The 2023 Virginia High School League football season is underway and we have no shortage of compelling storylines to follow on the quest to Championship Saturday in December - - UVA for Class 6 and Class 5; Liberty University for Class 4 and Class 3; Salem for Class 2 and Class 1.
There will be at least three new State Champions this year. It's a guarantee, stone cold lock. You say how come? That's because three of the reigning State Champs in Riverheads, Phoebus and Highland Springs all move up a classification level.
Riverheads has won seven straight Class 1 state titles, but is now in Class 2. Phoebus, winners of back-to-back Class 3 crowns, moves up to Class 4. Highland Springs, which won the Class 5 ring, is now in Class 6.
There are an awful lot of familiar names along these rankings and some quality programs that didn't make the cut in some classifications.
It was splitting hairs at the top in Class 6 between record-setting Freedom of Woodbridge and Highland Springs. In Class 5, the nod narrowly went to Maury, runner-up each of the past two years, over a Stone Bridge team they've faced twice in the State Finals since 2019. Phoebus got the close edge over Dinwiddie in Class 4.
The most up for grabs looks to be Class 3, where Magna Vista, Lake Taylor, Lord Botetourt, Liberty Christian and a host of others all look to contend. Graham returns a bunch of starters from its state title winning team and is a prohibited favorite in Class 2. With Riverheads out of the way, the Class 1 field appears wide open, much like Class 3, as several teams are salivating to make a splah.
Final VHSL Top Ten Football Rankings for 2022
See Final Playoff Brackets from 2022 Here
As things move along, the Top Ten will be adjusted on a week-to-week basis. A full look at those 60 teams ranked in our initial rankings can be seen by clicking on the hyperlinks of the schools listed. Some of those Previews are up, while others will be added in the days to come before we flip the calendar to September.
Make sure you check back here on VirginiaPreps.com for periodic updates, and to see results, make sure you visit our Scoreboard Forum as well as the VHSL's Football page.
Without further ado, let's get to it -- our Preseason Top Tens for each classification...
Note - This list was published on Thursday August 24, 2023
Special Thanks to Dan Trevino for front page photo
Honorable Mention:
Colonial Forge
Patriot
Westfield
Lake Braddock
West Springfield
Gainesville
Honorable Mention:
L.C. Bird
Indian River
Nansemond River
Hermitage
Kempsville
Douglas Freeman
Albemarle
Honorable Mention:
Huguenot
Woodgrove
Eastern View
Sherando
Churchland
Loudoun County
Millbrook
Honorable Mention:
Thomas Jefferson-Richmond
Hopewell
Turner Ashby
Rustburg
Norcom
Spotswood
Honorable Mention:
Ridgeview
Stuarts Draft
Nottoway
Strasburg
Central-Lunenburg
Amelia
Honorable Mention:
West Point
Buffalo Gap
Westmoreland
Brunswick
Giles
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