After a week of volatility in the rankings, Montana high school football heads into Week 5 with a lot left to settle. But there's also a lot we already know.
Related: MTN Sports 2026 high school football power rankings for Sept. 21
Defense has ruled so far at the top of Class AA, as Billings West and Kalispell Glacier have looked impenetrable. Class A, meanwhile, has been difficult to gauge through four weeks, especially after last Friday. Right now, it's anyone's guess.
The top of Class B still features a mix of established powers and emerging contenders. And in the 8- and 6-Man ranks, conference races are heating up as several top teams remain in contention entering Week 5.
Here is the latest edition of our Gridiron Guide as teams get set for Week 5:
Class AA
Overview: Both Great Falls CMR and Helena High improved to 3-1 last week with key wins. The Rustlers knocked off No. 4 Gallatin 31-21 while the Bengals edged No. 5 Kalispell Flathead 31-30. As a result, CMR and Helena both leapfrogged into the top 5. ... Defense has been the name of the game for both No. 1 Billings West and No. 2 Kalispell Glacier. Glacier has yet to allow a touchdown this season, and the only TD the Golden Bears have surrendered came in the second quarter of a game against Missoula Hellgate on Sept. 4. ... No. 3 Missoula Big Sky (4-0) has been living dangerously: The Eagles have won their past two games by a combined four points. ... Two crosstown matchups to watch this week: Helena vs. Helena Capital and Bozeman High vs. Gallatin.
Game of the week: No. 1 Billings West (4-0) at No. 4 Great Falls CMR (3-1). CMR comes into this week riding a three-game winning streak but faces its biggest test of the year on Friday. Offensively for West, junior QB Seth Williamson has thrown just one incomplete pass combined in the past two weeks.
Class A
Overview: Who can make sense of Class A through the first four weeks of the season? No. 1 Whitefish and No. 4 Sidney are the only remaining unbeatens. Meanwhile, Laurel stunned previous No. 1 Billings Central on Friday with a last-second field goal (after a well-executed gadget play). The Locomotives are now ranked No. 5. Central's win over previous No. 1 Frenchtown keeps the Rams in the top 2. Frenchtown, now No. 3, had its game with Class B No. 1 Florence canceled due to weather last week, and Columbia Falls and Hamilton, both 2-1, had byes but still dropped out of the rankings. Right now, Class A looks wide open for the taking.
Game of the week: Lewistown (2-1) at No. 5 Laurel (3-1). Luke Maack's 29-yard field goal as time expired gave Laurel a massive win over rival Billings Central. The Locomotives now face a solid Lewistown team looking to prove it belongs in the contender conversation.
Class B
Overview: No. 1 Florence had a chance to show its stuff against Class A No. 2 Frenchtown last week, but the game was canceled due to prolonged lightning with the score tied 0-0 early in the second quarter. ... Defending champion Manhattan, the No. 4 squad, handled business against Three Forks 28-8, knocking the Wolves from the top 5. You could suggest that there's an asterisk to that shakeup, though, as Three Forks QB Kanon Reichman, one of the top players in the state, remains sidelined with an injury. ... No. 2 Huntley Project continues its rise after whipping Colstrip. The Red Devils' success can be traced to the competitive nature of their state-champion wrestling program.
Game of the week: Glasgow (4-0) at No. 3 Fairfield (3-1). Fairfield's only loss to date was a one-point defeat at the hands of Florence on Sept. 11. This is a huge Northern division matchup, as Glasgow looks to remain undefeated.
8-Man
Overview: No. 2 Belt hadn't really been challenged all year — until last week. The Huskies held on to defeat North rival Chinook 30-26 to improve to 4-0. ... Defending state champion Scobey, the No. 4-ranked team in 8-Man, made a statement with a 68-26 win over East foe and previous No. 5 Circle ... The Western division is looking ultra-competitive, as No. 3 Superior, No. 5 St. Regis and unranked Darby are all undefeated. Superior's 282 total points scored are the most in the classification. Darby travels to face St. Regis this week in a key matchup, while Superior is hosting Seeley-Swan (3-1) in another Western battle.
Game of the week: No. 1 Drummond-Philipsburg (4-0) at Twin Bridges (4-0). Drummond-Philipsburg has looked like the top 8-Man team through four weeks. How big of a challenge awaits the Titans when they travel to undefeated Twin Bridges?
6-Man
Overview: Chester-Joplin-Inverness, the No. 4-ranked team in 6-Man, got a stiff test last week but survived Power-Dutton-Brady 50-46. C-J-I has an intriguing matchup this week against 4-0 Burlington, Wyo. ... Top-ranked Grass Range-Winnett set the pace of its season with a 47-0 win over C-J-I on Aug. 29 and hasn't slowed down. The Rangers (4-0) have pitched three shutouts entering this week's home game against Broadview-Lavina.
Game of the week: Wibaux (3-1) at No. 3 D-G-S-G (4-0). D-G-S-G hammered Custer-Hysham-Melstone 70-8 a week ago and now turns its attention to Southern rival Wibaux. D-G-S-G looks to stay focused with a major showdown with No. 2 Absarokee looming on Oct. 2.
