MaxPreps Rankings

MaxPreps National and State Freeman rankings are the result of our collection of enormous amounts of information from teams throughout the country and the application of a computer model developed by our associate Ned Freeman. The most important thing to understand about how the rating system works is that it is 100% objective.

We do not poll coaches, sportswriters, or fans. Nor does our staff make any judgments on the merits of any individual team. Prior season history, school size, and comments on message boards are not considered in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings. Rankings are strictly based on the strength of schedule and scores. Another factor to consider is the team's ratings. The Rating is a number calculated by the win-loss record. The Rating is the most important number because it's a combination of that data and the movement will be influenced by that number.

MaxPreps Editorial Team - writers select the top 25 teams on a national level. MaxPreps will run down the top 25 teams in the country weighing record, quality wins, losses and other factors to determine the best of the best. If you have questions about the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, send the selected writer an email and we will gladly respond.

Things to note about our Ranking Program:

• The size of the schools, their division, the league they're in, how good the school or league are historically, their geographic location, how well-liked the school is, how good the league is in other sports doesn't matter and therefore, none of these factors are programmed into the system. Those subjective factors inevitably bias humans saddled with the daunting task of trying to figure out who the best teams in the nation, in a state, or a region really are?

Instead, Freeman's system just takes into account the facts. Cold, hard, and unfeeling fact - but as accurate, objective and fair as possible.

• The system utilizes a huge number of game results stored in the MaxPreps database. Generally, the more a team wins the higher the ranking, but the system takes into account quality wins (against other highly ranked opponents) and strength of schedule. The system also takes into account team ratings. 

For example, a team's ranking is hurt more by losing to a team that is ranked below them versus a team ranked ahead.

• Other factors that will affect the rankings are times when MaxPreps has incomplete or inaccurate information.
• Generally, the more games that are played the more accurate the rankings, so if a team that you perceive as being very strong has played substantially fewer games than other ranked teams it may reflect the fact that we have fewer data to work with.

 Playoff games are weighed 2.1 times what a regular-season game is.

• Movement indicates the up or down movement within the rankings when compared to our previously published rankings.
• Forfeits don't count in the rankings.
• If your team tied in a game, a winner has to be marked to appear in the rankings.
• Opponents listed as Varsity Opponent don't count in the rankings.
• Rankings are only available for varsity level sports.