Here are 25 Louisiana large-school football state title contenders for the 2023 season
You've seen our SBLive Louisiana Top 25 football rankings regardless of classification.
Also, you've seen our recent list of 25 small school (classes 1A-3A) teams more than capable of winning state titles this season.
Now, read on to find out the Top 25 large school (4A and 5A) contenders in Louisiana, as well as several programs on the cusp.
1. John Curtis Christian
The Patriots have won 28 state championships, 11 more than second-place Haynesville. The 2022 crown, which was achieved by defeating Catholic League rival Brother Martin, was the school's first since 2018.
There is a lot of beef up front with offensive linemen Orion Duplessis (6-foot-5, 340 pounds) and Bryce Godfrey (6-3, 290) leading the way. Key players include quarterback Dagan Bruno, LSU wide receiver commit Michael Turner and running backs Marlon Prout and Jason Gabriel.
Game to watch: Nov. 3 at Edna Karr. The Cougars blew out John Curtis, 38-6, in 2022.
2. Destrehan
The defending Division I non-select champions haven't been tested in the regular season in quite some time. The Wildcats have won 11 straight regular season games while scoring in the 40s and not allowing more than 10 points, according to Chris Dabe of nola.com.
Key players include LSU edge commit Kolaj Cobbins, RB Shane Lee, Ole Miss DB commit Anthony Robinson, QB Jackson Fields, Cincinnati OL commit Jayce Mitchell and WRs Makylon Smothers, Philip Wright, Jabril Mack and Johnnie Thiel IV.
Game to watch: Oct. 27 vs. East St. John. Destrehan drummed their district rival in the regular season before earning a 21-20 win in a playoff rematch.
3. Catholic-Baton Rouge
The Bears narrowly missed a championship game appearance last year, losing a 24-21 nailbiter to John Curtis. Catholic won state championships in 2017, 2020 and 2021. LHSAA violations later resulted in the Bears being stripped of the 2017 and 2020 titles.
Key players include University of Louisiana QB commit Daniel Beale, RB Barry Remo, WR Amari Clayton, OL Erv Smith and DBs Blaine Bradford and Jacob Bradford.
Game to watch: Nov. 2 vs. Zachary. The Bears won last year's district showdown, 24-21.
4. Edna Karr
The Cougars were forced to forfeit three wins in 2022. The West Bank program proceeded to take its frustration out on Catholic League opponents. Karr beat St. Augustine and Brother Martin by 42 and 33 points, respectively, and swept the remainder of its district schedule.
Key players include DB Aiden Hall, LB Tah'j Butler, WR Rahj Dennis, DB Levi Darensbourg, WR TaRon Francis and QB John Johnson.
Game to watch: Sept. 23 at St. Augustine. The Purple Knights will be motivated after last year's rout.
5. Warren Easton
The Eagles are ineligible for the playoffs, which means they're going to do their best to rain on every opponent's parade. That's what happened in Week 1. Ruston reportedly has its best team in years, but Warren Easton made big plays on offense and stymied the Bearcats on defense.
Key players include LSU DB commit Wallace Foster, QB Greg Donaldson, RB Fred Robertson, OL Jalan Chapman and WR Kyon Holliday.
Game to watch: Sept. 15 vs. Edna Karr. Last year's 67-20 loss to the Cougars still stings.
6. St. Thomas More
Jamboree games may be dressed-up scrimmages, but it was difficult to ignore how the Cougars beat Acadiana by double-digits without starting quarterback Sam Altmann.
Defensive coordinator Terry Tidwell has done outstanding work with his unit, which is led by DB Peyton David, LB Hayden Hernandez, LB Brody Latiolais and DB Brian Broussard.
Game to watch: Sept. 22 vs. Catholic-Baton Rouge. The Bears won in Baton Rouge in 2022. The Cougars will try to return the favor at home.
7. Lafayette Christian
The Knights had one of the most prolific offenses in the state last year. That remains the same with QB Ju'Juan Johnson suiting up for his final prep hurrah before heading to LSU. WR Trae Grogan, who has size and speed, is an under-the-radar gem.
Players to watch include LB Sam Taylor, McNeese St. DE/LB commit Sandy Lewis, DB Ty Lee and Texas DL commit Melvin Hills.
Game to watch: Sept. 22 at Ruston. The Bearcats won, 35-20, last year in Lafayette.
8. Westgate
Coach Ryan Antoine's Tigers captured their first state title in 2021, then followed up with a Division I non-select semifinal appearance. The schedule is foreboding with non-district games against much-improved Evangel Christian and small-school power Calvary Baptist. The District 4-4A gauntlet follows. Westgate lost to Teurlings Catholic, St. Thomas More and Lafayette Christian in league games last year, although the Tigers got hit by the injury bug during that stretch.
Players to watch include LSU DL commit D'Myrion Johnson, QB/DB Jaboree Antoine, RB Tavias Gordon and WR Davian Jackson.
Game to watch: Pick any of the three league games against the aforementioned Lafayette schools.
9. Carencro
Tony Courville is a self-proclaimed defensive-oriented coach, and the Bears are always solid on that side of the ball. The program's veer offense became increasingly difficult to defend when Courville incorporated an accompanying passing attack. With an up-tempo offense, the Bears keep defensive substitutions from running onto the field while lining up in a wide variety of formations. The Bears upset No. 1 Warren Easton on the road to reach the Division I select semifinals in 2022.
Players to watch include QB Chantz Babineaux, RB Cashmire Batiste, TE Kameron Cyprien, DB/RB Joni Martin, LB Brian Amune and DE Ja'Kaln Roy.
Game to watch: Sept. 14 at Southside. The Sharks surprised Carencro and Acadiana to win the first district title in school history in 2022.
10. Ruston
The Bearcats reached the championship game last year for the first time since 1998. They're expected to be a front-runner for an encore appearance.
The defense is loaded with LSU commit Ahmad Breaux and Tulane commit Geordan Guidry along the front and Louisiana Tech commit Jadon Mayfield and Zheric Hill at linebacker.
Game to watch: Sept. 29 at Neville. Ruston won, 27-21, at home in 2022.
11. St. Augustine
The Purple Knights showcased their explosive offense with a 71-point outburst in Week 1 vs. McDonogh 35.
Players to watch include QB Dawson Simmons, Marshall RB commit Moses Gray, Indiana TE commit Hubert Caliste, Tulane WR commit Josh Jackson and DL Jahkeem Stewart.
Game to watch: Sept. 15 at Zachary. The Purple Knights won, 24-20, last year in a game that was also at Zachary.
12. Teurlings Catholic
The Rebels reached the Division II select semifinals last year. QB Preston Welch, a senior, has a big arm and two inviting targets in Bradford Cain and Travis Gallien.
Players to watch include OL Gresham Perry, TE Jack Purser, DB Gylen Ford, DB Peyton Jones, DB Kaleb Daniels, DL KJ James, RB Ayden Trahan, RB Doug E. Viltz and RB Cason Evans.
Game to watch: Sept. 15 at St. Charles Catholic. The Rebels defeated the two-time defending Division III select state champs last year in Lafayette.
13. Zachary
The Broncos, who last won state in 2021, began the season with a QB platoon of Hudson Spangler and Caleb Gonzales. Kicker Kellen Conachen has a talented leg.
Players to watch include: UL WR commit Luke Wisham, LSU TE commit Tray'Dez Green and RB Kameron Thomas.
Game to watch: Sept 29 at West Monroe. A rematch of last year's playoff game won by Zachary, 20-10.
14. Brother Martin
The Crusaders, who last won state in 1971 and played for another last season, shined on defense in Week 1, holding Madison Prep to 175 yards - 38 rushing - in a 28-0 shutout, according to Chris Dabe of nola.com.
Players to watch include: QB Seth Dazet, WR Brodie Dumontier and RBs Sidney Harris and Jordan West.
Game to watch: Sept. 15 at St. Thomas More. The Cougars hosted the Crusaders last year as well and came away with the victory.
15. Neville
The Tigers have won 12 state titles with the last coming in 2015. Coach Jeff Tannehill went with two quarterbacks - Aman Fuller and John Michael Sampognero - in a Week 1 thriller against Evangel Christian.
Players to watch include DL Brody Whatley, DB Tytron Hanley, RB Jayden Nichols and WR Bradley Hanlon.
Game to watch: Sept. 8 vs. Ouachita Parish. Last year, the Lions snapped a long losing streak to Neville, but Ouachita will be without RB Carldell Sirmons, who transferred.
16. Airline
Coach Justin Scogin and the Vikings are riding high with momentum following a shootout win against North DeSoto. The sixth-seeded Vikings, who won their lone state title in 1967, were upset by No. 27 Haughton in the Division I non-select playoffs last year. Airline had defeated Haughton in the regular season.
Players to watch include QB Ben Taylor, LB Justin Gladney. Harding University TE commit Robert Patterson, WR Kenny Darby and RB Tre' Jackson.
Game to watch: Sept. 15 vs. Northwood-Shreveport. Airline lost by a TD last year at Northwood.
17. Acadiana
Winners of six state titles, the most recent coming back-to-back in 2019-20, the Wreckin' Rams begin district this week at Sulphur.
Players to watch include Texas A&M DL commit Dominick McKinley, RB Ezekial Hypolite, QB Caden DiBetta and WR Russell Babineaux.
Game to watch: Oct. 13 at John Curtis Christian. Battle of the split-back veer offenses. Enough said.
18. Captain Shreve
Jamarlon Otis feasted behind the Gators' massive offensive line, rushing for over 300 yards last week vs. Loyola Prep. The Gators won their only state title in 1973.
Players to watch include QB Brodie Savage and OL Devin Harper and Jeremy Duncan.
Game to watch: Sept. 7 vs. Calvary Baptist. The Gators knocked off the Cavaliers, 27-14, in 2022.
19. Mandeville
The Skippers, who have never won state, are loaded on defense with lineman Pierce Melancon and DB Tasmin Showers heading up a total of nine returning starters.
Players to watch include QB Caden Jacob and RB Nate Sheppard.
Game to watch: Oct. 20 at St. Paul's. The Wolves won, 31-14, last year at Mandeville.
20. Ouachita Parish
Coach Benjy Lewis had a successful debut as the Lions - who won their lone state title in 1989 - defeated Archbishop Rummel. Players to watch include RB Kylon Bell, OL Gavin Waters and LB Kristian Doyle.
Game to watch: Oct. 20 vs. West Monroe. Todd Garvin left Ouachita for the West Monroe job. Need I say more? That is, should Garvin be back on the sidelines after currently being placed on administrative leave by West Monroe's administration.
21. North DeSoto
The Griffins made it to the LHSAA Prep Classic for the first time in program history last season. Coach Dennis Dunn has the Griffins thriving with Luke Delafield entrenched as his quarterback for years to come. Delafield, a sophomore, tossed five TD passes in last week's loss to Airline.
Players to watch include WRs Cole Cory and Eli Procell, along with RB Trysten Hopper.
Game to watch: Nov. 2 at Northwood-Shreveport. The Falcons won by one point in 2022.
22. Southside
Coach Josh Fontenot may have the Sharks - who have never captured state - on the brink of becoming the state's newest powerhouse. QB Landon Baptiste guided Southside to the Division I select quarterfinals in 2022. Andrew Angelle is off to a good start as his successor.
Players to watch include RB Ramon Singleton, RB Vernel Joseph, LB Cooper David and DB Derrick Collins.
Game to watch: Sept. 14 vs. Carencro. The Bears will be itching for payback after last year's loss.
23. Lutcher
The Bulldogs have won nine state titles including last year. All-world QB D'Wanye' Winfield graduated, but Lutcher has one of the state's best coaches in Dwain Jenkins.
Players to watch include RB Trenton Chaney, QB Quinn Smith, LB Collin Roques and DL Brody Louque, Reshad Sterling and Dale Smith.
Game to watch: Sept. 8 vs. St. Charles Catholic. The Comets won by one point in 2022.
24. De La Salle
The Cavaliers have yet to win state. RB Jason Banks rushed for 115 yards on 13 attempts with two TDs in the Cavaliers' season-opening win vs. Central-Baton Rouge.
Game to watch: Sept. 9 vs. Holy Cross. The Tigers have a ton of speed. Can the Cavaliers cool off Holy Cross on Saturday?
25. (tie) Covington
The Lions won their lone state title in 1976. DB Bobby Barkley was all over the field in a 34-18 Week 1 win over John Ehret.
Game to watch: Nov. 3 vs. Mandeville. The Skippers handled the Lions by 14 points in 2022.
25. (tie) Cecilia
The Bulldogs won their only state title in 1995. QB Diesel Solari scored four TDs for the Bulldogs, who raced to a 35-0 lead at St. Martinville last week.
Game to watch: Sept. 8 vs. Southside. The Bulldogs can make an emphatic statement here.
NINE TO WATCH
West Feliciana, St. Paul's, Opelousas, Evangel Christian, East St. John, Dutchtown, Leesville, Archbishop Shaw, Jesuit
Photo of Destrehan 2022 state championship team by Brett Duke, NOLA.com
