Week 5 – Elite Programs Rising To The Top
In this article:
As we have watched so far in the first four weeks of the 2025 high school football season here in Florida, things will be ever-changing when it comes to ranking teams.
As we have said from the start of the season, challenging schedules will ensure that teams will move up and down – and as impressive matchups loom nearly every week – nothing will be for sure.
As you will see, teams move up and down, and while you want to give the past champions their respect, if they lose, they will move down – with a chance to finish on top by the end of the season.
We have always rewarded programs for winning, and while many have a problem with moving “lesser” teams ahead in the rankings, everything will play out by the end of the season. They always do and this year will be no exception, but you cannot penalize a team for winning!
Here is a look at this week's top programs:
1 Bradenton IMG Academy (Independent, 3-0). The Ascenders rolled to a 79-6 win against Henderson Coronado, Nevada. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @Jacksonville Mandarin. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Phenix Central, Alabama.
2. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (5A, 3-1). The Raiders won their third straight, 45-6, over Davie Western. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @Hollywood McArthur. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
3. Miami Northwestern (3A, 2-1). The Bulls rolled over No. 27 Miami Norland, 49-21. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @Miami Christopher Columbus. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Miami Jackson.
4. Miami Central (3A, 2-0). The Rockets' district game with Pompano Beach was postponed to a later date. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @ No. 22 Plantation American Heritage. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
5. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (1A, 2-1). The Lions were ahead of Miami Edison in a district game when they weather stopped it. The contest will be finished Sept. 22. THIS WEEK: Bye. NEXT WEEK: 9/22 - @ Miami Edison. 9/26 – Davie Western.
6. Seffner Armwood (6A, 4-0). The Hawks rolled to their fourth straight, 45-2, against Plant City Durant. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – Tampa Hillsborough. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – Tampa Plant.
7. Jacksonville Raines (3A, 3-0). The Vikings continued to roll along at the start of the season, 51-3. THIS WEEK: Bye. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Jacksonville Riverside.
8. Miami Southridge (6A, 3-0). The Spartans continued to show why they are one of the best in the state, beating Hialeah, 37-0. THIS WEEK: 9/18 – Doral Academy. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – Homestead.
9. Orlando Edgewater (5A, 4-0). The Eagles remained perfect with a game-winning field goal against No. 23 Orlando Jones, 20-17. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @Apopka. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – Longwood Lyman.
10. Vero Beach (7A, 4-0). The Indians continued to make a statement with a 37-0 win against Port St. Lucie Centennial. THIS WEEK: Bye. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Fort Pierce Central.
11. West Boca Raton (6A, 2-1). The Bulls got back on the winning track with a 42-0 win over Loxahatchee Seminole Ridge, 42-0. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast. NEXT WEEK: 9/25 – Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer.
12. Lakeland (5A, 2-1). The Dreadnaughts enjoyed the week off. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – @Miami Booker T. Washington. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Lakeland Lake Gibson.
13. Saint Augustine (4A, 4-0). The Yellow Jackets remained unbeaten with an exciting 47-41 win against Jacksonville Riverside. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @ No. 26 Ponte Vedra Nease. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – Lake City Columbia.
14. Sarasota Booker (3A, 3-1). The Tornadoes showed why they will be a force this season with a convincing 42-0 win against Naples. THIS WEEK: 12/19 - @Naples Lely. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – Bradenton Bayshore.
15. Jacksonville Bolles (2A, 3-1). The Bulldogs got back on the winning track with a 36-0 win against Jacksonville Bishop Kenny. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @ No. 30 Orange Park Oakleaf. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Baldwin.
16. Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (2A, 3-1). The Cougars rolled to a 49-10 win against Tampa Berkeley Prep. THIS WEEK: Bye. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Fort Myers Bishop Verot.
17. Tampa Bay Tech (5A, 3-1). The Titans got back on the winning track with a 39-7 win against Tampa Plant. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – Tampa Gaither. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Riverview Spoto.
18. Venice (7A, 2-1). The Indians won a thriller against No. 29 Port Charlotte, 29-22. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – No. 20 Orlando The First Academy. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – Lehigh.
19. Clearwater Central Catholic (1A, 3-0). The Marauders wo their fourth straight with a convincing crosstown win against Clearwater, 34-20. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – Havana Gadsden County. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – Largo Indian Rocks Christian.
20. Orlando The First Academy (Independent, 2-2). The Royals won for the second straight time against Wau Gallie, 12-8. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @ No. 18 Venice. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Havana Gadsden County.
21. Fort Lauderdale Dillard (4A, 4-0). One of the top scoring teams in the state has been as impressive as any team in Florida, beating their first four opponents, 212-6, including a 63-0 win against Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson. THIS WEEK: 9/20 -Miramar. NEXT WEEK: 9/25 – Riviera Beach Suncoast.
22. Plantation American Heritage (4A, 1-2). The defending 4A state champion Patriots went down for the second straight week in a tight overtime road game against New Orleans Edna Karr, 24-17. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – No. 4 Miami Central. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 – @Plantation.
23. Orlando Jones (4A, 2-2). After two straight shutouts to start the season, the defending 4A state runner ups were beaten for the second time on the last play of the game on a field goal against No. 9 Orlando Edgewater, 20-17. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – Kissimmee Osceola. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
24. West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (1A, 3-1). The Crusaders came up with a huge road win against previously unbeaten Pahokee, 26-10. THIS WEEK: 9/19 - @ No. 28 Tampa Jesuit. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
25. St. Petersburg Lakewood (2A, 4-0). The Spartans continued to be the huge surprise as they rolled to a 38-0 win against Pinellas Park. THIS WEEK: Bye. NEXT WEEK: 9/19 - @St. Petersburg.
26. Ponte Vedra Nease (6A, 4-0). The Panthers remained unbeaten after four weeks with a 22-6 win against Neptune Beach Fletcher. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – No. 13 Saint Augustine. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Gainesville Buchholz.
27. Miami Norland (4A, 2-2). The Vikings were soundly beaten by No. 3 Miami Northwestern, 49-21. THIS WEEK: 9/18 - @ No. 30 Delray Beach Atlantic. NEXT WEEK: 9/25 – Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy.
28. Tampa Jesuit (4A, 3-1). The Tigers got back on the winning track with a 46-7 win against Tampa Blake. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – No. 24 West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
29. Port Charlotte (4A, 3-1). The Pirates were beaten for the first time this season, losing to No. 18 Venice, 29-22. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – Sebring. NEXT WEEK: 9/25 - @South Fort Myers.
(TIE) 30. Orange Park Oakleaf (6A, 4-0). The Knights remained unbeaten with a 35-26 win against Rural power Hawthorne. THIS WEEK: 9/19 – No. 15 Jacksonville Bolles. NEXT WEEK: 9/26 - @Neptune Beach Fletcher.
Delray Atlantic (5A, 4-0). The Eagles remained unbeaten with a convincing 47-0 win against Pompano Beach Blanche Ely. THIS WEEK: 9/18 – No. 27 Miami Norland. NEXT WEEK: Bye.
KEEP AN EYE ON:
RURAL
Baker (4-0)
Blountstown (3-0)
Chipley (4-0)
Fort Meade (3-1)
Hawthorne (3-1)
Madison County (1-3)
Mayo LaFayette (3-1)
Pahokee (3-1)
Perry Taylor County (4-0)
Port St. Joe (2-1)
Trenton (4-0)
1A
Boca Raton St. Andrew's Academy (3-0)
Clearwater Central Catholic (3-0)
Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian (2-0)
Jacksonville Episcopal (3-0)
Jacksonville Impact Christian (3-0)
Jacksonville Trinity Christian (1-3)
Jacksonville Impact Christian (3-0)
Lakeland Victory Christian (4-0)
Miami Archbishop Carroll (3-0)
Miami Edison (1-2)
Miami Palmer Trinity (1-1)
Miami True North Classical Academy (2-2)
Miami Westminster Christian (4-0)
Ocala Trinity Catholic (2-1)
St. Petersburg Catholic (4-0)
St. Petersburg Northside Christian (4-0)
Tallahassee Maclay (4-0)
Tampa Carrollwood Day (2-0)
2A
Alachua Santa Fe (4-0)
Baldwin (3-0)
Belle Glade Glades Central (4-0)
Cocoa (2-2)
DeFuniak Springs Walton (2-1)
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (2-1)
Fort Myers Bishop Verot (1-2)
Freeport (4-0)
Miami Immaculata LaSalle (4-0)
Miami Killian (3-0)
Pensacola Catholic (3-1)
Riviera Beach Inlet Grove (1-1)
Santa Rosa Beach South Walton (3-0)
Starke Bradford County (3-1)
Somerset Silver Palms (4-0)
Tallahassee Florida High (2-2)
The Villages (4-0)
3A
Brooksville Central (3-0)
Crawfordville Wakulla Crawfordville Wakulla FL (1-2)
Eau Gallie (2-2)
Jacksonville Bishop Kenny (2-1)
Merritt Island (2-2)
Naples (2-1)
Orlando Bishop Moore (4-0)
Panama City Bay (4-0)
Tampa Chamberlain (3-0)
Yulee (4-0)
4A
Clearwater (2-2)
Fort Lauderdale Dillard (4-0)
Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (4-0)
Jacksonville Ed White (3-0)
Jensen Beach (4-0)
Lake City Columbia (4-0)
Lake Wales (3-1)
New Port Richey River Ridge (4-0)
Ocala Vanguard (3-1)
Pensacola Pine Forest (1-3)
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (3-1)
Zephyrhills (4-0)
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (3-1)
5A
Bradenton Manatee (1-3)
Cape Coral (4-0)
Coconut Creek (4-0)
Daytona Beach Mainland (2-1)
Fleming Island (3-1)
Fort Myers Riverdale (4-0)
Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy (4-0)
Lynn Haven Mosley (3-1)
Middleburg (4-0)
Milton (4-0)
Niceville (2-2)
North Miami (4-0)
Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (1-1)
Ponte Vedra (2-2)
Sebring (1-2)
Tallahassee Lincoln (2-1)
Tampa Gaither (3-1)
6A
Cantonment Tate (3-1)
Coconut Creek Monarch (2-2)
Gainesville Buchholz (3-1)
Hollywood South Broward (2-0)
Jacksonville Mandarin (3-0)
Kissimmee Osceola (3-1)
Neptune Beach Flectcher (3-1)
Orlando Evans (3-1)
Pace (2-1)
Neptune Beach Flectcher (3-1)
Parrish Community (3-1)
Pembroke Pines Flanagan (2-0)
West Broward'] (1-2)
Royal Palm Beach (4-0)
Ruskin Lennard (4-0)
Trinity Mitchell (3-1)
7A
Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley (4-0)
Clermont East Ridge (4-0)
Coral Gables (3-0)
DeLand (4-0)
Dover Strawberry Crest (3-1)
Fort Pierce Central (4-0)
Homestead South Dade (2-2)
Jupiter (4-0)
Lake Mary (2-2)
Miami Christopher Columbus (0-3)
Miami Palmetto (2-1)
Ocoee (3-1)
Orlando Boone (4-0)
Orlando Dr. Phillips (3-1)
Plant City (4-0)
Port Orange Spruce Creek (4-0)
Sanford Seminole (2-2)
Sarasota Riverview (3-0)
St. Cloud (3-1)
Tampa Alonso (3-0)
Wellington (2-1)
Winter Garden West Orange (3-1)
STATE RANKINGS
Statewide Coverage Daily. https://prepredzone.com/florida/
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