The 2026 Colorado high school football season is coming down to the final weeks as postseason play approaches.
And CHSAA's official rankings entering Week 8 are looking much closer to what the playoff brackets may look like come November.
Cherry Creek regained its No. 1 spot in Class 5A three weeks after the Bruins fell back in the top 10 after a retroactive forfeit. The only other new top-ranked teams came in the 8-man and 6-man classifications.
Only two of the 21 remaining unbeaten squads across seven classifications lost last week, leaving 19 undefeated teams.
That again includes three Northern Colorado squads, with 3A Timnath, 4A Loveland and 5A Fort Collins all off to 7-0 starts.
Here are the 2026 Colorado high school CHSAA football rankings entering Week 8, including the top 20 teams by class:
Colorado 5A football rankings
- Cherry Creek (6-1) (New No. 1)
- Mountain Vista (6-1)
- Valor Christian (5-2)
- Grandview (6-1)
- Fort Collins (7-0)
- Eaglecrest (6-1)
- Grand Junction (6-1)
- ThunderRidge (5-2)
- Northfield (5-2)
- Legend (4-3)
- Chatfield (4-3)
- Ralston Valley (5-2)
- Heritage (4-3)
- Riverdale Ridge (4-3)
- Regis Jesuit (4-3)
- Cherokee Trail (4-3)
- Fairview (3-4)
- Legacy (4-3)
- Arapahoe (2-5)
- Horizon (4-3)
(Note: Fossil Ridge is No. 21 and Rocky Mountain is No. 29)
Colorado 4A football rankings
- Broomfield (7-0)
- Ponderosa (7-0)
- Monarch (6-1)
- Loveland (7-0)
- Montrose (5-2)
- Roosevelt (6-1)
- Mesa Ridge (6-1)
- Lutheran (5-2)
- Douglas County (6-1)
- Golden (6-1)
- Frederick (5-2)
- Columbine (5-2)
- Bear Creek (5-2)
- Pueblo West (5-2)
- Longmont (5-2)
- Montbello (5-2)
- Vista Ridge (4-3)
- Cheyenne Mountain (5-2)
- George Washington (6-1)
- Air Academy (3-4)
(Note: Poudre is No. 32)
Colorado 3A football rankings
- Palmer Ridge (7-0)
- Timnath (7-0)
- Holy Family (6-1)
- Palisade (6-1)
- Pueblo County (7-0)
- Evergreen (7-0)
- Mead (5-2)
- Pueblo East (6-1)
- Conifer (6-1)
- Pomona (4-3)
- Eagle Valley (3-4)
- Berthoud (5-2)
- Rifle (4-3)
- Severance (4-3)
- Pueblo South (5-3)
- Silver Creek (3-4)
- Sierra (5-1)
- Windsor (3-4)
- Lewis-Palmer (3-4)
- Green Mountain (3-4)
Colorado 2A football rankings
- Elizabeth (7-0)
- The Classical Academy (7-0)
- Delta (8-0)
- Wellington (6-1)
- Eaton (5-2)
- La Junta (6-1)
- Brush (5-2)
- Alamosa (5-3)
- Strasburg (4-3)
- Lamar (5-2)
- Aspen (5-2)
- Forge Christian (4-3)
- Banning Lewis Academy (5-2)
- University (4-3)
- Basalt (4-3)
- Resurrection Christian (2-5)
- Weld Central (4-3)
- Pagosa Springs (3-4)
- Coal Ridge (3-4)
- Denver West (3-4)
Colorado 1A football rankings
- North Fork (6-0)
- Denver Christian (6-0)
- Meeker (5-1)
- Colorado Springs Christian (7-0)
- Limon (6-1)
- Wiggins (5-2)
- Centauri (4-2)
- Platte Valley (5-1)
- Flatirons Academy (5-1)
- Monte Vista (5-2)
- Burlington (5-1)
- Platte Canyon (5-1)
- Yuma (4-3)
- Rye (4-2)
- Peyton (5-1)
- Olathe (5-2)
- Buena Vista (4-3)
- Dayspring Christian Academy (3-3)
- Cedaredge (3-4)
- The Pinnacle (3-3)
Colorado 8-man football rankings (Top 10)
- West Grand (7-0) (New No. 1)
- McClave (6-0)
- Simla (6-0)
- Hayden (5-1)
- Mancos (6-1)
- Norwood (5-1)
- Sedgwick County (4-1)
- Fowler (5-1)
- Stratton (4-2)
- Akron (4-2)
Colorado 6-man football rankings (Top 10)
- Idalia (7-0) (New No. 1)
- Prairie (7-0)
- Peetz (6-1)
- Granada (5-1)
- Cheyenne Wells (6-1)
- Fleming (6-2)
- Otis (5-1)
- Hanover (6-1)
- Walsh (4-3)
- Wiley (4-3)
Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: See Colorado high school CHSAA football rankings for Week 8