Michigan high school football: Top teams, games, players and prospects ahead of 2020 season

With summer nearly over, four more states kick off their high school football seasons. Michigan is among those with teams taking the field as early as Thursday. As things stand, the postseason is set to begin Oct. 30 with championship games scheduled for Nov. 27-28.

Michigan is one of 35 states planning to play football this fall. Fifteen others plus the District of Columbia have moved their respective seasons to 2021.

In Michigan, a total of 164 games are set to kick off Thursday through Saturday.

In advance of season openers, here's a look at what you need to know about Michigan football in 2020.

Top games

Cass Tech (Detroit) vs. King (Detroit), Sept. 18
Muskegon vs. Mona Shores (Norton Shores), Sept. 25
Lapeer vs. Powers Catholic (Flint), Sept. 25
Lapeer vs. Davison, Oct. 23
Pewamo-Westphalia (Pewamo) vs. Catholic Central (Novi), Oct. 23

Top teams

1. Davison
2. River Rouge
3. Catholic Central (Grand Rapids)
4. Belleville
5. West Bloomfield

Defending champions

1: Davison
2: Mona Shores (Norton Shores)
3: River Rouge
4: Catholic Central (Grand Rapids)
5: Lansing Catholic (Lansing)
6: St. Mary Catholic Central (Monroe)
7: Pewamo-Westphalia (Pewamo)
8: Reading
8 Man 1: Colon
8 Man 2: Pickford

Top recruits
National ranking per 247Sports in parenthesis

1. Damon Payne, DT, Belleville, (17)
2. Donovan Edwards, RB, West Bloomfield, (37)
3. Rocco Spindler, G, Clarkston (50)
4. Giovanni El-Hadi, T, Stevenson (Livonia), (70)
5. Garrett Dellinger, T, Clarkston, (86)

Returning stat leaders

Passing
Brendan Sullivan, Davison | 165-247 (67%), 3,045 yds., 33 TD
Alex Thole, Schoolcraft | 146-200 (73%), 3,004 yds., 38 TD

Rushing
Tanner Wirth, Pewamo-Westphalia | 197 car., 1,652 yds., 25 TD
Noah Beaudrie, Erie-Mason (Erie) | 215 car., 1,423 yds., 25 TD

Receiving
Alex Watters, Lansing Catholic (Lansing) | 42 rec., 1,081 yds., 14 TD
Ky'Shaun Jackson-Hernandez, Robichaud (Dearborn Heights) | 38 rec., 987 yds., 10 TD