No. 27 Northwestern 2026 Football Preview | T25PS | Top 25 Public HSFB
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2026 Public Schools Top 100 Preview: No. 27 Northwestern
Northwestern has the quarterback to chase a third straight state title. The work is rebuilding the championship lineup around him.
Top 25 Public HSFB7/24/20265 min read
Northwestern’s biggest advantage is not complicated.
The Trojans return the quarterback who accounted for 4,112 yards and 52 touchdowns during their second consecutive state-championship season. Xavier Means gives Northwestern a proven answer while much of the lineup around him changes.
That continuity matters even more in 2026. South Carolina has returned Class 5A to one unified playoff bracket, removing the Division I and Division II split used the past two seasons. Northwestern’s road to a third straight title just became wider and harder.
Team Snapshot
School: Northwestern High School Location: Rock Hill, South Carolina Classification: South Carolina Class 5A Region: Region 2-5A 2025 record: 13-1 2025 finish: Class 5A Division II state champion Head coach: Page Wofford Returning starters: Six offense, five defense T25PS preseason rank: No. 27
2026 Outlook
Means threw for 2,873 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior, then ran for 1,239 yards and 27 more scores. Northwestern can build the offense around his decision-making and movement instead of asking a new quarterback to survive the early schedule.
Payton Vining returns after catching 32 passes for 358 yards and five touchdowns. South Pointe transfer Malik Ratliff caught 36 passes for 731 yards and nine touchdowns during the Stallions’ 2025 championship season. Quay Mobley also returns after opening last season with 120 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Spartanburg.
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Malik Darby is the defensive anchor after recording 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. KJ Burg arrives from South Pointe after being credited with 150 tackles during the Stallions’ championship run. Northwestern also returns five defensive starters before accounting for that transfer help.
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Players to Know
Xavier Means — QB, Class of 2027
Means can take over a game without the offense becoming reckless. His 52 touchdowns were split almost evenly between passing and rushing, which forces defenses to account for him on every snap.
Payton Vining — WR, Class of 2027
Vining is the most established returning receiver after a five-touchdown junior season. Northwestern needs his role to grow as Means develops timing with a different group of targets.
Malik Ratliff — WR/DB, Class of 2027
Ratliff transferred from South Pointe after catching 36 passes for 731 yards and nine touchdowns last season. The Coastal Carolina commitment gives Means a proven vertical target, and Ratliff has said he can also help Northwestern at defensive back.
Quay Mobley — RB, Class of 2027
Mobley showed what a larger workload can look like when he ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns in the 2025 opener against Spartanburg. Northwestern needs a returning back to claim more of the workload after losing an experienced senior runner, and Mobley enters the season with a productive varsity performance already behind him.
Beau Chumley — OT, Class of 2027
Chumley started on the championship offensive line and now becomes one of the group’s reference points. His experience is particularly valuable with Hough arriving in Week 1.
Malik Darby — DL, Class of 2027
Darby’s 9.5 sacks and four forced fumbles give Northwestern a defender who can change a series without help. He will be central to a front replacing several contributors from the title team.
KJ Burg — LB/DB, Class of 2027
Burg transferred from South Pointe after leading the Stallions in tackles during their Class 4A championship season. He was credited with 150 tackles and earned statewide Class 4A defensive player of the year recognition from High School Sports Report. Northwestern coach Page Wofford has already identified the Wofford commitment as an important leader in the middle of the defense.
Schedule Breakdown
Northwestern opens Aug. 21 against No. 32 Hough, the defending North Carolina Class 8A champion. Eight days later, the Trojans meet Indian Land at Bank of America Stadium.
The Sept. 25 trip to South Pointe carries its own weight after Northwestern’s only loss last season came in the rivalry. Region play then brings four consecutive Upstate tests before the regular-season finale against Rock Hill.
2026 Northwestern Schedule
Aug. 21: vs. Hough (North Carolina)
Aug. 29: vs. Indian Land at Bank of America Stadium
Sept. 4: vs. Stratford
Sept. 18: at Berkeley
Sept. 25: at South Pointe
Oct. 2: vs. Boiling Springs
Oct. 9: at Dorman
Oct. 16: vs. Spartanburg
Oct. 23: at Fort Mill
Oct. 30: vs. Rock Hill
Biggest Question
How quickly can Northwestern build another complete offense around Means?
Means does not need rescuing. The concern is whether the new line and skill rotation can become trustworthy before Hough, Indian Land and South Pointe.
Vining and Ratliff give Means two experienced receiving options. Mobley has produced when given carries, and Chumley brings championship experience up front. Burg and Darby give the defense two proven playmakers.
The Trojans still have roles to settle, especially along the offensive line, but they have enough returning production and transfer help to avoid placing the entire season on Means.
T25PS Prediction
Regular season: 9-1 Postseason: South Carolina Class 5A champion
The unified bracket makes this the hardest title of Northwestern’s three-year run. The Trojans still have the best possible starting point: a championship quarterback in his senior season and enough returning experience to build around him.
Bottom Line
No. 27 reflects both sides of Northwestern’s season.
Means is one of the country’s most productive returning public-school quarterbacks. Ratliff gives him a proven new target, Mobley supplies returning backfield production and Burg helps replace major losses on defense. If Northwestern protects Means and turns those pieces into a complete lineup, a third straight state title is realistic.
