Florida Top 25: Upsets Define Week 2
The one thing you can say about the first two weeks of the 2021 high school football season is that that it will be a competitive year.
With three of the top five teams losing this past weekend, the landscape of the Top 25 teams has changed.
With nationally-rated St. Thomas Aquinas, Miami Central and Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna all going down, it opened the door for some of the other teams to get some recognition.
As IMG stands at No. 1 for the third straight week, defending 4A state champion Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons moved into the second place position – with a very impressive Venice team and a Tampa Jesuit program we had talked about over the past year moving up after a home upset win over St. Thomas.
The week also watched Orlando area powers such as defending 8A state champs Sanford Seminole and Orlando Jones also moving into the top 10.
Over the years, we have ranked teams on merit on not project whether this team could beat another team. You keep winning – no matter who you play – and you will move up. For those who do not subscribe to that method – everything will play out in the end and the best 25 teams to end the season will be rated.
Here is a look at the latest ranking from Florida Prep Redzone, heading into Week 3:
1. Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent, 2-0). Dominated previously undefeated Cincinnati LaSalle, 58-7. THIS WEEK: A home game this Friday, Sept. 10 against No. 12 Miami Northwestern.
2. Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (4A, 1-0). In opening up the season, the Chiefs scored often and pounded West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman. THIS WEEK: A scheduled game against Fort Lauderdale Stranahan on Friday, Sept. 10.
3. Venice (8A, 1-0). Coach John Peacock and his Indians opened the season with a convincing 41-7 win over two-time defending 7A state runner up Orlando Edgewater. THIS WEEK: Another huge home game this Friday against unbeaten (2-0) and No. 18 Cocoa.
4. Tampa Jesuit (6A, 2-0). The Tigers remained unbeaten with a huge home victory against No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas, 24-21. It is a game that certainly gave this program the respect it has deserved the past two seasons. THIS WEEK: A home game on Friday against Valrico Bloomingdale.
5. Sanford Seminole (8A, 2-0). The defending 8A state champs rolled in the second game of the years with a convincing 38-0 win against North Miami Beach. THIS WEEK: A home game on Friday against Longwood Lyman.
6. Orlando Jones (6A, 2-0). For the second straight week, the Tigers rolled over New Smyrna Beach, 40-0 – outscoring their two opponents, 88-13. THIS WEEK: A huge showdown at previous top 25 team Orlando Edgewater on Friday, Sept. 10.
7. Miami Central (5A – 0-2). The Rockets may be 0-2, but both losses – including last Saturday’s 21-20 setback to Las Vegas Bishop Gorman – were to national powerhouses. Keep in mind that the two-time defending state champions have lost to national top 10 teams so far this season. THIS WEEK: A Friday game with competitive Miami Booker T. Washington.
8. Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (8A, 1-0). Still giddy about the opening-night win against No. 9 Plantation American Heritage, the team had last week off after the Jensen Beach game was called off. THIS WEEK: A press time, this week there was still no game scheduled.
9. Plantation American Heritage (5A, 1-1). Minutes from being 0-2, the Patriots may have watched their season turn around, coming from behind and beating No. 13 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, 26-24. THIS WEEK: The competitive season continues on Friday at home against No. 10 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.
10. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (7A, 1-0). After being stunned by No. 4 Tampa Jesuit in game that was made just days prior to the contest in Tampa, 24-21, the Raiders are out to show that they are still for real. THIS WEEK: And, they will get that chance at home on Friday against No. 9 Plantation American Heritage.
11. Jacksonville Trinity Christian (2A, 2-0). The Conquerors remained unbeaten with a convincing 37-0 win over Jacksonville Ribault. THIS WEEK: Another home game this Friday against Zarephath Academy.
12. Miami Northwestern (6A, 2-0). It wasn’t easy, but the Bulls got by rival Miami Booker T. Washington, 24-22. THIS WEEK: A major road game on Friday against No. 1 IMG Academy.
13. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (3A, 1-1). In a game interrupted twice by lightning and rain, the Lions fell short against No. 9 Plantation American Heritage, 26-24. THIS WEEK: A really big game on Friday at 8A Miami Christopher Columbus.
14. Apopka (8A, 2-0). The Blue Darters made a statement with a 13-0 win against West Orange. THIS WEEK: An away game on Friday night against Orlando Dr. Phillips.
15. Miami Palmetto (8A, 1-0). The much-anticipated game against No. 19 Miami Gulliver Prep was rained out, but will be rescheduled. THIS WEEK: Another test on Friday at Miami Killian.
16. Niceville (7A, 2-0). The Eagles scored early an often on the way to a 39-0 win over Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee. THIS WEEK: A Friday road game at Fort Walton Beach.
17. Naples (6A, 2-0). The Golden Eagles rolled to a 30-0 road win at Fort Pierce Westwood, outscoring the opposition, 72-7 in the first two games. THIS WEEK: Will take this week off – before a Sept. 17 home game against Golden Gate.
18. Cocoa (4A, 2-0). For the second straight week, the Tigers showed that they will fight to the end with another one-point win – 21-20 against Kissmmee Osceola. THIS WEEK: It gets no easier with a trip to No. 3 Venice on Friday.
19. Miami Gulliver Prep (4A, 1-0). The much-anticipated game against No. 15 Miami Palmetto was rained out, but will be rescheduled. THIS WEEK: A Friday night game against Miami Gardens TRU Prep.
20. Tampa Hillsborough (6A, 2-0). The Terriers turned heads this past week – beating the always tough Armwood Hawks, 20-14. THIS WEEK: A second straight top 25 opponent on Friday night at No. 25 Tampa Bay Tech.
21. Lakeland (7A, 2-0). The Dreadnaughts, for the second week, dominated play and came away with a 37-0 win against Bradenton Manatee. They have outscored their two opponents, 79-19. THIS WEEK: A road game on Friday at Lake Wales.
22. St. Johns Bartram Trail (8A, 2-0). Beating state finalist Tallahassee Rickards two weeks ago, and then getting by 8A power Miami Christopher Columbus, 12-6, last Friday, this is a program that is set to make a run. THIS WEEK: A home game against Tallahassee Lincoln on Friday.
23. Jacksonville Bolles (4A, 1-0). The defending state 4A runner up Bulldogs dominated Lake City Columbia, 34-7. In two games, they have outscored the opposition, 76-7. THIS WEEK: A Friday home game against a talented St. Augustine squad.
24. Lake Mary (8A, 2-0). After upsetting Lakeland Lake Gibson in the opener, the Rams poured it on against Winter Park, 38-14. THIS WEEK: An away game against Lake Brantley on Friday.
25. Tampa Bay Tech (7A, 2-0). For the second straight week, the Titans showed why they will be a tough team to beat, rolling over 8A Steinbrenner, 53-30. They have scored 87 points in the first two weeks. THIS WEEK: A huge showdown on Friday against No. 20 Tampa Hillsborough.
(tie) Fort Lauderdale Dillard (7A, 2-0). Winners of 20 of the past 21 games, the Panthers soared to a 21-0 win against then state-rated Deerfield Beach. THIS WEEK: A Friday home game against Miramar.
OTHER TEAMS TO CONSIDER: Baker County (6A, 1-1), Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (3A, 2-0), Clearwater Central Catholic (3A, 1-1), Davie Western (8A, 0-1), Deerfield Beach (8A, 1-1), Fort Myers Dunbar (6A, 1-0), Gainesville Buchholz (7A, 2-0), Hawthorne (1A, 2-0), Hialeah Champagnat Catholic (2A, 1-1), Jacksonville University Christian (2A, 2-0), Kissimmee Osceola (8A, 1-1), Lakeland Lake Gibson (6A, 0-2), Lake City Columbia (6A, 1-1), Lake Minneola (6A, 1-1), Lake Wales (6A, 2-0), Madison County (1A, 0-1), Miami Booker T. Washington (4A, 1-1), Miami Christopher Columbus (8A, 1-1), Miami Dade Christian (2A, 2-0), Miami Edison (3A, 1-1), Miami Killian (5A, 2-0), Pensacola Escambia (6A, 1-0), Ocala Vanguard (6A, 2-0), Orlando Edgewater (7A, 1-1), Palmetto (7A, 0-1), Seffner Armwood (7A, 1-1), St. Augustine (6A, 2-0), St. Petersburg Lakewood (4A, 2-0), Tallahassee Florida High (3A, 2-0), Tampa Berkeley Prep (3A, 2-0), Tampa Carrollwood Day (3A, 2-0), Tampa Catholic (3A, 2-0), Tampa Gaither (7A, UIT
TRACKING FLORIDA: Teams Look At 2021 Season. https://prepredzone.com/2021/03/tracking-florida-teams-look-at-2021-season/
You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: Floridakids1@