Virginia high school football will feature 171 games from Sept. 19-21, 2024. That number includes the state’s top teams, as ranked in the latest Virginia On3 Massey Ratings. While some of the state’s best teams will get a bye, others will be highly favored to win their matchups based on the Massey Ratings win probability.

However, of the hundreds of games played throughout ‘Old Dominion’ over the weekend, seven pairings stand out as must-watch games. These matchups, including number one-ranked Maury, feature ten teams in Virginia’s top 25 list.

The On3 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.

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Top Virginia High School Football games this week

#32 St. Michael the Archangel at #20 Trinity Episcopal – Friday, Sept. 20
St. Michael earned its third victory in four games via a 24-12 decision against Paul VI. Given its 2-1 away record this season, it will not be a concern that it will face Trinity Episcopal on the road. Meanwhile, the Titans absorbed a hard-fought loss to Woodberry Forest, wherein CJ Gray had 139 rushing yards, and Davion Brown added 163 receiving yards and a touchdown. This matchup has the makings of a nail-biting finish because their scoring averages (St. Michael – 30, Trinity – 34.7) are not far off.
Massey Ratings Prediction: Trinity Episcopal 34, St. Michael 17

Freeman at #8 Highland Springs – Friday, Sept. 20
While the Springers are coming off back-to-back losses, they were against third-ranked Phoebus and top-ranked Maury. However, they would need to improve their seven-points-per-game average in those matches to avoid an upset by the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Freeman cruised through their first three games, defeating opponents by an average of 29.3 points. Though Highland Springs is heavily favored to win this Virginia high school football match, Freeman can disrupt the predictions because of their momentum.
Massey Ratings Prediction: Highland Springs 38, Freeman 6

#19 Benedictine at #14 Georgetown Prep – Friday, Sept. 20
The Cadets and the Maryland-based Little Hoyas have identical 2-1 record coming into this showdown. In their latest win against Flint Hill, Benedictine generated 330 yards on offense, including 258 rushing yards. Meanwhile, Georgetown dominated the Eastern Ramblers 30-6. While On3’s Massey Ratings favor Benedictine to win, Georgetown Prep won’t go down without a fight. Therefore, this matchup could seal its outcome on the final drive.
Massey Ratings Prediction: Benedictine 21, Georgetown Prep 14

#5 St. Mary’s Ryken at #11 Woodberry Forest – Saturday, Sept. 21
The Knights will travel to Woodberry Forest to face the Tigers. Maryland’s fifth-best team is coming off a 14-9 victory over Bishop McNamara. Meanwhile, Woodberry Forest remains undefeated after edging Trinity Episcopal 34-28. While it won’t be an easy fight for the Tigers, they could have the advantage if Sheldon Robinson and the Woodberry Forest secondary could contain St. Mary’s Ryken’s passing attack. This game could turn into a thriller because of the team’s evenly-matched rosters.
Massey Ratings Prediction: Woodberry Forest 26, St. Mary’s Ryken 24

#13 Patriot at #18 Colonial Forge – Friday, Sept. 20
The Eagles hosting the Pioneers might be a low-key matchup that could deliver an exciting finish. Patriot is coming off a one-sided 58-13 win over Freedom, improving their record to 2-0. Meanwhile, Colonial Forge dominated Potomac in their last meeting 48-12. It’s no surprise that Massey Ratings see this as a close battle, given how close they are to each other in the state’s rankings.
Massey Ratings Prediction: Colonial Forge 33, Patriot 28

#17 Thomas Dale at #24 Glen Allen – Friday, Sept. 20
One of these teams will suffer their first loss of the season. However, it’s not easy to predict the losing cause because this pairing has the makings of a cardiac finish. The home team is coming off a 31-0 shutout victory over Patrick Henry, while Thomas Dale earned a 27-16 road victory against Lloyd C. Bird. This matchup could turn into a defensive battle, with the Knights having cornerback Shamari Earls and linebacker Michael Davis. Conversely, defensive back Kamden Tiller and edge rusher Jaylon Brown will lead the Jaguars’ defense.
Massey Ratings Prediction: Thomas Dale 28, Glen Allen 21

#7 Dinwiddie at #1 Maury – Friday, Sept. 20
This pairing could be the marquee matchup of the weekend as two teams in the top ten compete for an outcome that could have significant implications in the Virginia high school football rankings. The seventh-ranked Generals survived a fierce opposition by the North Stafford Wolverines 35-25. Meanwhile, the Commodores dominated Highland Springs (38-7) by tallying 401 yards on offense and limiting the Springers to ten passing yards. This game has an offense-versus-defense narrative because Dinwiddie has the state’s third-best offense while Maury has the second-best defense. Those contrasts are the recipe for a sensational matchup.
Massey Ratings Prediction: Maury 42, Dinwiddie 24

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