The national spotlight turned to Florida in Week 16, where two USA TODAY Sports Super 25 teams lost in state championship games.
First up, No. 22 Chaminade-Madonna lost a shocker to unranked Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach, Fla.) in the FHSAA 1A football state championship. The win made history, too, giving the Crusaders their first football state title. It will also most likely drop the Lions out of the national poll next week.
From there, No. 18 Northwestern (Miami, Fla.) continued the Sunshine State drama, losing in what will undoubtedly be an instant classic against an unranked Raines (Jacksonville, Fla.) team — a wild 10 seconds that covered a 17-yard catch and run by Raines’ Tadarius Washington, and eventually led to the Vikings lifting their first championship since 2018.
The 23-22 loss ended the Bulls’ resurgence this season, which had reignited momentum after a Week 1 defeat to Orange Lutheran (Calif.) was ultimately overturned and deemed a forfeit. The 3A thriller also created another shockwave in the Super 25.
Another set of Super 25 shockers has grabbed headlines during the weekend slate after two UIL battles ended with a top-5 and a top-15 team taking a first loss of the year.
Closing out the night, Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) handed De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) its first loss of 2025, with the Eagles and head coach Carson Palmer securing the program’s second CIF Open Division State Championship in history.
1. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 14-0
Next game vs. Carrollton on 12/16
2. Carrollton (Ga.)
Record: 14-0
Next game vs. Buford on 12/16
3. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Record: 11-1
Season completed
4. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Record: 11-3
Result: Defeated De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) 47-13
5. Southlake Carroll (Texas)
Record: 14-1
Result: Lost to DeSoto (Texas) 57-44
6. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 9-0
Season completed
7. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)
Last result: 9-1
Last result: Defeated Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) 37-20
8. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)
Record: 12-1
Season completed
9. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Record: 14-1
Result: Defeated Lakeland (Fla.) 29-0
10. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Record: 11-2
Season completed
11. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 8-3
Season completed
12. Allen (Texas)
Record: 14-1
Result: Lost to Duncanville (Texas) 31-9
13. Edna Karr (New Orleans, La.)
Record: 14-0
Result: Defeated St. Augustine (New Orleans, La.) 49-14
14. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Record: 9-2
Season completed
15. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Record: 12-1
Result: Lost to Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) 47-13
16. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)
Record: 11-3
Last result: Lost to Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach, Fla.) 17-14
17. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Record: 12-0
Season completed
18. Northwestern (Miami, Fla.)
Record: 13-1
Result: Lost to Raines (Jacksonville, Fla.) 23-22
19. Bixby (Okla.)
Record: 13-0
Season completed
20. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)
Record: 12-1
Season completed
21. Clay-Chalkville (Pinson, Ala.)
Record: 15-0
Season completed
22. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 12-1
Result: Defeated Allen (Texas) 31-9
23. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Record: 11-0
Season completed
24. Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.)
Record: 15-0
Result: Defeated Clayton (N.C.) 24-14
25. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 10-1
Season completed
