the Herald

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Skyridge quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne looks for a receiver against Lone Peak in a 6A football state semifinal game against Lone Peak at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 14, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald

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Daily Herald correspondent Brian Preece tackles the enormous and challenging task of ranking every high school football team in the state after the conclusion of the 2025 season.

Team (Classification) Record Note

1. Ridgeline (4A) 14-0: Unbeaten Ridgeline outscored opponents 733-122

2. Corner Canyon (6A) 12-1: Nationally ranked Chargers win third straight title.

3. Lone Peak (6A) 8-5: Knights lose rematch to Corner Canyon

4. Skyridge (6A) 9-3: Falcons suffer painful loss to rival in semifinals

5. Davis (6A) 10-2: Darts lose heartbreaker in OT to Lone Peak

6. Orem (5A) 12-2: Tigers win fifth state title in the last 10 seasons

7. Mountain Ridge (6A) 10-3: Magical season ended by Corner Canyon

8. Springville (5A) 12-2: Both losses to 5A state champs Orem

9. Herriman (6A) 10-2: Mustangs had very good season

10. American Fork (6A) 7-5: Cavemen get revenge against Lehi in playoffs

11. Lehi (6A) 5-5: Pioneers beat 6A finalist Lone Peak 34-6

12. West (5A) 11-2: Great year for Panthers ended by Orem

13. Brighton (5A) 7-6: Bengals upset Fremont but lost to Springville

14. Fremont (5A) 9-3: Silverwolves season ended in 5A quarterfinals

15. Crimson Cliffs (4A) 10-2: Mustangs upset by Green Canyon in 4A semis

16. Cedar City (3A) 13-0: One of two unbeaten teams in the state

17. Box Elder (5A) 9-3: Bees had another very good year

18. Manti (3A) 9-4: Templars finished strong and shocked Morgan

19. Morgan (3A) 10-2: Trojans couldn’t repeat but still had fine season

20. Provo (4A) 8-5: First semifinal appearance since 1999

21. Green Canyon (4A) 9-5: Cinderella playoff run struck midnight in title game

22. Syracuse (6A) 7-4: Titans had solid season in 6A Region 1

23. Woods Cross (5A) 8-4: Wildcats dumped in 5A quarterfinals

24. Stansbury (4A) 9-3: Stallion season ended by Crimson Cliffs

25. San Juan (2A). 11-2: Broncos win fifth straight 2A title

26. Bountiful (5A) 7-6: Braves lackluster after 2024 championship run

27. Park City (4A) 7-5: Miners placed second in 4A Region 8 standings

28. Westlake (6A) 7-4: Thunder crackled in new 6A league

29. Timpview (5A) 6-6: Program had key talent leave for other schools

30. Juab (3A) 9-4: Wasps make another deep run in 3A playoffs

31. Farmington (6A) 5-6: Phoenix had a lot of near misses this season

32. Skyline (4A) 9-5: Luster beginning to come back for golden domers

32. Kanab (1A) 11-1: Cowboys only loss was to 2A champ San Juan

34. Olympus (5A) 6-6: Record indicates type of season it was for Titans

35. Beaver (1A) 10-3: Two of three losses were to 1A champ Kanab

36. Grantsville (3A) 7-5: 3A semifinalists also beat 4A Hurricane this season

37. Hurricane (4A) 7-4: Tigers taken out by Provo in 4A quarterfinals

38. Mountain Crest (4A) 8-4: Mustangs had some great wins in 2025

39. Snow Canyon (4A) 6-4: Warriors were a victim of the Green Canyon run

40. Salem Hills (4A) 7-4: Skyhawks had some nice moments in 2025

41. Sky View (4A) 7-5: Rivalry win over Mountain Crest was highlight

42. Pine View (4A) 6-4: Solid season ended by upset loss to Skyline

43. Alta (5A) 4-8: Hawks were way better than record indicated

44. Bingham (6A) 3-7: Season certainly not up to Miner standards

45. Riverton 6A) 4-6: Silverwolves were lackluster in 2025

46. Weber (6A) 4-6: Warrior program took a step back this season

47. West Jordan (5A) 7-4: Jaguars hope to make next step in 2026

48. Northridge (5A) 5-6: Knights had nice playoff win over Pleasant Grove

49. West Field (5A) 7-5: Second-year school had winning season

50. Pleasant Grove (5A) 4-7: Now in 5A, Vikings also breaking in new coach

51. Granger (5A) 7-5: Lancers had some wins to build on for next year

52. Roy (5A) 3-7: Royals had an off year

53. Wasatch (5A) 4-7: Wasps didn’t have much sting this season

54. Spanish Fork (5A) 4-8: In 5A Dons couldn’t follow up 2024 success

55. Duchesne (1A) 9-3: Lost to Beaver in rematch in 1A semifinals

56. Copper Hills (6A) 3-8: Same story as early season success isn’t sustained

57. Layton (6A) 3-9: Lancers did get a win in the 6A first round

58. Timpanogos (4A) 5-6: Offense moved ball but defense was lacking

59. Viewmont (5A) 4-7: Vikings started well then season hit the skids

60. Highland (5A) 7-4: Rams won league but couldn’t win in the playoffs

61. East (4A) 5-7: Leopard program in transition

62. Layton Christian (Ind.) 8-3: Independent schedule led to bonus win in California

63. Richfield (3A) 7-5: Victory over Manti a season highlight

64. North Sanpete (3A) 7-5: Coach Dave Peck has program moving forward

65. South Summit (2A) 8-5: Wildcats made 2A championship game

66. Summit Academy (2A) 6-6: Charter school won some, lost some

67. Hunter (5A) 5-6: Wolverines did find some wins in league play

68. Desert Hills (4A) 2-8: Thunder didn’t make much noise in 2025

69. Dixie (4A) 2-8: Season not up to Flyer standards

770. Logan (3A) 4-7: Grizzly program struggling a bit

71. Ogden (3A) 7-5: Tigers scored some wins this year

72. Cedar Valley (6A) 1-9: Aviators grounded in 6A debut

73. Bear River (4A) 3-8: Bears struggled in 2025

74. Canyon View (3A) 5-6: Falcon program took a step back this season

75. Murray (4A) 5-5: Spartans got some wins in league play

76. Cyprus (5A) 4-7: Region play provided opportunities for some wins

77. South Sevier (2A) 10-2: Rams made 2A semifinals and had great season

78. Clearfield (5A) 3-8: Going 5A hasn’t exactly helped Falcons find wins

79. Maple Mountain (5A) 1-9: Talent migration gutted Golden Eagle program

80. North Summit (1A) 6-6: Braves showed improvement in 2025

81. Tooele (4A) 2-9: Buffs struggled in 4A Region 12

82. Mountain View (4A) 3-7: Bruins still trying to find traction with their program

83. Payson (5A) 2-8: Lions had historic comeback win against Wasatch

84. Jordan (4A) 2-7: Glory days are in the rear view mirror

85. Rich (8-man) 10-3: Rebels win third straight 8-player title

86. Hillcrest (5A) 3-7: Huskies far from their glory days

87. Taylorsville (5A) 2-9: Warrior program continues to struggle

88. Millard (1A) 5-6: Eagles secured big rivalry win over Delta

89. Emery (2A) 3-7: Wins were spartan for the Spartan program

90. Delta (2A) 2-8: Rabbits have struggled in recent years

91. Enterprise (1A) 4-7: Wolf season didn’t find traction this year

92. Milford (8-man) 9-3: Tigers were runner-ups in 8-player

93. Uintah (4A) 1-9: Utes take a step back after good year in 2024

94. Union (3A) 4-7: Cougars had wins but lost to rival Uintah

95. Monticello (8-man) 6-6: Buckaroo streak to 8-player finals broke in 2025

96. Juan Diego (4A) 2-9: Soaring Eagle didn’t leave the nest

97. Altamont (8-man) 8-3: Longhorns had nice winning season

98. Whitehorse (8-man) 6-3: Best season for Raider program in years

99. UMA-HF (8-man) 5-5: Rivalry win over Camp Williams was a highlight

100. UMA-CW (8-man) 5-5: Marauders improved in second year

101. Bonneville (5A) 0-10: Lakers had dreadful season

102. Parowan (1A) 4-7: Positive progress for Ram program

103. Gunnison (1A) 4-7: Season was nothing special

104. Kearns (5A) 1-9: Cougars were woeful in 2025

105. Carbon (3A) 2-9: Dinos were stuck in the tar this season

106. ALA (2A) 4-7: Eagles secured some wins

107. St. Joseph (8-man) 4-6: Private school hoping for more in 2026

108. Judge Memorial (2A) 2-10: Bulldog faithful looking to return to glory years

109. Providence Hall (2A) 2-9: Patriot program still trying to make progress

110. Deseret Peak (4A) 0-10: New Tooele County school took its lumps

111. Water Canyon (8-Man) 4-8: Wildcats took a step back this year

112. North Sevier (1A) 1-10: Gridiron season was a struggle

113. Cottonwood (4A) 0-9: Colts had horrendous season

114. Ben Lomond (3A) 0-10: Scot program has lost 20 straight games

115. Panguitch (8-Man) 1-10: Learning experience for first year program

116. Grand County (2A) 0-9: Red Devils passed on 2A playoff participation

117. Mon. Valley (8-man) 0-7: Cougars pulled out of 8-player playoffs

Utah Valley teams in bold print.

Utah Valley rankings: 1. Lone Peak #3, 2. Skyridge #4, 3. Orem #6, 4. Springville #9, 5. American Fork #10, 6. Lehi #11, 7. Provo #20, 8. Westlake #28, 9. Timpview #29, 10. Salem Hills #40, 11. Pleasant Grove #50, 12. Spanish Fork #54, 13. Timpanogos #58, 14. Cedar Valley #72, 15. Maple Mountain #79, 16. Mountain View #82, 17. Payson #83, 18. UMA-CW #100, 19. ALA # 106.

Notes: It was an agonizing decision on what team to put up on top. A fair question is whether Ridgeline could actually beat Corner Canyon. I think if it was just one game they could. They have been that dominant. Except for a slow start against Provo in the 4A semifinal, Ridgeline dominated their competition from start to finish. And even in the Provo game, it still ended up 48-22 in favor of the Riverhawks.

Now could a great 4A team like Ridgeline go through a gauntlet of games like Corner Canyon faced in 6A Region 3 playing the likes of American Fork, Lehi, Lone Peak and Skyridge week after week? That is a great question. Corner Canyon did have a smooth road through the 6A playoffs as the rest of their league counterparts were put on the bottom side of the bracket.

Yes, Corner Canyon has a lofty national ranking at No. 32 in Max Preps. The Chargers may move up or down as many states don’t finish up their playoffs until early December. In the state rankings Max Preps sees Ridgeline as No. 6 behind all the 6A semifinalists and quarterfinalist Davis.

I know when BYU won the national championship in 1984, their critics pointed out that while the Cougars were undefeated they didn’t survive the rigors of playing in one of the top conferences. But they still won all their games. BYU was less dominant against their competition relative to say Ridgeline was to theirs. If Ridgeline actually had some close calls I might be inclined to put Corner Canyon at the top spot. But their closest game was a 20-point win against 3A Morgan. Their next closest game was against Mountain Crest where they won by 24 points. Basically, the Riverhawks were never seriously tested. They scored over 70 points three different times and broke the 60-point barrier five times. While a lot of attention is given to the Riverhawk offense, their defense was stellar posting four shutouts including one in the state title game. They also held their opponents to 10 or less points nine times. One particular win really stands out as Ridgeline beat 5A semifinalist Brighton 41-0, the same Brighton who upset Fremont, a team that gave Davis one of its two losses on the season. The metrics suggest Ridgeline is legit.

It was also tough to know where to fit 5A champion Orem into the rankings. But bottom line, at 12-2, the Tigers still lost by Lone Peak by two touchdowns. I still gave the Tigers credit for their playoff run ranking them ahead of teams like American Fork and Lehi that did beat the Knights in the region season. Still, I had to give Skyridge and Davis the edge in the rankings because Skyridge did beat Lone Peak in region play and then lost by six points to the Knights in the 6A semifinals. As for Davis, they lost to Lone Peak by three points in overtime and just had two losses on the season by a combined five points.

Mountain Ridge and Herriman had to check in above American Fork and Lehi based on some head-to-head meetings. It was a tough call between 6A Herriman and Springville. Both finished with two losses and both lost to the same team twice, Springville to eventual state champ Orem and Herriman to Mountain Ridge. Some could accuse me of having a pro-Utah County bias but I chose Springville over Herriman because they made it to the 5A championship game and its two losses were to Orem.

4A semifinalist Provo ended with a No. 20 ranking. It was also hard to see where the Bulldogs fit in and their latest Max Prep Ranking (at No. 22) isn’t much different then where I see them. Provo had a strong second half of the season but they still lost to 3A Morgan. So as Morgan lost to Manti in the 3A semifinals by two touchdowns and then Manti lost to undefeated Cedar City by a touchdown, the Bulldogs had to rank lower than all three of those 3A juggernauts.

Comparing Provo to say Fremont and Brighton was also difficult as well. Provo’s signature wins were over eventual 4A finalist Green Canyon to open the season and then in the quarterfinals against Hurricane which finished 7-4. Meanwhile, Fremont had a signature win over Davis in week two while Brighton’s best win was over Fremont in the 5A quarterfinals.

But the bigger issue was where to put Green Canyon and Crimson Cliffs.

Green Canyon had a great run in the playoffs but still had six losses on the season and got pummeled in the 4A championship game 56-0. Green Canyon also lost to Sky View and Mountain Crest in league play.

As for Crimson Cliffs, they did lose to Green Canyon by a field goal in the 4A semifinals but just had two losses and beat Provo who beat Green Canyon. The Mustangs other loss was to 6A finalist Lone Peak to open the season, though by a significant margin at 49-14.

Westlake at No. 28 and Timpview at No. 29 also presented some challenges to rank as well. Westlake had a good season going 7-4 and their best win was against Riverton. Other than that, Westlake’s schedule was soft, though they did generally win the games against what was put out in front of them. Their most concerning loss was to No. 23 Woods Cross 28-10 and they bowed out to Syracuse in the 6A second round 31-28. Their other losses were to Mountain Ridge and Herriman in league play, no shame there.

Timpview, on the other hand, had their worst season in decades going 6-6. The Thunderbirds were gutted with players leaving for other schools. At one time Keenan and Jaron Pula (Lone Peak), Aisa Galea’i (Orem) and Helaman Casuga (Corner Canyon) all donned Thunderbird jerseys. The Thunderbirds played a tough schedule as their losses were to 5A semifinalist West, American Fork, and 6A finalist Lone Peak. They also lost to 5A semifinalist Springville and to 5A champion Orem twice. As it turned out, in the actual 5A playoffs the Thunderbirds played Orem better than anyone, losing 40-22. Their regular season game was even closer at 22-9, so while the Thunderbirds don’t have any quality wins and six losses, it seems like a No. 29 ranking is about right.

Salem Hills was the only other county team with a winning record in 2025 and the Skyhawks check in at No. 40. Two of Salem Hills’ losses were to league rival Provo and the Skyhawks had losses to valley rival Spanish Fork and 4A Park City. The Skyhawks did pick up nice wins against No. 41 Sky View and No. 50 West Field as both finished 7-5.

Finally, much credit must be given to Utah Military Academy-Camp Williams (UMACW). The Marauders went 5-5 and won a playoff game again for the second season. For UMACW to finish No. 100 as an 8-player program shows real progress.