The 2024 high school football season is packed with major matchups, but none are more anticipated than the clash between No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) on September 6 at Santa Ana Stadium. If both teams remain undefeated leading up to this game, it will mark the 14th time since 2000 that the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams have faced each other.

The most recent No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown occurred in 2022 when St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) narrowly defeated Mater Dei 24-22 in the Southern Section Division 1 championship game. Historically, the No. 2 team has come out on top in six of these matchups since 2000.

This isn’t the first time Mater Dei and Bishop Gorman have met as the top two teams in the MaxPreps Top 25. In 2017, J.T. Daniels and Bru McCoy led Mater Dei to a 35-21 victory, ending Bishop Gorman’s impressive 55-game winning streak.

Beyond their game against Bishop Gorman, Mater Dei has two other significant matchups this season. They will face their archrival, St. John Bosco, in late October, and they will kick off the season against No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) on August 22.

Bishop Gorman also has a challenging schedule, including a game against No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in the Broward County National Showcase. This event will also feature a game between No. 4 St. John Bosco and No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.).

Another top matchup involves No. 7 Duncanville (Texas) facing off against No. 5 DeSoto (Texas) on October 11 at Eagle Stadium. These two Texas powerhouses are both back-to-back state champions, with Duncanville boasting a 29-1 record over the past two years, their only loss coming at the hands of DeSoto last season, 49-35.

Below is the complete list of the top 10 games of the 2024 season:

1. No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) at No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
– When: Sept. 6
– Where: Santa Ana Stadium

2. No. 4 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at No. 1 Mater Dei
– When: Oct. 25
– Where: Santa Ana Stadium

3. No. 7 Duncanville (Texas) at No. 5 DeSoto (Texas)
– When: Oct. 11
– Where: Eagle Stadium

4. No. 2 Bishop Gorman at No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
– When: Aug. 24
– Where: Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium

5. No. 4 St. John Bosco vs. No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)
– When: Aug. 24
– Where: Brian Piccolo Memorial Stadium

6. No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) at No. 14 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)
– When: Nov. 1
– Where: TBA

7. No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) at No. 1 Mater Dei
– When: Aug. 22
– Where: Santa Ana Stadium

8. No. 14 St. Frances Academy at No. 7 Duncanville
– When: Sept. 14
– Where: Panther Stadium

9. No. 3 IMG Academy vs. No. 19 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
– When: Aug. 29
– Where: Ocean City High School

10. No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna
– When: Oct. 11
– Where: Vince Zappone Field