ArkansasVarsity Week 0 Football Rankings

The 2026 Arkansas high school football season has arrived, and several traditional powers will begin the year atop the inaugural Arkansas Varsity rankings.

Bryant leads Class 7A, while Benton takes the top spot in Class 6A. Greenwood opens at No. 1 in Class 5A, Stuttgart leads Class 4A and Fordyce begins the season atop Class 3A.

Junction City is the No. 1 team in Class 2A, while Cedar Ridge takes the top spot in the 8-man rankings.

While preseason rankings provide an early look at the teams expected to contend for state championships, Week 0 will begin the process of determining which teams live up to those expectations and which programs emerge as early-season surprises.

Following are the Arkansas Varsity Week 0 rankings:

ArkansasVarsity.com Class 7A Rankings

1. Bryant

2. Conway

3. Bentonville

4. Shiloh Christian

5. Bentonville West

6. Fayetteville

7. North Little Rock

8. Cabot

9. Pulaski Academy

10. Springdale Har-Ber

Bryant enters as the clear team to beat in the state’s largest classification, while Conway and Bentonville begin immediately behind the Hornets. Shiloh Christian and Bentonville West complete a strong Top 5.

ArkansasVarsity.com Class 6A Rankings

1. Benton

2. Mountain Home

3. Searcy

4. Sylvan Hills

5. Marion

6. El Dorado

7. Sheridan

8. Van Buren

9. Jonesboro

10. Fort Smith Southside

Benton begins the season as Arkansas Varsity’s No. 1 team in Class 6A. Mountain Home gets the slight edge over Searcy for second, while Sylvan Hills and Marion round out the Top 5.

ArkansasVarsity.com Class 5A Rankings

1. Greenwood

2. Joe T. Robinson

3. Hot Springs Lakeside

4. Greenbrier

5. Farmington

6. Little Rock Parkview

7. Camden Fairview

8. Valley View

9. Harrison

10. Wynne

Few classifications appear deeper entering the season than Class 5A. Greenwood and Joe T. Robinson lead the way, while Lakeside moves into the No. 3 position ahead of Greenbrier. Farmington completes the Top 5, with perennial power Parkview waiting at No. 6.

ArkansasVarsity.com Class 4A Rankings

1. Stuttgart

2. Nashville

3. Elkins

4. Bauxite

5. Warren

6. Arkadelphia

7. Monticello

8. Southside Batesville

9. Booneville

10. Ozark

Stuttgart begins as the favorite in Class 4A, but there is plenty of championship pedigree behind the Ricebirds. Nashville and Elkins occupy the next two positions, while Bauxite and Warren complete the Top 5. Arkadelphia sits just outside that group at No. 6.

ArkansasVarsity.com Class 3A Rankings

1. Fordyce

2. Bismarck

3. Mansfield

4. Atkins

5. Glen Rose

6. Rivercrest

7. Charleston

8. Smackover

9. Newport

10. Walnut Ridge

Fordyce begins the year atop Class 3A, with Bismarck and Mansfield close behind. Atkins moves into the No. 4 position, followed by Glen Rose. Rivercrest and Charleston lead the second half of a Top 10 that could see considerable movement once games begin.

ArkansasVarsity.com Class 2A Rankings

1. Junction City

2. Mount Ida

3. Magnet Cove

4. Des Arc

5. Carlisle

6. Baptist Prep

7. Bigelow

8. Earle

9. Bearden

10. Poyen

Junction City gets the preseason nod in Class 2A, followed by Mount Ida. Magnet Cove moves into the third spot, while Des Arc and Carlisle complete the Top 5. Baptist Prep leads the second half at No. 6.

ArkansasVarsity.com 8-Man Rankings

1. Cedar Ridge

2. Strong

3. Corning

4. Woodlawn

5. Magazine

6. Lafayette County

7. Izard County

8. Southside Bee Branch

9. Johnson County Westside

10. Rose Bud

Cedar Ridge begins as Arkansas Varsity’s top-ranked 8-man program, while Strong-Huttig and Corning occupy the next two positions.

Woodlawn starts at No. 4 and will face an early challenge with starting quarterback Ethan Saeler expected to miss most of the season after undergoing surgery during the summer. Saeler is expected to have an opportunity to return late in the season.

Magazine rounds out the Top 5, with Lafayette County, Izard County, Southside Bee Branch, Johnson County Westside and Rose Bud completing the rankings.