Every week this season – as we have for the last two years – Central Jersey Sports Radio will publish the Big Central and New Jersey Power Rankings.
Simply based on the state’s Strength Index formula – which helps determine a team’s OSI, which is 60% of the UPR playoff formula – the rankings will change each week as games are played. See methodology at the bottom of this page.
Please note, our calculations are typically unofficial, with all results based on scores reported to Gridiron New Jersey, which does the official SI calculations for the NJSIAA. However, the preseason power rankings use the official 2025 starting SI numbers, as reported on July 17th by Gridiron New Jersey.
Meanwhile, three Big Central teams are ranked in the Top 25 statewide, with defending Central Jersey Group 3 champion Somerville leading the way at No. 11, followed by St. Thomas Aquinas at No. 13, and Phillipsburg – defending North 2, Group 4 champs – at No. 17 in the rankings.
In addition to the three from the Big Central, two West Jersey Football League teams – defending Group 4 champion Winslow and defending Group 1 champ Glassboro – are ranked No. 1 and 2, with the WJFL having eight teams represented in the Top 25. The Super Football Conference has the most, with eleven. The Shore Conference has two teams, while the NJIC has one, Butler.
Strength Index Methodology: Team A and Team B are compared to find the difference between their rankings, which provides the Expected Result. The margin of the final score is figured in positive or negative terms compared to the Expected Result. The difference is divided by five, and the teams increase or decrease by the resulting number.
Example #1: Team A has an SI value of 80, while Team B has an SI value of 60. The Expected Result is +20 for Team A. When the game is played, Team A wins by 30. That is 10 points higher than the expected result. Than number is divided by 5, meaning Team A increases by 2 (Team A now has an SI of 82) while Team B decreases by 2 (Team B now has an SI of 58).
Example #2: In the same scenario, Team A defeats Team B by 20. That is the same as the Expected Result, no there is no change. Team A remains with an SI value of 80, while Team B retains its 60 SI value.
Example #2: Team A defeats Team B by 10. That is 10 points fewer than the expected result. Divide by 5 to get 2, but in this case, Team A drops by 2 points to 78 (because Team A “underperformed”) while Team B increases by 2 points to 62.
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