SPRING FOOTBALL 2025: Top 10 spring football games to watch

With spring football practices underway across the Sunshine State teams will be using this time to prepare and game plan for the upcoming 2025 season. However, for some teams, they take it spring football and the one game they get against an opponent and treat it as if it were the regular season, testing themselves against other quality programs across the state. Here are our Top 10 spring football games for 2025 along with a list of other noteworthy games we consider for the list.

1. West Boca Raton at Columbus (Miami)

Friday, May 16, 6 p.m.

If you mind didn’t go WOW on this one, then is possible you are sleeping under a rock? When we saw this game and added it to the list, you must understand that this game is pitting the defending Class 6A state champions with a long-time traditional power blueblood from Class 7A. West Boca Raton, a team that was on no one’s radar just a few years ago has quickly grown thanks to head coach Dylan Potts’ coaching and the ability to build a program around a foundation that is more stable than ever. That is going up against Dave Dunn’s Explorers who have been consistently one of the top teams in the state year-in and year-out, even in the moments when it looks like things were not going their way. Overall, this has the makings of a spring game that should have been on the 2025 regular season schedule instead, but we will take this for top billing for spring football.

2. Venice at Naples

Tuesday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.

The defending Class 7A state champion are not straying away from quality competition – even in the spring – as the Indians make the trek to Staver Field to take on Class 4A state semifinalist in Naples. Both teams, beneficiaries of off-season transfers, are going to show the state of what both teams are going to have on the sidelines come fall. This game will have all the making as it is a regular season game and thus you best bet that the atmosphere will be electrifying. Forget who wins in this one as it is the names we will be hearing about who are going to step in filling some holes for both teams are going to have fans talking during the summer.

3. Apopka at Jones (Orlando)

Friday, May 23, 7 p.m.

This one is intriguing for a few different reasons. Apopka finished with its first losing season going back to the 1990s last year and that is enough to make you wonder what is next for the Blue Darters who have been consistently one of the top teams not only in Central Florida, but in all of Florida. With that said, Jones who finally cracked the celling once more to another state championship game appearance last season after two previous trips to the state semifinals is looking to regroup and figure out how to bring home a state championship in 2024. As such the Tigers will use this gauge what the 2025 season could look like while the Blue Darters try to look to avoid a repeat of last year’s sluggishness. This game will give us some answers to prepare for the fall.

4. University Christian (Jacksonville) at Madison County (Madison)

Friday, May 16, 7 p.m.

Small school ball at its finest and this is a great test for the Fighting Christians who had times struggled last year but ultimately pulled it together to win a district championship and reach the regional finals. That test is going up against the defending Class Rural State Champions as the Cowboys look to start title defense, being this will be the first state title defense for Price Harris’ 20-plus year coaching career. Boot Hill will be loud, even if at end of the day the points don’t really matter, because really both teams are going to see what they have cooking for the 2025 season, and this is a great way to find out against quality competition.

5. Florida High (Tallahassee) at Choctawhatchee (Fort Walton Beach)

Thursday, May 15, 6:30 p.m. CDT

We have not forgotten about the Panhandle and this game fits the billing for one of the top spring games between two teams. Florida High, a regional finalist last year before falling to eventual Class 2A state runner-up Gadsden County will have some holes to fill. That is all while Choctawhatchee saw some athletes rise to the top last season while reaching the regional finals for the third consecutive year. Both Jarrod Hickman (Florida High) and Frank Beasley (Choctawhatchee) are respectable coaches and have done tremendous things for their alma maters and this matchup should give football fans in the Panhandle a taste of two teams we should be hearing a lot about once more in 2025.

6. Buchholz (Gainesville) at Berkeley Prep (Tampa)

Thursday, May 15, 7 p.m.

I am truly intrigued by this game for a few different reasons. One, is how this game came about – which I am not sure of – and two I am really interested in seeing what life is going to be like without Trace Johnson for the visiting Bobcats after transferring out to California to play for Carson Palmer at Santa Margarita. However, if anything should be noted we might be seeing the youngest of Coach Mark Whittemore’s sons emerge as a potential heir to the quarterback reins. That should be exciting given the last Whittemore to be quarterback for the Bobcats had a pretty good run – yes, we are talking about Creed being that last Whittemore to have a great run at quarterback. Alright enough talking about Buchholz, for the moment as Berkeley Prep who struggled to the finish line in reaching the playoffs last year before being bounced by Cocoa, is looking to see what it has as several more members of that 2023 state championship winning team have graduated. As such, we should see what the Buccaneers bring against Buchholz – who is coming off their four consecutive trip in reaching the state semifinals.

7. Mandarin (Jacksonville) at Bolles (Jacksonville)

Thursday, May 22, 7 p.m.

A good way to close spring football in Northeast Florida, two of the area’s most recognizable programs with the Mustangs make the trip up to take on the Bulldogs at Skinner-Barco. The Mustangs who ended up falling short of reaching the state championship game for a second consecutive season will be replacing some key athletes who have been critical of the recent resurgence of Mandarin. Opposite is Bolles who is coming off a regional semifinalist appearance and saw some underclassmen break out on the field last season as they are looking to reach the state championship game for the first time since 2020, one of the longest droughts of a state title appearance for the Bulldogs over the last few decades. If anything, this game will see who will emerge for both teams that will be getting some of the spotlight this fall.

8. The First Academy (Orlando) at Lake Mary

Thursday, May 15, 7 p.m.

This game is going to be intriguing for reasons that happened off the field that guide the Royals on the field for the 2025 season. First and foremost is the suspension of head coach Jeff Conaway for the 2025 season for all games. This means Conaway will not be present on the field or in the stands for spring football or any of the games the Royals will play this fall. However, Conaway is not prohibited from leading the program through practices, film session or strength and conditioning. The Royals, while scheduling a tough 2025 schedule will be out of postseason contention in 2025 due to the ban that was the result of an FHSAA investigation last season. As such, by turning the page, we will see what comes about with the first glimpses of the Royals for the fall. Now talking about Lake Mary, Noah Grubbs returns as the starting quarterback for the Rams after falling in the Class 7A state championship last year, so we will see what the Rams look like after getting a taste of a state championship game feels like. Will it fire the Rams up to seek redemption? This game will tell us a lot.

9. Gadsden County at Community School (Naples)

Friday, May 23, 6 p.m.

Did someone say road trip? Yep, that is a long road-trip for the Class 2A State Runner-up Jaguars trekking it all the way down to Naples to take on the host Seahawks. This should give us a preview of what the Jaguars will bring into 2025 after graduating several key athletes while the Seahawks could be prime beneficiaries of the mass exodus that has happened at district rival First Baptist that could lead the Seahawks to a district championship in 2025. We are going to learn a lot about these two teams from this game and will give us an idea of what to expect in fall.

10. St. Augustine at Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville)

Wednesday, May 21, 6 p.m.

What better way to wrap up spring practices than that of a game right on the banks of the St. Johns River. St. Augustine, a Class 4A state semifinalist last year who fell to eventual state champion, American Heritage is looking once more to make another deep playoff run but will have some holes to fill with a few key athletes graduating including finding Locklan Hewlett’s replacement. Bishop Kenny a Class 3A regional finalist who was bounced out of the playoffs by eventual state runner-up Raines, has several key athletes back and that is going to make the Crusaders a force in 2025. With this game we should learn a lot about how both the Yellow Jackets and Crusaders will look like in 2025.