High school football in Florida kicks off Sept. 4 after being pushed back a couple of weeks due to the ongoing pandemic. In preparation for openers around the Sunshine State, we are sizing up the contenders with a look at the state's top 25 teams across all classifications.
IMG Academy will once again be a major story not only at the state level, but nationally as well. The Ascenders enter the season ranked No. 1 in the country and will open Sept. 4 against Venice.
Perennial public school powerhouse Northwestern is seeking a state championship three-peat and should be elite defensively. The Bulls have won five state crowns since 2006.
Coming off a special 15-0 season, St. Thomas Aquinas is another mainstay among Florida's elite with eight state championships since 2007. The Raiders will be in the hunt once again this fall.
See the complete list below. Click on team links for schedules, rosters and previews.
Florida Preseason MaxPreps Top 25
1.
IMG Academy (Bradenton), 9-1
2.
Northwestern (Miami), 13-2
3.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), 15-0
4.
Booker T. Washington (Miami), 13-2
5.
Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood), 12-2
6.
Edgewater (Orlando), 13-2
7.
Armwood (Seffner), 12-2
8.
Palmetto (Miami), 10-2
9.
Central (Miami), 12-3
10.
Gaither (Tampa), 12-2
11.
University (Fort Lauderdale), 8-3
12.
American Heritage (Plantation), 10-2
13.
Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale), 10-3
14.
Tampa Bay Tech (Tampa), 8-4
15.
Apopka, 12-2
16.
Seminole (Sanford), 11-1
17.
Clearwater Academy International (Clearwater), 8-2
18.
Jones (Orlando), 13-2
19.
Rockledge, 8-2
20.
Gulliver Prep (Miami), 10-1
21.
Western (Davie), 9-3
22.
Deerfield Beach, 10-4
23.
Columbus (Miami), 11-4
24.
Bolles (Jacksonville), 11-2
25.
Jesuit (Tampa), 11-3
