Where is defending national champion Bishop Gorman in preseason poll?

Defending national champion Bishop Gorman is not the preseason favorite to win its second straight title.

Gorman was ranked No. 2 behind Mater Dei (California) in MaxPreps’ preseason top 25 football poll released Thursday. The teams will meet Sept. 6 in Santa Ana, California.

“We’re blessed to be ranked that high and appreciate the ranking,” Gorman coach Brent Browner said. “It’s an amazing thing for not only the school and kids, but the state to have a team ranked that high competing against all the other states every year.”

The national powers last played in 2022 when Mater Dei rallied in the fourth quarter for a 24-21 victory at Gorman. It was the Gaels’ only loss of the season.

Gorman and Mater Dei were supposed to play last season. But after realignment limited Gorman to four nonleague games, there wasn’t a open date for the teams to play.

“The kids wanted to play Mater Dei,” Browner said. “We got beat here at home (in 2022), and they’ve been wanting to play them since last year.”

Gorman went 12-0 last season and was ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps and USA Today in their final polls to be coined national champion. It was the school’s fourth national title after winning three straight from 2014 to 2016.

Gorman was ranked No. 2 in last year’s MaxPreps preseason poll behind Mater Dei. Gorman assumed the No. 1 ranking after Mater Dei lost to St. John Bosco (California) 28-0 on Oct. 13.

The Gaels will open this season against three-time defending Hawaii Open Division state champion Kahuku on Aug. 16 at Gorman. They play at St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida), ranked No. 11 in the preseason poll, on Aug. 24 before their showdown with Mater Dei.

Gorman will host No. 24 Orange Lutheran (California) on Sept. 13 to conclude its nonleague schedule before playing Nevada schools the rest of the season.

“The guys are excited about the the teams that we’re going to play,” Browner said. “They know it doesn’t matter where the rankings start out with, we’re going to have a chance to play some of the best teams. If we do what we do throughout the season, then the rankings will take care of themselves.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.