North Central Florida football returns with a mix of tradition and grit. From Gainesville to Lake City and beyond, Week 1 features battles that will shape the early season and spotlight programs eager to prove themselves right out of the gate. All games begin at 7:00 PM ET unless otherwise noted.
THURSDAY
Bronson at Oak Hall
Vanguard vs. Buchholz at Citizens Field (Gainesville)
FRIDAY
Baker County at Bradford, 7:30
Belleview vs. Eastside at Citizens Field (Gainesville), 7:30
Chiefland at Williston, 7:30
Columbia vs. Suwannee at Paul Langford Stadium (Live Oak), 7:30
Countryside Christian at Academy at the Lakes
Discovery vs. Hawthorne at Annie Mae Phillips Stadium (Hawthorne)
Dunnellon at Florida High
Fort White at Taylor County, 7:30
Gainesville at Aubrey Rogers
Hernando Christian at St. John Lutheran
Joshua Christian at Hamilton County
Lafayette at Dixie County, 7:30
Lakeside Christian at Cornerstone Academy (Gainesville)
Merritt Island Christian at Ocala Christian
Newberry at University Christian, 7:30
North Florida Educational at Branford
North Marion at Forest
P.K. Yonge at Lake Weir
Saint Francis Catholic at First Academy-Leesburg
South Sumter at Haines City
Trenton at Bell, 7:30
Trinity Catholic at Tampa Catholic
West Port at Lecanto
Wildwood at The Villages
Yulee at Union County, 7:30
BYE WEEK: Gainesville Christian Community, Santa Fe










![Eastside is among the teams in North Central Florida to open their 2025 season this week. [Joshua Wilson/FloridaHSFootball.com]](https://floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Week-1-2025-schedule-North-Central-Florida-750x422.jpg)
![Robinson (Tampa), Miami Edison, Wildwood, Seminole Ridge, and Alonso lead with the best probabilities for winning a flag football state championship in 2026. [Robinson Flag Football/Instagram; Miami Edison Flag Football/Instagram; Wildwood Flag Football/Instagram; Seminole Ridge High School/Instagram; Alonso Flag Football/Instagram]](https://floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Preseason-2026-State-Championship-Probabilites-According-to-the-Florida-Power-Rankings-Index-Preseason-Rankings-120x86.jpg)

![Robinson (Tampa) looks to make a run towards a 10th consecutive flag football state championship and 11th overall in program history this spring. [Robinson Flag Football/Instagram]](https://floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Tampa-Bay-Preseason-Flag-Football-Preview-Rankings-Robinson-120x86.jpg)

![Miami Edison, which captured their first flag football state championship in 2025 will be among the top teams in South Florida to start off the 2026 season. [Miami Edison Flag Football/Instagram]](https://floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/South-Florida-Flag-Preseason-Top-25-Analysis-2026-120x86.jpg)

![Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) will be among the Northeast Florida teams to kickoff their 2025 season this week. [X/@AthleticsTca]](https://floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Week-1-2025-schedule-Northeast-Florida-75x75.jpg)
