SBLive Iowa Power 25 football rankings for Week 10

By Kevin White

1. West Des Moines Dowling (8-1) Playoff opponent Friday: Davenport West (7-2) at Williams Stadium, Des Moines.

Maroons are heavily favored against the upstart Falcons in the first round of 5-A playoffs. 

2. Ankeny (8-1) Playoff opponent Friday: Sioux City East (7-2) at home.

Ankeny defense will be tested against a Black Raider offense that ranks second in 5-A in scoring average (42.9).

3. Southeast Polk (8-1) Playoff opponent Friday: Ames (6-3) at home.

Rams’ secondary will be challenged by Ames QB Dallas Sauser, who averages 343.1 passing yards per game.

4. Pleasant Valley (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: No. 22 West Des Moines Valley (5-4) at home.

Pleasant Valley tuned up by running for 471 yards in last week’s 35-14 win over Iowa City West.

5. Cedar Rapids Xavier (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Cedar Rapids Washington (5-4) at home.

Saints allowed 43 total yards to Washington in their 38-0 regular-season victory.

6. Waverly-Shell Rock (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Fort Madison (7-2) at home.

For the Go-Hawks, senior McCrae Hagarty enters the playoffs with 1,269 yards rushing and 21 touchdowns.

7. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Le Mars (6-3) at home.

Northern Iowa QB commit Braylon Kammrad became the third Titan (Max Duggan, Austin Simmons) to pass the 5,000-yard career passing mark last week.

8. Harlan Community (8-1) Playoff opponent Friday: MOC-Floyd Valley (6-3) at home.

It appears to be a short list of teams capable of winning a 3-A title, and the Cyclones are firmly on that list.

9. Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Clarinda (6-3) at home.

Likewise, 2-A doesn’t appear to be a wide-open race, and the Lions will be a tough out.

10. Williamsburg (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Mid-Prairie (6-3) at home.

Williamsburg is believed to be one of the 2-A squads capable of going all the way.

11. Mount Vernon (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Central DeWitt (6-3) at home.

Mustangs lead 3-A in scoring defense at 5.6 points per game.

12. Spirit Lake (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Clear Lake (5-4) at home.

Sophomore Bode Higgins averages just under 157 yards rushing per game for the Indians.

13. Iowa City Liberty (8-1) Playoff opponent Friday: Webster City (6-3) at home.

Lightning will have to solve Webster City RB Jaxon Cherry, who leads 4-A in rushing at nearly 185 yards per game.

14. Carlisle (8-1) Playoff opponent Friday: Newton (7-2) at home.

Wildcats rank fourth in 4-A in rushing yards per game (284.3) and per carry (7.4).

15. North Scott (7-2) Playoff opponent Friday: Western Dubuque (6-3) at home.

It would be a big surprise if the Lancers are able to replicate, or nearly replicate, their 45-7 win in Week 2.

16. Cedar Falls (7-2) Playoff opponent Friday: Ankeny Centennial (5-4) at home.

In Cedar Falls’ 28-14 regular-season loss to the Jaguars, they were outgained 421-210.

17. West Branch (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Waterloo Columbus (6-3) at home.

In its 34-13 regular-season victory, West Branch held Columbus to 92 yards rushing on 34 carries (2.7 avg.)

18. Linn-Mar (6-3) Playoff opponent Friday: at Cedar Rapids Prairie (6-3).

Not ideal for Lions, but fascinating matchup nonetheless as they play the same team they beat last Friday, 28-13.

19. Underwood (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: ACGC (7-2) at home.

Eagles ran for 169 and passed for 169 in their 49-17 first-round win over Interstate 35.

20. West Hancock (9-0) Playoff opponent Friday: Wapsie Valley (7-2) at home.

Tough matchup for the Eagles and Kale Zuehl (939 rushing yards, 12 TDs), as they face a battle-tested Wapsie Valley squad.

21. Western Dubuque (6-3) Playoff opponent Friday: at North Scott (7-2).

Bobcats allowed 380 yards rushing to North Scott in the 45-7 regular-season loss.

22. West Des Moines Valley (5-4) Playoff opponent Friday: at Pleasant Valley (9-0).

Intriguing matchup as the Tigers leave central Iowa to face the best 5-A team outside of the CIML to date.

23. Van Meter (8-1) Playoff opponent Friday: Woodward-Granger (6-3) at home.

Ben Gordon rushed for 168 yards and four touchdowns in Van Meter’s 49-0 first-round win over Pleasantville.

24. Waukee Northwest (5-4) Playoff opponent Friday: at Cedar Rapids Kennedy (7-2).

On paper, this is one of the best matchups of the first round in Class 5-A.

25. Ankeny Centennial (5-4) Playoff opponent Friday: at Cedar Falls (7-2).

Jaguars proved they could move the ball against the Tigers in the regular season. But now the stakes are raised.