Week 1 - IMG Academy Starts On Top

It’s time to get the 2025 season started, and with so many competitive games, it was tough coming up with a Top 30 teams, but we did it knowing that these rankings will change weekly.

When the 2024 season came to an end, you had Madison County (Rural), Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1A), Cocoa (2A), Miami Northwestern (3A), Plantation American Heritage (4A), Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (5A), West Boca Raton (6A) and Venice (7A) all crowned as champions.

With the landscape in high school football changing all the time with so many transfers making an impact, it is no longer unusual for a program to jump into the spotlight from one year to the next.

With that said, here is a look at some of the programs who figure to be in the mix on the Road To Miami and the 2025 state championships at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University.

1 Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent). Always loaded with players from all over the country. They will have their hands full in many games but have elite personnel to stay with anyone. THIS WEEK: @Hoover, Alabama. NEXT WEEK: 8/28 – @Atco Winslow Township, New Jersey.

2. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1A). Loaded once again as the Lions look for an amazing ninth state trip to the state finals with talent everywhere. They have a tough schedule but nobody in 1A has been able to beat them. THIS WEEK: 8/23 – Baltimore St. Frances Academy, Maryland. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @Hollywood McArthur.

3. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (5A). Six-time defending state champions – enough said. May have more talent than anyone not named IMG Academy. Always well coached and loaded with elite talent and will be challenged. THIS WEEK: Santa Ana, California Mater Dei. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson.

4. Miami Northwestern (3A). Tough to imagine ANYONE in the country with more talent. You have no idea how loaded this program is. NO public school in American has more prospects. Not even up for discussion. They start in the fourth position but will find their way to the top – soon. THIS WEEK: 8/23 – Orange, California Orange Lutheran. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – No. 7 Venice.

5. Miami Central (3A). Do not feel sorry for the Rockets. They may have been the best team in Florida on the field last year, but having to forfeit the season tainted some elite prospects. New coach, but very much the same goals. THIS WEEK: Game Postponed. NEXT WEEK: 8/28 – Miami Edison.

6. Orlando Jones (4A). There is no getting around that this is the favorite to be back playing for another state title. They are stacked with talent on both sides of the ball. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – @Winter Park. NEXT WEEK: @Orlando Timber Creek.

7. Venice (7A). The defending state champions are back and are ready to defend with elite coaching and tremendous talent on the field. Tough schedule await. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – @No. 22 Tampa Bay Tech. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @No. 4 Miami Northwestern.

8. West Boca Raton (6A). Don’t look for the slipper to fall from Cinderella just yet. The Bulls are an elite team ready for a repeat. They have a great defense and plenty of firepower on the offensive side of the ball. The Bulls are the real deal. THIS WEEK: Bye. NEXT WEEK: Wellington Palm Beach Central.

9. Seffner Armwood (6A). One loss in 2024, but that ended up costing the Hawks an opportunity to play for a state title. This season they are right back and ready to make a legitimate run at a state title appearance. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Tampa Gaither. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Riverview Sumner.

10. Plantation American Heritage (4A). The defending state champions may have the toughest schedule in the state, but the Patriots like it that way. There is enough talent to make it back, but depth will be a concern. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Philadelphia St. Joseph’s Prep, Pennsylvania. NEXT WEEK: Bye.

11. Orlando The First Academy (Independent). Crazy talent with a schedule that is going to be challenging. Probably one of the most gifted teams in Florida but will be independent due to sanctions. The is a well-coached team. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Milton, Georgia. NEXT WEEK: Phenix City Central, Alabama.

12. Jacksonville Raines (3A). The Vikings have all the talent to get back for another shot after being embarrassed in the title game. They are loaded at several positions and could have a clear path to Miami. THIS WEEK: Game Postponed. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Jacksonville Sandalwood.

13. Miami Norland (4A). The Vikings have a tough road but still have amazing talent to compete with anyone on their schedule. New head coach but the same objective with several elite prospects. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – @No. 28 Lake Mary. NEXT WEEK: 8/28 – @Miami Carol City.

14. Cocoa (2A). Business as usual for the three-time defending state champions who have reloaded in many areas of the program. The Tigers have a much easier schedule than the past few years, but they are still a major target in the class. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – @Merritt Island. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Daytona Beach Mainland.

15. Lakeland (5A). After being crushed in the title game last year, the Dreadnaughts need to turn things around with some new faces. They have the talent, but the road back to Miami will not be easy at all. Time will tell. THIS WEEK: 8/21 – @Auburndale. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @Concord De La Salle, California.

16. Miami Southridge (6A). Here is a team that feels they should have been in the finals last year, and with one of the most athletic programs in Florida, do not sleep on the Spartans. They had quite a spring and summer and are ready with a huge chip on their shoulders. THIS WEEK: 8/21 – @No. 20 Miami Christopher Columbus. NEXT WEEK: @Miami Lakes Barbara Goleman.

17. Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (2A). This is a team that you better not sleep on. They are big, strong, fast and have an opportunity to make some real noise as they look to narrow the gap in classification with solid prospects and superior coaching. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Miami True North Classical Academy. NEXT WEEK: Cherry Creek, Colorado.

18. Jacksonville Bolles (2A). This is another program that has plenty of talent, and while it will be a challenge to reach Miami, the Bulldogs have some impressive talent that could carry them very far. THIS WEEK: 8/21 – No. 29 Coconut Creek Monarch. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Jacksonville Trinity Christian.

19. Niceville (5A). Always stacked with talent. Will it be enough to make a serious run at the 10-hour trip to Miami? Time will tell, but this could be the year that everything falls into place for the Eagles. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – @Tallahassee Lincoln. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Pensacola Escambia.

20. Miami Christopher Columbus (7A). Never count the Explorers out. Even in a down year, they took Venice down to the final quarter in the state semifinals. This season there is more to work with and there is a good feeling around this program. THIS WEEK: 8/21 – No. 16 Miami Southridge. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @Our Lady of Good Counsel, Maryland.

21. Orlando Edgewater (5A). New coach. No problem for the Eagles who could be flying way beneath the radar screen and could be that team in 2025. There are some quality prospects on this team, and as they come together, things could get interesting. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Apopka Wekiva. NEXT WEEK: TBA.

22. Tampa Bay Tech (5A). Every year they come close, only to lose in the state playoffs, but this season could be different for the Titans as they are loaded with talent and quality coaching. THIS WEEK: 8/22 No. 7 Venice. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @Tampa Wharton.

23. Saint Augustine High (4A). This program is going to be steady as usual with some quality prospects. The class is stacked with impressive teams. Is there enough talent to make a strong run in the state playoffs? Many obstacles along the way for the Yellow Jackets. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Palatka. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Menendez.

24. Sarasota Booker (3A). Here is a program that plenty of people are predicting some big things from after an impressive run a year ago. The road will be challenging in this class once again, but the Tornadoes have the talent to compete and the schedule plays in their favor, so you will see them rise in the rankings. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – @Auburn, Alabama. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Tampa Berkeley Prep.

25. West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (1A). While nobody is ready to unseat Chaminade-Madonna, the Crusaders have added enough talent in the off-season to create some problems for opponents. The schedule will also test them from start to finish. THIS WEEK: 8/21 – @Fort Pierce John Carroll. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Philadelphia Roman Catholic, Pennsylvania.

26. Clearwater Central Catholic (1A). The Marauders have won 90 percent of their regular season games for a reason. They are loaded with quality players and very well coached. Is this the year? They may get a third straight title game appearance, but the schedule continues to get tougher. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – @Tampa Berkeley Prep. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @Sebring.

27. Bradenton Manatee (5A). Maybe not as potent as last year, but the Hurricanes are still stinging from the state semifinal loss to St. Thomas. The schedule certainly gets tougher, and this program will be put to the test. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Bellflower St. John Bosco, California. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – Bradenton Southeast.

28. Lake Mary (7A). There is no doubt that the state title game didn’t shine a favorable light on the Rams, and while they may not have the talent that most 7A schools have, they do have prospects and coaching. The road will be challenging! THIS WEEK: No. 13 Miami Norland. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @Kissimmee Osceola.

29. Coconut Creek Monarch (6A). Even though spring is never a true indicator of what lies ahead, the Knights looked mighty impressive on both sides of the ball and needed to be taken seriously. But the schedule will test this team each week. THIS WEEK: No. 18 Jacksonville Bolles. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – @Deerfield Beach.

30. Tampa Jesuit (4A). While there is a long way to go, and the classification is competitive, the talent level is improved, and the coaching level is among the best in the state. Keep an eye on the Tigers. THIS WEEK: 8/22 – Fort Myers Bishop Verot. NEXT WEEK: 8/29 – North Palm Beach Benjamin.

KEEP AN EYE ON:

RURAL

Blountstown

Chiefland

Hawthorne

Madison County

Jacksonville Trinity Christian

Miami Edison

Miami True North Classical Academy

Tampa Carrollwood Day

Belle Glade Glades Central

Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons

Fort Myers Bishop Verot

Havana Gadsden County

Newberry

Pensacola Catholic

Starke Bradford County

Crawfordville Wakulla

Eau Gallie

Naples

Fort Lauderdale Dillard

Fort Pierce John Carroll

Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee

Lake Wales

Ocala Vanguard

Pensacola Escambia

Port Charlotte

Daytona Beach Mainland

Delray Beach Atlantic

Lynn Haven Mosley

Tallahassee Lincoln

Tampa Bay Tech

Gainesville Buchholz

Jacksonville Mandarin

Kissimmee Osceola

Orange Park Oakleaf

Pace

Ponte Vedra Nease

Ruskin Lennard

Sunrise Piper

Trinity Mitchell

West Broward

Jupiter

Miami Palmetto

Orlando Dr. Phillips

Orange City University

Port Orange Spruce Creek

Sanford Seminole

Vero Beach

Wellington Palm Beach Central

Statewide Coverage Daily. https://prepredzone.com/florida/

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