Whether it’s for the inaugural Open Division or any of the other state championships up for grabs, the road to a state title gets started this week.
After eight long months of the off season and three plus months of the regular season, this is what so many players, coaches and teams have worked and sacrificed for.
From the Panhandle to south Florida and everywhere in between, this is where the spotlight will fall this week as the state playoffs start for many programs.
With the beginning of the post season, here is a look at the Top 30 programs for Week 13 – with additional teams that have enjoyed a special year:
1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (5A, 10-0). The nation’s No. 1 team has grabbed the No. 1 overall seed in the inaugural OPEN DIVISION and will be at home against No. 12 Lakeland on Friday (11/13). NEXT GAME: The Raiders will be on the road against No. 9 Venice in the OPEN DIVISION (11/20).
2. IMG Academy (Independent, 9-0). The Ascenders will be on the road for the final game of the season and a chance at a perfect year against Baltimore St. Frances Academy (11/14).
3. Miami Christopher Columbus (6A, 9-1). The Explorers, the No. 2 overall seed in the OPEN DIVISION, will be at home for the first game against No. 22 Miami Central (11/13). NEXT GAME: The Explorers will be on the road against No. 4 Jacksonville Raines in the OPEN DIVISION (11/20).
4. Jacksonville Raines (3A, 10-0). The defending state champions will start the OPEN DIVISION on the road against No. 5 West Boca Raton in the OPEN DIVISION (11/13). NEXT GAME: The Vikings will be at home against No. 3 Miami Christopher Columbus in the OPEN DIVISION (11/20).
5. West Boca Raton (5A, 8-1). The two-time defending state champions will be at home for the first game in the OPEN DIVISION against No. 4 Jacksonville Raines (11/13). NEXT GAME: Another home game in the OPEN DIVISION against No. 22 Miami Central.
6. Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (2A, 8-2). The Lions will begin play in the OPEN DIVISION with a home game against No. 9 Venice (11/13). NEXT GAME: There will be another home game in the OPEN DIVISION against No. 12 Lakeland (11/14).
7. DeLand (6A, 9-1). The Bulldogs, who missed out on the OPEN DIVISION, will start the state playoffs at home as a No. 2 seed in the region against No. 7 Port Orange Spruce Creek (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner of the opening round game will play either No. 3 Daytona Beach Mainland or No. 6 Winter Park (11/20).
8. Tampa Carrollwood Day (1A, 10-0). The highest scoring team in the state will be at home for the opening round of the state playoffs against No. 8 Naples First Baptist. NEXT GAME: The winner of the opening round contest will play either No. 4 St. Petersburg Catholic or No. 5 Community School of Naples (11/20).
9. Venice (6A, 9-1). The Indians will start the OPEN DIVISION on the road against No. 6 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (11/13). NEXT GAME: It’s back to Broward County in Round 2 for a matchup with No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (11/20).
10. Seffner Armwood (5A, 9-1). The Hawks will start the state playoffs as a No, 1 seed at home against No. 8 Cape Coral (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will take on either No. 4 Riverview Sumner or No. 5 Bradenton Manatee (11/20).
11. Lake City Columbia (4A, 10-0). The unbeaten Tigers will open post season play as the top seed and take on No. 8 Green Cove Springs Clay (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either No. 4 Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee or No. 5 Lynn Haven Mosley (11/20).
12. Lakeland (5A, 9-1). The Dreadnaughts will start the OPEN DIVISION on the road against a familiar face – No. 1 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (11/13). NEXT GAME: It will be back to Broward County for a game against No. 6 Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna (11/20).
13. Vero Beach (6A, 9-1). The Indians open post season play as the No. 1 seed at home against No. 8 Fort Pierce Central (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either No. 4 Winter Garden West Orange or No. 5 Orlando Dr. Phillips (11/20).
14. Sarasota Cardinal Mooney (3A, 9-1). The defending state champions will start the playoffs as a No. 1 seed at home against No. 8 Dunedin (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will take on either No. 4 Tampa Robinson or No. 5 Tarpon Springs (11/20).
15. Lake Wales (4A, 9-1). The Highlanders, one of the best teams in the state drew the short straw and will be a No. 3 seed at home against No. 6 New Smyrna Beach (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either two-time defending state runner up No. 2 seed Orlando Jones or No. 7 Ocala Lake Weir (11/20).
16. Jacksonville Mandarin (5A, 9-1). The Mustangs – as the top seed – will open at home against No. 8 Orange Park Oakleaf (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will take on either No. 4 Orlando Evans or No. 5 St. Johns Bartram Trail (11/20).
17. Tampa Bay Tech (5A, 9-1). As a No. 2 seed, the Titans will be at home against No. 7 Tampa Plant (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will get either No. 3 Palmetto or No. 6 Royal Palm Beach (11/20).
18. Port Charlotte (4A, 7-2). The Pirates, who had a tremendous season, will begin the state playoffs as a No. 1 seed at home against No. 8 Naples Gulf Coast (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either No. 4 Fort Myers Dunbar or No. 5 Clearwater (11/20).
19. Sanford Seminole (6A, 10-0). The unbeaten Seminoles start the post season as a No. 1 seed and will be at home against No. 8 Altamonte Springs Lake Brantley (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will take on No. 4 St. Johns Creekside or No. 5 defending state champion Lake Mary (11/20).
20. Tampa Jesuit (4A, 8-1). As a No. 2 seed, the Tigers will be at home against No. 7 Estero (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will either have No. 3 Naples or No. 6 South Fort Myers (11/20).
21. Merritt Island (3A, 10-0). The unbeaten Mustangs, as a No. 1 seed, will be at home against Lakeland Tenoroc (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will get either No. 4 Alachua Santa Fe or No. 5 Dunnellon (11/20).
22. Miami Central (3A, 7-3). The Rockets, who slid into the OPEN DIVISION as a No. 6 seed, will start play against No. 3 Miami Christopher Columbus (11/13). NEXT GAME: The Rockets will to the road to play against No. 4 Jacksonville Raines (11/20).
23. St. Augustine (4A, 9-1). The Yellow Jackets, as a No. 2 seed in the region, will play host to No. 7 Tallahassee Lincoln (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either No. 3 Jacksonville Ed White or No. 6 Tallahassee Rickards (11/20).
24. Gainesville Buchholz (5A, 9-1). The Bobcats start out as a No. 2 seed at home will play No. 7 Ponte Vedra (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will move on against No. 3 Ponte Vedra Nease or No. 6 Pace (11/20).
25. Orlando The First Academy (2A, 7-2). The Royals open as a No. 1 seed in the region at home against No. 8 Clearwater Calvary Christian (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will have No. 4 Tampa Catholic or No. 5 Cocoa (11/20).
26. West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman (2A, 7-3). The defending 1A state champions, as a No. 1 seed, will have a bye in the opening round. NEXT GAME: Miami Edison at home (11/20).
27. Lynn Haven Mosley (4A, 8-1). The Dolphins – as a No. 5 seed – will be on the road at Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either No. 1 Lake City Columbia or No. 8 Green Cove Springs Clay (11/20).
28. Clearwater Central Catholic (2A, 8-2). The Marauders, as a No. 2 seed, will be at home against No. 7 St. Petersburg Lakewood (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner gets either No, 3 Tampa Berkeley Prep or No. 6 Starke Bradford County (11/20).
29. Weston Cypress Bay (6A, 10-0). The unbeaten Lightning, as a No. 2 seed, will be at home against No. 7 Wellington Palm Beach Central (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either No. 3 Davie Western or No. 6 Boca Raton Spanish River (11/20).
30. Orlando Lake Nona (6A, 9-1). The Lions, who had a tremendous season, will open at home as a No. 3 seed against Clermont East Ridge (11/13). NEXT GAME: The winner will play either No. 2 seed Orlando Edgewater or No. 7 Ocoee (11/20).
KEEP AN EYE ON:
1A
Blountstown (8-1)
Fort Pierce John Carroll (6-3)
Hawthorne (10-0)
Jacksonville Trinity Christian (6-4)
Jacksonville University Christian (7-3)
Lakeland Christian (9-0-1)
Madison County (5-5)
Melbourne Central Catholic (7-2)
Miami Archbishop Carroll (8-1)
Miami True North Classical Academy (5-3)
Naples First Baptist (7-3)
Naples St. John Neumann (7-3)
Pahokee (6-4)
St. Petersburg Catholic (6-4)
Wildwood (8-2)
2A
Boca Raton Saint Andrew’s (6-4)
DeFuniak Springs Walton (6-2)
Jacksonville Bolles (7-2)
Miami Carol City (7-3)
Miami Immaculata LaSalle (10-0)
Miami Killian (8-2)
Miami Westminster Christian (8-2)
Pensacola Catholic (9-1)
Tallahassee Florida High (9-1)
Tampa Berkeley Prep (7-2)
Starke Bradford County (9-1)
Tampa Catholic (7-3)
3A
Alachua Santa Fe (3A, 8-2)
Bradenton Braden River (8-1)
Brooksville Nature Coast Tech (8-1)
Bushnell South Sumter (6-4)
Eau Gallie (6-4)
Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (7-3)
Fort Lauderdale Dillard (6-4)
Miami Springs (7-2)
North Miami Beach (7-3)
Panama City Bay (8-2)
Santa Rosa Beach South Walton (6-3)
Tampa Robinson (8-2)
The Villages Charter (10-0)
Titusville (6-4)
Titusville Astronaut (7-3)
Wakulla (8-2)
4A
Plantation American Heritage (6-3)
Clearwater (9-1)
Delray Beach Atlantic (7-3)
Fort Myers Dunbar (8-2)
Fort Pierce Westwood (5-4)
Fort Walton Beach Choctawhatchee (6-2)
Green Cove Springs Clay (7-2)
Hialeah American (5-5)
Jacksonville Ed White (8-2)
Jensen Beach (8-2)
Miami Norland (4-6)
Miami Northwestern (6-4)
Middleburg (5-4)
New Port Richey River Ridge (8-2)
New Smyrna Beach (6-3)
Ocala Lake Weir (8-2)
Ocala Vanguard (8-2)
Orlando Bishop Moore (8-2)
Orlando Jones (7-3)
Pensacola Washington (6-2)
Pompano Beach Blanche Ely (6-3)
Tallahassee Godby (6-3)
Tallahassee Leon (7-2)
Zephyrhills (7-3)
5A
Auburndale (5-5)
Bradenton Manatee (6-4)
Clermont East Ridge (8-2)
Coconut Creek (8-2)
Coconut Creek Monarch (4-5)
Fort Myers Riverdale (7-3)
Immokalee (6-4)
Melbourne (8-2)
Niceville (4-5)
Ocala Forest (8-2)
Orange Park Oakleaf (5-5)
Orlando Evans (7-3)
Oviedo (7-3)
Pace (6-2)
Palmetto (8-1)
Riverview Sumner (6-4)
Royal Palm Beach (8-1)
Southwest Ranches Archbishop McCarthy (4-5)
St. John Bartram Trail (7-3)
Stuart Martin County (5-5)
Stuart South Fork (7-3)
Tampa Gaither (7-3)
Trinity Mitchell (6-4)
Viera (4-5)
6A
Boca Raton Spanish River (5-4)
Davie Western (7-3)
Daytona Beach Mainland (5-4)
Flagler Palm Coast (7-2)
Fort Pierce Central (6-3)
Jupiter (9-1)
Kissimmee Gateway (8-2)
Lantana Santaluces (5-4)
Miami Palmetto (8-2)
Orlando Edgewater (6-3)
Orlando Lake Nona (9-1)
Palm Beach Lakes (8-2)
Port Orange Spruce Creek (5-4)
Ruskin Lennard (7-2)
Sarasota Riverview (8-2)
St. Cloud (6-4)
Tampa Alonso (9-1)
Wellington (6-4)
Wellington Palm Beach Central (7-3)
Winter Garden West Orange (9-1)
Week 1 State Football Rankings: St. Thomas Aquinas Is The One. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-1-state-football-rankings-st-thomas-aquinas-is-the-one
Week 2 State Football Rankings: Top Teams Get Off To A Fast Start. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-2-state-football-rankings-top-teams-get-off-to-a-fast-start
Week 3 Florida State High School Football Rankings: The Nation Was Watching. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-3-state-football-rankings-the-nation-was-watching
Week 4 Florida State Football Rankings: Elite Teams Stay On Top. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-4-florida-state-football-rankings-elite-teams-stay-on-top
Week 5 Florida State Football Rankings: Things Are Getting Very Exciting. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-5-florida-state-football-rankings-things-are-getting-very-exciting
Week 6 Florida State Football Rankings: Every Game Will Have Meaning. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-6-florida-state-football-rankings-every-game-will-have-meaning
Week 7 Florida State Football Rankings: There Is No Turning Back Now. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-7-florida-state-football-rankings-there-is-no-turning-back-now
Week 8 Florida State Football Rankings: Which Poll Do Subscribe To? https://larryblustein.com/news/week-8-florida-state-football-rankings-which-poll-do-subscribe-to
Week 9 Florida State Football Rankings: Results Have Never Been More Important. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-9-florida-state-football-rankings-results-have-never-been-more-important
Week 10 Florida State Football Rankings: Two Big Weeks To End Regular Season. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-10-florida-state-football-rankings-two-big-weeks-to-end-regular-season
Week 11 Florida State Football Rankings: Top Teams Continue To Win. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-11-florida-state-football-rankings-top-teams-continue-to-win
Week 12 Florida State Football Rankings: On To The State Playoffs. https://larryblustein.com/news/week-12-florida-state-football-rankings-on-to-the-state-playoffs
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/
For the past 56 years, we have spent more time on football fields than anyone in the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we get to as many events as possible to see the athletes LIVE. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein), Instagram (OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@PrepRedzoneFL). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..