Since there is no statistically significant difference in the 2024 won-loss records of the 7 classes (by chi-square test), it implies that there are "good", "average", and "mediocre" teams within each class. The first step to achieve competitive balance is to redistribute all the "good" teams into their own classes, the "average" teams into their own classes, and the "mediocre" teams into their own classes; either by past performance, computer rankings, promotion/relegation or, however. Florida actually has more teams per class than just about any state besides Texas and California. And for the reasons @nolebull813 correctly points out, the likelihood of the FHSAA reducing the number of classes is basically zero. So let's at least try to be realistic, and move away from the enrollment-based classifications to improve competitive equity, which in the long run would be much better for the health of Florida high school football.
The 2 hardest things keeping Florida from cutting down the classes like they should are the FHSAA, because more brackets means more gate money from extra playoff games. And the coaches/AD’s who want an easier road. Coaches and AD’s are going to want the path to least resistance because it’s job security and legacy on the line. Hell they would probably all be for more classes!
The only positive I can find is the extra games with there being extra brackets is more exposure for kids for college.
The negative is it makes a lot more wasted blowouts and teams advancing further than they ever would if the brackets were trimmed down like they are supposed to be.
So bottom line is the extra exposure for kids worth the poor product and wasted blowouts?
Taking a look back to last season, there were 1540 interclass games played which I will show below. I decided to take a closer look at the games between Classes 1A thru 7A because outside of that it's difficult to determine school size. There are many independent schools that are very large. I took all the schools from 1A to 6A (Obviously no school from 7A is included) who beat larger schools from higher classifications, and this is what I found:
In 2024 there were 360 schools in Classes 1A - 6A. Of that group, 228 "different" schools (63%) beat at least one team from a higher classification. This is a sure sign that there are way too many classifications. That number should be less than half of that. Also, I have a list of those 228 schools and who they beat from higher classifications if anyone wants to see it.
Anyway, here are the numbers from 2024. (1540 interclass games)
7A
vs
CL
W
-
L
6A
50
-
52
5A
24
-
29
4A
31
-
31
3A
19
-
20
2A
13
-
12
1A
5
-
6
Rur
1
-
5
Ind
27
-
8
SSA
4
-
3
174
-
166
6A
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
52
-
50
5A
48
-
40
4A
42
-
33
3A
28
-
22
2A
13
-
18
1A
9
-
6
Rur
2
-
5
Ind
10
-
6
SSA
1
-
1
205
-
181
5A
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
29
-
24
6A
40
-
48
4A
36
-
37
3A
50
-
33
2A
17
-
19
1A
7
-
8
Rur
3
-
4
Ind
11
-
4
SSA
2
-
1
195
-
178
4A
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
31
-
31
6A
33
-
42
5A
37
-
36
3A
55
-
31
2A
23
-
26
1A
8
-
14
Rur
5
-
2
Ind
10
-
8
SSA
7
-
5
209
-
195
3A
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
20
-
19
6A
22
-
28
5A
33
-
50
4A
31
-
55
2A
24
-
28
1A
19
-
6
Rur
8
-
11
Ind
9
-
11
SSA
9
-
9
175
-
217
2A
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
12
-
13
6A
18
-
13
5A
19
-
17
4A
26
-
23
3A
28
-
24
1A
33
-
24
Rur
25
-
17
Ind
11
-
8
SSA
10
-
16
182
-
155
1A
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
6
-
5
6A
6
-
9
5A
8
-
7
4A
14
-
8
3A
6
-
19
2A
24
-
33
Rur
9
-
17
Ind
26
-
18
SSA
27
-
20
126
-
136
Rur
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
5
-
1
6A
5
-
2
5A
4
-
3
4A
2
-
5
3A
11
-
8
2A
17
-
25
1A
17
-
9
Ind
13
-
6
SSA
19
-
15
93
-
74
Ind
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
8
-
27
6A
6
-
10
5A
4
-
11
4A
8
-
10
3A
11
-
9
2A
8
-
11
1A
18
-
26
Rur
6
-
13
SSA
14
-
28
83
-
145
SSA
vs
CL
W
-
L
7A
3
-
4
6A
1
-
1
5A
1
-
2
4A
5
-
7
3A
9
-
9
2A
16
-
10
1A
20
-
27
Rur
15
-
19
Ind
28
-
14
98
-
93