The Ben Davis football team opens the season ranked No. 3 in Class 6A in the Indiana Football Coaches Association poll released today..

Defending 5A state champion Lawrence Central is No. 1 and received all 10 first-place votes followed by Carmel, Ben Davis, Center Grove, Warren Central and Pike. The top six teams in Class 6A are all members of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, with Lawrence Central and Pike entering their first year in the MIC. This is the first year for Class 6A in the state of Indiana.

Ben Davis will get its first regular season test Friday in Lucas Oil Stadium against Class 5A No. 1 Cathedral. The Irish are defending Class 4A state champions but moved up to 5A in the new success factor adopted by the Indiana High School Athletic Association.

All six of the No. 1 rated teams come from the metropolitan Indianapolis area. Bishop Chatard starts at No. 1 in Class 4A while Hamilton Heights is No. 1 in Class 3A, Cardinal Ritter No. 1 in Class 2A and Sheridan No. 1 in Class A.