The Top 10 Winningest Programs In High School Football History

While the NFL and college get all the headlines, it’s high school football that is the lifeblood of the sport across the United States.

Every Friday night in the fall, fans pack into the stands of their local high school to support their friends, family members, and community as they square off with rival high schools across the area. For some, it’s just something to do on a Friday night. For others, it’s a ritual.

Several schools across the country have built identities as the top program in their state, if not in the country. We’re counting down the 10 programs that have the most wins in the history of high school football.

10 Winningest High School Football Programs

These days, it feels like the high school football ranks are dominated by either prep boarding schools or private schools that pull in talent from across several states.

Of course, everyone knows about IMG Academy in Florida. Then there’s St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, and St. John Bosco in California, which is currently the top-ranked program in the nation according to MaxPreps.

But none of those schools found their way onto our top 10, which is somewhat surprisingly dominated by public schools with a rich tradition of history.

These 10 schools are the most successful programs in high school football history as of the start of the 2025 season.

10) Haynesville Junior/Senior High School (Louisiana) – 879 Wins

High school football fans in Louisiana will know all about the Haynesville Golden Tornadoes, who have a jaw-dropping 17 state championships and 879 wins on their resume.

Haynesville’s first state title came all the way back in 1924, while its most recent came in 2014. Legendary head coach Red Franklin is in the Louisiana High School Athlete Association Hall of Fame after winning 11 state titles from 1970-2000.

The Golden Tornadoes haven’t slowed down, either, winning 11 or more games in each of the last three seasons. Surprisingly, however, Carolina Panthers rookie Cam Jackson is the team’s only alum currently in the NFL and the program has only had four NFL players all time, per Sports Reference.

9) Easton High School (Pennsylvania) – 882 Wins

 

These days, the Red Rovers aren’t considered among the powerhouse programs either in the country or in the state of Pennsylvania. But the program has a rich history.

It began in 1894 and has posted 15 undefeated seasons, while finishing under .500 just 18 times in over a century of playing.

Pennsylvania’s state playoff system only began in 1988, with state champions being determined by a poll in the years before. The Red Rovers claimed state titles in 1939, 1958, and 1968. Since that point, Easton has advanced to state semifinals four times in the state’s largest classification.

Former NC State head coach Chuck Amato is an Easton alum and began his coaching career with the program in 1969.

8) McKinley High School (Ohio) – 883 Wins

It only makes sense that the team that plays its home games at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, and is located right next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is also one of the top high school football programs in the nation.

The Bulldogs are 12-time Ohio state champions and twice claimed national championships, in 1934 and 1997.

In fact, the Pro Football Hall of Fame is in Canton because of the school’s early contributions to the professional game, with the league that would eventually become the NFL being founded in Canton in 1920.

Notable alumni include New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Cleveland Browns rookie tight end Harold Fannin.

7) Muskegon High School (Michigan) – 903 Wins

The Muskegon Red Barons won their first Michigan state championship in 1986, and they haven’t looked back since. Muskegon has seven state titles to its name, and the program is one of the most consistently successful in the state today.

The Red Barons had won at least nine games every season from 2011 to 2023, including state title runs in both 2017 and 2023. However, Muskegon shockingly went 3-5 a year ago.

This year, they’re hoping to get back to their winning ways.

6) Mount Carmel High School (Pennsylvania) – 907 Wins

Mount Carmel High School, located in the coal region of Northeast Pennsylvania, isn’t very large. Its latest enrollment numbers list just 420 students in total. But the Red Tornadoes are traditionally one of the best programs in high school football history.

Between 1994 and 2002, Mount Carmel won five state championships in the 2A classification. Prior to that, legendary coach Joe “Jazz” Diminick racked up 267 wins during a 31-year coaching tenure from 1962-1992.

5) Highlands High School (Kentucky) – 944 Wins

In Fort Thomas, Kentucky, football is just something you’re born into. The Bluebirds don’t just have a jaw-dropping 944 wins, they also have an astonishing 23 state championships, including six in a row from 2007-2012.

Those 23 state title runs include thirteen undefeated seasons, and the program has a jaw-dropping 88 winning seasons in total.

Among the school’s notable alumni is legendary Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Jared Lorenzen.

4) Mayfield High School (Kentucky) – 956 Wins

Despite the immense success, somehow, Highlands isn’t even near the most successful program in the state of Kentucky when it comes to victories.

In fact, they’re not even the runner-up! That honor goes to 13-time state champion Mayfield, which has also finished as the state runner-up a further 13 times. Astonishingly, Mayfield has not

Astonishingly, Mayfield has not had a losing season since 1963 and leads the state with both district (41) and regional (42) championships.

3) Male High School (Kentucky) – 958 Wins

So, who is the most successful program in Kentucky according to most wins? That honor goes to the Male Bulldogs, who reside in Louisville and have been playing dating back to the 1890s!

In the last 130 years, the Bulldogs have racked up a jaw-dropping 958 wins and 14 state titles, with their first coming in 1924, and the most recent coming in 2018.

In 2002, the Bulldogs lost the Kentucky state title game to rival Trinity in a contest that featured future Louisville stars Michael Bush and Brian Brohm, both of whom went on to play in the NFL.

2) Washington High School (Ohio) – 959 Wins

Much like aforementioned rival McKinley, it’s extremely fitting that Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio, is one of the country’s most successful high school football programs.

The Tigers have been playing football dating back to 1894 and, in 1925, produced a graduate by the name of Paul Brown. Brown, the legendary head coach for whom the Cleveland Browns are named, returned to his alma mater in 1932 and posted an 80–8–2 record, including a 35-game winning streak and six state championships as head coach.

In total, Massillon has produced 26 state title-winning teams.

1) Valdosta High School (Georgia) – 967 Wins

The Valdosta Wildcats are the gold standard of high school football. The South Georgia public school not only leads the nation in all-time wins, it also boasts six national championships, 24 state championships, and 42 regional championships.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Wildcasts haven’t exactly churned out a slew of NFL talent, with former Georgia Bulldogs star Malcolm Mitchell and Buck Belue leading the way.

After a couple of “down” year by their standards, the Wildcats look back to their winning ways in 2025, getting off to a 5-0 start to the high school season.