Arkansas High School Football Top 25 Rankings – Sep. 17

The Natural State is nearing the midway point of the high school football season, with plenty of teams making statements in the first several weeks. Arkansas has turned its attention to Friday Night Lights as we roll out our second Arkansas High School Football Top 25 Rankings of the season, with the Bryant Hornets remaining in the top spot.

Besides the Hornets, who else makes the cut for the Top 25 list out of Arkansas?

From established powers to emerging programs, here are the top 25 teams in the Natural State, according to Massey.

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 as of Sep. 17.

1. Bryant Hornets

Bryant (3-0) has maintained the top spot in the Arkansas high school football rankings through three weeks, with the Hornets most recent victory maybe being the most impressive.

The Hornets cruised by Parkview Magnet in a 49-6 rout to improve to 3-0 on the season.

All the question marks on offense have been checked off as the Hornets have begun 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.

Bryant has a bye week this Friday night before facing Little Rock Central on Sep. 26.

2. Bentonville Tigers

Bentonville (2-0) impressed when they kicked off the season with a 28-14 victory over then-No. 5 ranked Union. The Tigers didn’t have too much time to celebrate as they turned around the following week and soundly defeated Conway, 41-17.

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.

The Tigers have a bye week before they take on Har-Ber on Sep. 26.

3. Greenwood Bulldogs

Greenwood (3-0) having the state’s best quarterback in Kane Archer certainly helps and the Bulldogs 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. The future Knight this season has thrown for 841 yards and eight touchdowns through three games.

Greenwood has the week off before taking on Shiloh Christian next Friday night.

4. Conway Wampus Cats

Conway (2-1) 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 is an off Friday before they return to play on Sep. 26 when they face off against Little Rock Southwest.

5. Fayetteville Bulldogs

The Fayetteville Bulldogs (2-0) moved into the Top 5 of the rankings this week as they’ve dispatched of Cabot and Broken Arrow.

Bulldogs’ offense has been playing very well behind the play of junior four-star quarterback Hank Hendrix, who has completed 41 of 70 passes for 672 yards and six touchdowns. Fayetteville is in action this week when they go on the road and take on Texas High.

6. Rogers (3-0)
7. Parkview Magnet (1-1)
8. Joe T. Robinson (3-0)
9. Bentonville West (2-1)
10. Benton (1-1)

11. Shiloh Christian (2-1)
12. Arkadelphia (3-0)
13. Lakeside (2-1) 
14. Mountain Home (2-0)
15. Greenbrier (3-0)

16. Pulaski Academy (0-2)
17. Little Rock Christian Academy (1-1)
18. Marion (2-1)
19. Har-Ber (1-2)
20. El Dorado (2-1)

21. Searcy (3-0)
22. Jonesboro (1-2)
23. Southside (2-0)
24. Morrilton (3-0)
25. Salem (3-0)

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.