Florida Top 25 High School Football Rankings

Florida not only boasts excellent high school football, but it arguably has the highest concentration of elite programs nationwide. Three Florida teams are currently ranked among the top six in the USA Today Super 25 national rankings, and the state’s top 25 is rapidly shifting just two weeks into the season.

No. 1: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)

St. Thomas Aquinas has reclaimed the top spot nationally after a dominant performance at the Broward County National High School Football Showcase, where they took a 38-0 halftime lead en route to a 38-14 victory over DeSoto, the 2025 Texas state champions—the Raiders’ 16th consecutive win. Aquinas enters the season as the reigning High School Football America national champions and is seeking an unprecedented seventh consecutive Florida Class 5A state title after a 14-1 record last year. Senior offensive tackle Mark Matthews, the state’s top-ranked recruit and future Texas A&M player, headlines a roster that also includes three other players ranked among Florida’s top 20 prospects.

No. 2: IMG Academy (Bradenton)

IMG Academy is keeping pace with Aquinas, leading some state polls and sitting just behind nationally. The Ascenders went undefeated (9-0) in 2025 under head coach Greg Studrawa and kicked off 2026 with a blowout win over Texas’ Cornerstone Christian, solidifying their position as the program every top Florida team is after.

No. 3: Columbus (Miami)

No one in Florida—or the country—made a bigger impact in Week 2 than Columbus. The Explorers went from unranked to third in the state after a stunning 33-28 victory over Bishop Gorman (Nevada), the national powerhouse that had previously held the top spot. A’mir Sears scored two touchdowns and intercepted three passes in the victory. Immediately afterward, Columbus visited St. Thomas Aquinas, giving them the opportunity to confirm their excellent debut against the best in the state.

No. 4: Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood)

Chaminade-Madonna began the year among the top five teams in the nation, but a 24-7 loss to Southern California’s Sierra Canyon at the Broward County Showcase dropped them in the rankings. Even so, Chaminade starts the year as the reigning Class 1A state runner-up and remains one of the most talented teams in the state.

No. 5 and Beyond: A Group of High-Level Teams

Miami Carol City, under the direction of new head coach Toro Wallace and bolstered by several key transfers, completes the state’s elite. West Boca Raton has been one of the fastest-rising teams early in the season, climbing seven spots after a dominant 24-7 victory over the reigning Class 4A champion, American Heritage (Plantation), a result that also caused American Heritage to drop 10 places in the standings. Miami Northwestern moved up nine spots after beating Lakewood 20-18, and Lakeland, a historical powerhouse in Polk County, has also shown an upward trend. Cardinal Newman, the reigning Class 1A champion, defeated its rival, the also defending champion Cardinal Mooney, 47-46 in a true classic between two state champion programs.

Why do Florida’s rankings change so quickly?

Because many of Florida’s top programs compete against each other—and against national powerhouses from other states—in non-conference events, such as the Broward County Tournament, the state rankings tend to change dramatically almost every week. A single result, like Columbus’s surprising victory over Bishop Gorman, can redefine not only Florida’s Top 25, but also the national landscape.