One of the top football programs in the nation and a constant in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 will be playing in London this fall.
Oh, and to be clear, it is American football, not soccer.
De La Salle High School (Concord, Calif.) is set to play an NFL Academy team on Oct. 8 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The ground, which opened five years ago, is home to an English Premier League club of the same name and is one of the largest and poshest stadiums in the country.
(Sorry about the posh reference, we’re just excited about this game).
The NFL Academy is an “elite football development program for student-athletes.” It is a full-time program, in the model of a soccer academy, that seeks to develop international talent to someday play in the NFL.
Last year, De La Salle finished 11-3, a disappointing season for a program that is used to being among the best in the nation. They finished outside the USA Today top 25.
Historically, De La Salle has been among the top programs in the nation. They are tied with Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) for the most Super 25 championships all-time.
Each program has finished atop the nation on five occasions.
