NO. 1 MATER DEI TAKES ON NO. 2 BISHOP GORMAN: HOW TO WATCH THE SUPER 25 FOOTBALL SHOWDOWN

USA TODAY Sports Super 25 history is on the line Friday night at the Santa Ana Bowl in Southern California.

It's a battle of top teams as No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) welcomes No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) in a high school football blockbuster some 40 miles south of Hollywood.

The game sets up another compelling chapter for the perennial powerhouses, with the Monarchs winning the last meeting in 2022, an instant-classic comeback on the road that would be the Gaels' only loss that year — and arguably kept the Vegas squad from getting the Super 25 championship nod, which ended in close favor to St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calf.) by mere decimal points.

Payback in 2024?

High school football fans around the nation who are looking to watch the Super 25 matchup can live stream the game on the NFHS Network.

Watch: Bishop Gorman vs. Mater Dei on the NFHS Network

USA TODAY Sports Super 25 breakdown

For Bishop Gorman, the team has quickly erased any concerns about the starters lost from a 2023 season that ended with a fourth Super 25 title.

Class of 2025 quarterback Melvin Spicer has proven he can handle the offensive attack (and pressure associated with being a Gorman play-caller), going 13-of-20 for 190 yards in a come-from-behind win on the road over No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.) in Week 2, a solid follow-up act to a decent effort over then-nationally ranked Kahuku (Hawaii) to open 2024.

Like past teams, the 6-foot QB has an impressive line that's anchored by four-star standouts, Seuseu Alofaituli (Miami Hurricanes commit), Douglas Utu (Tennessee Vols commit) and Alai Kalaniuvalu (Oregon Ducks commit). That's nearly 900 pounds of collective force protecting the pocket and creating time for targets like five-star wideout Derek Meadows (LSU Tigers commit) and Greg Toler to exploit even more nightmare-coverage scenarios for the Monarchs.

Overall, the ability for the offense to hold steady opens the door for the Gael's stout defense, which is very much a factor for the team opening the season ranked in the top 3.

Two-way talent Jett Washington—the nephew of late NBA legend Kobe Bryant—has only progressed from his 2023 sophomore campaign, a maturation in a 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame that roams the field with uniqie athleticism and power.

Isaiah Nickels and Brayton Correa round out the impressive secondary alongside Washington, with linebackers Landon McComber (Stanford Cardinal commit) and Tamatoa Gaoteote holding down the next level.

However, like the offensive line, head coach Brent Browner's defensive front is the focal point of the group.

If the team is going to get a win over Mater Dei, Junior defensive ends Prince Williams and four-star James Carrington and senior Sione Motuapuaka (Utah Utes commit) must win the battle in the trench.

From the other sideline, Mater Dei enters the second week under first-year head coach Raul Lara.

While the team's opening win over then-No. 9 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) was by no means dominating—the Huskies were without five-star QB Husan Longstreet—kicking off a year in the highly competitive CIF-SS rarely presents cakewalks.

In the end, 42-25 is still notable.

Chaparral (Temecula, Calif.) transfer Dash Beierly (Washington Huskies commit) has looked solid at QB. The playmakers in running back Jordon Davison (Oregon Ducks commit), junior five-star wideout Chris Henry Jr. (Ohio State Buckeyes commit) and four-star pass cather Marcus Harris (Oklahoma Sooners commit) add their own matchup nightmares for the opposition.

Like the Gaels, the defense is just as much a factor in the national ranking as the offensive attack.

Daryus Dixson (Penn State Nittany Lions commit) and Chuck McDonald (Alabama Crimson Tide commit) hold things down in the secondary, while Abduall Sanders Jr. (Alabama Crimson Tide commit) patrols the second level, and Nasir Wyatt (Oregon Ducks commit) creates pressure from the edge with four-star Tomuhini Topui plugging the middle.

If that Mater Dei unit holds firm at home on Friday night, the road toward Super 25 glory is that much closer.

However, a win for the Gaels would be equally meaningful in the USA TODAY High School Sports Vault.

How this game plays out could be the difference between a lone national championship leader since 1982, or a three-way tie at the top

Watch: Bishop Gorman vs. Mater Dei on the NFHS Network

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: No. 1 Mater Dei takes on No. 2 Bishop Gorman: How to watch the Super 25 football showdown

2024-09-06T14:10:32Z dg43tfdfdgfd