SD high school football rankings: Top 5 for state championship games
Championship week is officially here, and we're just days away from having seven title winners crowned in the DakotaDome. These rankings are easier to make than ever with just two teams left per class. The teams are not ranked according to their seeds, but their listed opponents for the week are their opponents' playoff seed. Here's a look at our top five teams in each class of SDHSAA football heading into the final weekend of the 2026 season. All teams have their record and this week's opponent listed. Class 11AAA Sioux Falls Jefferson (11-0), vs. No. 2 Sioux Falls Lincoln Sioux Falls Lincoln (9-2), vs. No. 1 Sioux Falls Jefferson Brandon Valley (8-3), lost in semifinals Harrisburg (6-5), lost in semifinals O'Gorman (5-5), lost in quarterfinals This is the rematch that's felt inevitable since Sioux Falls Lincoln started getting hot in mid-October, but Brandon Valley put up quite the fight. The Patriots' and Lynx's semifinal was one of the best high school football games you'll watch, so consider those teams 2a and 2b. But Jefferson has been No. 1 for quite a while, and beating the Cavaliers will be quite the upset. Class 11AA Pierre (11-0), vs. No. 3 Watertown