Top 10 Games of the 2025 Florida High School Football Season

The heat index has been well over 100 degrees in the Sunshine State this summer, but some of the matchups lined up for the 2025 Florida high school football season might be even hotter. OK, maybe not that hot. You catch our drift, though.

High school football season is upon us as Florida teams prepare to take the practice field just under a week from now. What many parents, fans are wondering is which games should take bring their seat cushions and mini-fans to?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with what we believe to be the 10 best Florida high school football games heading into the 2025 season.

Take a minute away from looking at Coldplay memes and see what Florida games may be in your future:

1. Mater Dei (Calif.) at St. Thomas Aquinas, Aug. 23

Honestly, does it get any bigger than this one? There are folks around the country that have been waiting for the day that Mater Dei and St. Thomas Aquinas would finally meet in a regular season game. Well, Merry Christmas a few months early, high school football fans. The Monarchs will land in Fort Lauderdale, bringing a star-studded cast of talent from Southern California to take on the 16-time state champion Raiders. Unsure there’s a game bigger than this around the country.

2. St. Frances Academy (Md.) at Chaminade-Madonna Prep, Aug. 23

Remember back in 2023 when these two teams met? St. Frances Academy had Chaminade-Madonna, with Jeremiah Smith mind you, on the ropes. Then came the brutal South Florida heat and the Lions were able to wear down the Panthers and eke out a win. Both teams are ultra-talented and this is easily the second best game behind the aforementioned meeting.

3. Chaminade-Madonna Prep at St. Thomas Aquinas, Oct. 31

Last year this game was played at Pitbull Stadium, same place where Florida plays the FHSAA state championship games. Yeah, when the Lions and Raiders meet in a regular season tilt, it’s big enough to move to a college venue. Both teams are the favorites in their respective classifications to win state titles so this is for nothing more than bragging rights in the 954.

4. St. Joseph’s Prep (Penn.) at American Heritage, Aug. 22

Think we’d go through this entire list without mentioning Dia Bell and the Patriots? Come on, get real. No but for real, this game is another one from the Broward County Showcase that brings another out-of-state team into South Florida, but this one will be played on a cool Friday night at St. Thomas Aquinas. Oh yeah, it’ll be on ESPN so get yourself ready for a treat.

5. Miami Northwestern at Miami Central, Oct. 4

Bulls. Rockets. Traz Powell Stadium. Saturday night. If all of that doesn’t equal a packed venue in South Florida in a early October meeting, we’re not quite sure what would draw folks in the 305 to a high school football game. Pending matters surrounding Miami Northwestern, this game could be an early preview to a Florida Class 3A playoff region final.

6. IMG Academy at Venice, Oct. 3

Programs that are separated by less than an hour clash at Venice’s beautifully renovated stadium that came with a $12-million price tag. Now last year, Indians’ head coach John Peacock slowed his Nascar-like offense to a more traditional, methodical pace and it almost paid off, coming up short in a one-score affair. Venice lost quite a bit of talent from last year’s Class 7A state championship team so the dynamics here are interesting to see how both teams stack up a year later.

7. Orlando Jones at Lake Wales, Oct. 10

Any chance you get to see talents like University of Miami commit Dereon Coleman along with his trusty sidekick Larry Miles (Nebraska commit) and Lake Wales’ dynamic playmaker Kaneilius Purdy, that’s worth the price of admission. Also, if you want some smalltown football vibes, heading to the ‘House of Pain’ is always a neat place to catch a high school football game in the Heartland Florida region.

8. St. John Bosco (Calif.) at Manatee, Aug. 22

Now we are talking about the best and also most intriguing games as well on the docket for this upcoming season and this one checks a lot of boxes. Interest for this one will come far and wide as folks in the surrounding Bradenton area would get a chance to see one of California’s top high school football programs go toe-to-toe with a Florida state semifinalist from 2024. Jacquez Green and the Hurricanes get a chance on the national stage to strut their stuff and show they belong among the country’s elites.

9. Mandarin at St. Augustine, Oct. 30

You’ve probably watched Brysen Wright‘s one-handed grab on replay like a bajillion times already and are wondering when you can see him play this season. Yes, Mandarin does play IMG, but we’re not entirely sure that won’t end in anything but a blowout. What does seem more interesting is when Wright and the Mustangs face off against recent University of Miami commit Somourian Wingo‘s Yellow Jackets. Yeah, that sounds a lot better of a game if you ask us, Duuuuuuval (Liam Cohen voice).

10. IMG Academy at The First Academy, Aug. 14

Some may say its too early to anoint this anything other than a IMG Academy blowout to start the season. Hold the phones there, this just doesn’t seem right to put this one to the backburner. Why? the amount of talent that’s filed into both schools is enough to make any college scout hop on a flight and watch a little early high school football action in the Sunshine State. It’s the debut of Greg Studrawa as Ascenders’ lead man and this game should be a competitive one if talent has anything to do with the game.