Ready for some way too early Bucks County area football rankings?

We named the top returning offensive and defensive players for the upcoming Bucks County area fall football season a few weeks back, so why not take a look at, at least in our opinion, who will be the top returning teams?

We’ll give a top five and then have some teams to watch. 

And we’ll all be watching in a few months to see how close we came to getting it right. Or how badly we did in getting it wrong.

Records from last year are in parentheses.

Here goes:

1. La Salle (13-1)

Not only will the Explorers be the top team in the Courier Times/Intelligencer area, but they’ll also rightfully go into the season as the top-ranked team in Class 6A in the state.

When you’re the defending PIAA big-school champ, that’s what happens.

And, when you have a stud running back in Azhir Nelson, who ran for 127 yards and a touchdown in the PIAA final against Pittsburgh Central Catholic, and a stud receiver in Owen Johnson (all-state last season and now being recruited by Alabama and Notre Dame, among many others) returning, you understand why.

And we haven’t even mentioned that the Explorers also have the state’s top linebacker in Zykee Scott, the state’s top defensive back in Trey Hopkins and an all-state two-way lineman in Andrew Sorge coming back.

Yeah, the Explorers will be pretty good again. 

Top returning offensive players: See the top offensive returners in Bucks high school football this fall

2. North Penn (12-3)

A bit of a leap of faith here putting North Penn second considering the Knights were so senior-laden last season?

Not really.

Veteran head coach Dick Beck has proven no matter what the situation (a lot of returning players or just a few) his teams get better as the season goes along and they win. Consistently.

Year after year.

Running back Rylei Gray (1,200 rushing yards and 15 rushing scores last season and also an all-state defensive back) leads the returners along with strong-legged placekicker Matt Marnien.

3. Central Bucks West (7-4)

It says a lot when you see a 7-4 record for the Bucks and think it was a bad season for them.

For so many, 7-4 is a really good season, but when you have the rep that West has … you get the idea.

With two-way standouts Nick Miletto and Louis Cipollo returning along with top defensive back Shane McGuire and kicker/punter Mason Darrows, the Bucks will be a tough out.

Top returning defensive players: See the top defensive returners in Bucks high school football this fall

4. Pennridge (13-2)

Expectations are high for the Rams, and that’s what happens when you go 4-7 two years ago and then 13-2 last season and make it all the way to the PIAA District One Class 6A title game before losing to North Penn.

Head coach Kyle Beller has to replace four-year starting quarterback Noah Keating and do-everything linebacker/running back Ryan Rowe, but the Rams have some strong pieces returning.

Linebacker/tight end Blake Landherr, who will be a junior in the fall, and senior Sean Leuthe, a shutdown defensive back, will lead the way along with junior running back Trevor Picciotti.

5. Council Rock South (10-2)

Like Pennridge, the Golden Hawks had a big turnaround last season, winning 10 games, and a first-round PIAA District One Class 6A playoff game a year after going 4-6.

Stud all-around linebacker/running back Nate Szydlik will be playing at Slippery Rock this fall, so South will rely on three-year starting quarterback Marley Emerson along with wide receiver Brody Walker and defensive lineman Gavin Sailer and linebacker Ben Myers to lead the charge. 

Others to watch listed alphabetically (with last year’s record in parentheses):

Bristol (10-3), Lansdale Catholic (12-3), Neshaminy (9-4), Palisades (7-4), Souderton (9-3)

Drew Markol covers local sports for PhillyBurbs.com. Support our journalism with a subscription.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: PA High School Football 2026 Team Rankings Bucks County PIAA