ESPN High School Football Kickoff Returns for 16th Year with 45 players ranked in the ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300

Six Games Across ESPN Platforms, August 14-23
45 Players Ranked in ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300, including three of the Top Five Seniors
Ten Top-25 Nationally Ranked Teams Including Six in the Top-TenThe ESPN High School Football Kickoff returns for its 16th year, Thursday, Aug. 14 – Saturday, Aug. 23. The six-game slate includes 45 players ranked in the ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300 and will be featured on ESPN, ESPN2 and the ESPN App. Of the ESPN 300 athletes participating, 22 have committed to top Division I college football programs, including Alabama, BYU, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, and Washington.

Thursday, August 14

No. 11 Milton (Ga.) at No. 12 Buford (Ga.)
7 p.m. ET | ESPN2 | Phillip Beard Stadium, Buford, Ga.

Milton: Reigning back-to-back Georgia state champion (7A 2023, 5A 2024), finished undefeated last season. Features TE Grant Haviland (No. 113 junior nationally).
Buford: Lost to Milton 13-10 last year, only other loss in 6A semifinals to Carrollton. Features DT Bryce Perry-Wright (No. 55, Texas A&M commit) and ATH Tyriq Green (No. 175, Georgia commit) among 12+ three/four-star recruits.
Venue: Debut of new 10,000-seat Phillip Beard Stadium

No. 17 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pa.) vs. No. 9 American Heritage (Fla.)
6 p.m. ET | ESPN2 | Brian Piccolo Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

American Heritage: Defending 4A Florida state champion. QB Dia Bell (No. 4 overall, No. 1 QB, Texas commit), WR Brandon Bennett (No. 207 senior, FSU commit), CB Amare Nugent (No. 274 junior).
St. Joseph’s Prep: Nine Pennsylvania state championships in 12 years, including second three-peat capped by 6A title last season. QB Charlie Foulke IV (No. 257 junior) leads four three/four-star returners.

No. 4 IMG Academy (Fla.) at Hoover (Ala.)
9 p.m. ET | ESPN2 | Hoover Metropolitan Complex

IMG Academy: 15 players in ESPN 300 Senior/Junior rankings, including four seniors in top 50.
Hoover: Advanced to Alabama 7A semifinals, defeated eventual 7A champion Thompson in regular season. DE Tyson Bacon (Miami commit), WR Jonah Winston (Alabama/Auburn/FSU offers), RB C.J. Cowley (No. 209 junior).

No. 1 Mater Dei (Calif.) at No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
3:30 p.m. ET | ESPN | Brian Piccolo Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Mater Dei: CIF Open Division champions, fifth title in seven seasons. Six seniors in ESPN 300, two additional in ESPN Junior 300.
St. Thomas Aquinas: Six consecutive Florida 5A state championships. CB Justice Fitzpatrick (No. 42 senior, Georgia commit), four juniors in ESPN Junior 300.

No. 5 St. Frances Academy (Md.) vs. No. 8 Chaminade-Madonna (Fla.)
8 p.m. ET | ESPN2 | Brian Piccolo Stadium, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

St. Frances Academy: Defeated IMG 30-3 to end last season. DE Zion Lee (No. 2 overall, Maryland commit), S Jireh Edwards (No. 23, Alabama commit), two juniors in ESPN 300.
Chaminade-Madonna: Nine Florida state championships including four consecutive and seven of last eight. RB Derrek Cooper (No. 7 overall, No. 1 RB), WR Denairius Gray (No. 300, Kentucky commit).

No. 20 Folsom (Calif.) at Grant Union (Calif.)
10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN | Grant Union High School, Sacramento

Folsom: QB Ryder Lyons (No. 49 senior, BYU commit), OT Vlad Dyakonov (No. 214 senior, USC commit).
Grant Union: Defending CIF Open Division 2 State Champion (two of last three seasons). TE Rahzario Edwards (No. 58 junior) with 25+ offers including Alabama, Florida, Michigan, Miami, Ole Miss, Oregon, USC.

2026 ESPN Senior 300 Participants

2027 ESPN Junior 300 Participants