Starkville and West Point are two of the state’s top football programs and they will get to settle who is the best this Friday.

The first Associated Press poll of the season was released on Wednesday with the Yellowjackets and Green Wave No. 1 and 2 in the overall top 10, respectively.

Starkville hosts West Point in a marquee match for week three. The Yellowjackets (2-0) are coming off their decisive 56-7 win over Oxford in last week’s Little Egg Bowl. West Point (2-0) defeated Louisville, 26-10, to stay perfect.

Hattiesburg, Brandon, and Tupelo round out the top five with defending Class 6A champion Pearl ranked No. 6. Northwest Rankin and Horn Lake tied for seventh while Oak Grove and Noxubee County finish out the top 10.

Coming off another dominant win last week Lafayette received four votes in the overall poll. The Commodores (2-0) tied with Olive Branch for third in the Class 5A poll. They travel to North Panola, who is ranked second in the 3A poll, this Friday.

With a 2-0 start to their season Water Valley earned 13 votes in the 3A poll. The Blue Devils travel to J.Z. George this week.

 

Here are the complete MHSAA-MAIS AP poll rankings:

Class Overall
School	W-L	Pts
1. Starkville (10)	(2-0)	117
2. West Point (1)	(2-0)	92
3. Hattiesburg	(2-0)	84
4. Brandon	(2-0)	59
5. Tupelo	(2-0)	54
6. Pearl (1)	(2-0)	51
7. Northwest Rankin	(2-0)	43
(tie) Horn Lake	(2-0)	43
9. Oak Grove	(2-0)	18
10. Noxubee County	(1-1)	14

Others receiving votes: Jackson Prep 13, Jefferson Davis County (1) 10, Olive Branch 9, Meridian 7, Simmons 6, D’Iberville 6, Louisville 6, Mendenhall 5, Warren Central 5, Lafayette 4, Bay Springs 3, Itawamba AHS 3, Taylorsville 2, Madison Central 2, Calhoun City 2, Corinth 1, North Panola 1.

Class 1A
School	W-L	Pts
1. Simmons (13)	(2-0)	130
2. Nanih Waiya	(2-0)	92
3. Okolona	(2-0)	82
(tie) Lumberton	(2-0)	82
5. Stringer	(1-1)	42

Others receiving votes: Biggersville 28, Shaw 22, Ray Brooks 15, East Marion 7, McAdams 7, Resurrection Catholic 7, Smithville 6.

Class 2A
School	W-L	Pts
1. Taylorsville (10)	(2-0)	126
2. Bay Springs (2)	(2-0)	92
3. Scott Central	(2-0)	77
4. Collins	(1-1)	51
5. Calhoun City (1)	(1-1)	50

Others receiving votes: Pisgah 26, Puckett 21, Loyd Star 14, West Lincoln 12, Perry Central 8, Heidelberg 7, South Delta 6, East Webster 6, Eupora 6, Philadelphia 6, East Union 6, Madison St. Joseph 6.

Class 3A
School	W-L	Pts
1. Jefferson Davis County (8)	(2-0)	125
2. North Panola (5)	(2-0)	111
3. Forest	(2-0)	69
4. Winona (1)	(2-0)	40
5. Houston	(1-1)	38

Others receiving votes: West Marion 27, Nettleton 23, Charleston 19, North Pontotoc 17, Aberdeen 14, Booneville 14, Water Valley 13, Seminary 7, Columbia 7, Magee 6.

Class 4A
School	W-L	Pts
1. Noxubee County (6)	(1-1)	100
2. Louisville (3)	(1-1)	89
3. Pontotoc (2)	(2-0)	78
4. East Central (1)	(1-0)	69
5. Poplarville	(1-1)	40

Others receiving votes: Mendenhall 27, South Pike 25, Itawamba AHS 23, Corinth 16, Vancleave 14, West Lauderdale 13, Clarksdale 13, McComb 7, Northeast Lauderdale 6.

Class 5A
School	W-L	Pts
1. West Point (10)	(2-0)	127
2. Hattiesburg (3)	(2-0)	110
3. Lafayette	(2-0)	90
(tie) Olive Branch	(2-0)	90
5. Laurel	(1-1)	59

Others receiving votes: Holmes County Central 12, Grenada 8, Neshoba Central 6, West Jones 6, Natchez 6, Picayune 6.

Class 6A
School	W-L	Pts
1. Starkville (12)	(2-0)	129
2. Tupelo	(2-0)	88
(tie)Brandon	(2-0)	88
4. Pearl (1)	(2-0)	60
5. Northwest Rankin	(2-0)	59

Others receiving votes: Horn Lake 49, D’Iberville 13, Oak Grove 12, Clinton 8, Warren Central 7, Meridian 7.

Class Private Schools
School	W-L	Pts
1. Jackson Prep (13)	(2-0)	130
2. Madison-Ridgeland Aca.	(2-0)	110
3. Jackson Aca.	(2-0)	92
4. Starkville Aca.	(2-0)	50
(tie)Indianola Aca.	(2-0)	50

Others receiving votes: Oak Forest, La. 33, Parklane Aca. 20, Heritage Aca. 13, Leake Aca. 9, Strider Aca. 7, Lamar School 6.

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All Associated Press members in Mississippi are eligible to participate in the high school football poll. Those who voted for this week’s poll are: Daily Leader, Brookhaven; The Commercial Dispatch, Columbus; Bolivar Commercial, Cleveland; The Daily Corinthian, Corinth; The Hattiesburg Post, Hattiesburg; The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson; The Oxford Eagle, Oxford; Starkville Daily News, Starkville; Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo; The Vicksburg Post, Vicksburg; WTVA-TV, Tupelo; WAPT, Jackson; WJTV, Jackson.