![Belleview is ranked No. 3 and has played the region's toughest schedule so far this season after two weeks in. [Belleview Flag Football]](https://floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/FPRI-North-Central-Florida-Rankings-and-Analysis-Week-3.jpg)
The latest rankings from the Florida Power Rankings Index are out for the North Central Florida Region along with the latest anaylsis for the North Central Florida Region Top 10 going into Week 3. For full view of all 24 teams in the North Central Florida region requires a Premium Season Ticket Membership (Yearly) or the Premium Monthly Season Ticket Membership. To subscribe, click here.
Rankings compiled from all games played through Saturday, Februray 28, 2026.
TOP 10 RANKINGS
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA TOP 10
| Rank | Trend | Team | Record | Rating | Class | PF | PA | Diff | SOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Wildwood | 0-0 | 75.02 | 1A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| 2 | — | Bradford (Starke) | 0-1 | 61.32 | 1A | 6 | 26 | -20 | 68.56 |
| 3 | — | Belleview | 4-1 | 53.18 | 3A | 146 | 33 | +113 | 23.06 |
| 4 | ↑ 1 | Santa Fe (Alachua) | 1-0 | 41.38 | 1A | 34 | 0 | +34 | 7.74 |
| 5 | ↑ 1 | Trinity Catholic (Ocala) | 2-1 | 41.33 | 1A | 87 | 45 | +42 | 12.88 |
| 6 | ↑ 1 | Suwannee (Live Oak) | 2-1 | 38.23 | 1A | 81 | 32 | +49 | 11.38 |
| 7 | ↓ 3 | Buchholz (Gainesville) | 0-0 | 33.59 | 3A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| 8 | — | Forest (Ocala) | 2-2 | 33.24 | 4A | 45 | 26 | +19 | 29.86 |
| 9 | ↑ 7 | South Sumter (Bushnell) | 4-0 | 22.78 | 1A | 125 | 6 | +119 | 2.55 |
| 10 | ↑ 1 | Vanguard (Ocala) | 1-0 | 20.73 | 2A | 25 | 6 | +19 | 15.38 |
TOP 10 ANALYSIS – AFTER WEEK 2
The Big Picture
The North Central Florida region’s top 10 heading into Week 3 is still very much a picture being painted rather than a finished product. At the top, Wildwood holds their position in waiting while Bradford’s willingness to schedule up against elite out-of-region competition keeps them firmly at second despite their record. Belleview has emerged as the region’s most battle-tested program, while the Trinity Catholic-South Sumter dynamic — with the Raiders holding a Week 1 head-to-head win over the returning Celtics — adds an intriguing layer to the middle of the rankings. This week’s schedule brings critical matchups that will begin to give the North Central Florida picture much more definition.
No. 1 Wildwood — Wildcats Hold the Top Spot While Awaiting Their Season Opener
Wildwood holds at No. 1 in North Central Florida with their season opener not scheduled until Week 5 on March 19. Their rating of 75.02 is built entirely on preseason metrics, and their schedule strength figure of 50.00 ranking 9th statewide reflects a program with no opponent data yet assigned. Their position atop the region is a product of their preseason standing, and with their first game still three weeks away, there is nothing to evaluate on the field yet. The more meaningful question is whether that standing holds once the Wildcats finally take the field in Week 5. For now, No. 1 is theirs to keep.
No. 2 Bradford — Tornadoes’ Schedule Speaks for Itself Despite Early Loss
Losing 26-6 to Florida High on Feb. 27 looks different when you consider the context. Florida High entered that game 4-0 with a plus-206 point differential and sits in the upper tier of the Panhandle region — and Bradford’s schedule strength figure of 68.56 ranks 2nd statewide, the strongest mark in the entire North Central Florida top 10 and one of the most demanding slates of any program in Florida. The Tornadoes are clearly not afraid of a fight, and their willingness to schedule elite out-of-region competition keeps them firmly at second. Tuesday brings one of the most intriguing cross-region games of the week when Bradford faces Paxon — the Northeast Florida region’s No. 4 team coming off a dominant 21-0 season-opening shutout. That result will carry real implications for both programs’ standings.
No. 3 Belleview — Rattlers Are the Region’s Most Battle-Tested Program
No program in North Central Florida has done more across two weeks of play than Belleview. The Rattlers beat Lake Weir 35-0 and Redeemer Christian 57-0 in Week 1, added wins over The Villages 35-0 on Feb. 24 and Lecanto 13-7 on Feb. 26, then dropped a 26-6 decision to Robinson on Feb. 28 — a program sitting atop the Tampa Bay region among the upper tier of all Florida programs statewide. At 4-1 with a point differential of plus-113 and a schedule strength figure of 23.06 ranking 204th statewide, Belleview has earned their position as the region’s most legitimate contender. Friday brings the She Is Football Tournament at the AdventHealth Training Facility at One Buccaneer Place in Tampa in association with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation, where Belleview faces East Bay — a program from the Tampa Bay region. Back-to-back weekends against Tampa Bay-area programs gives the Rattlers another chance to make a cross-region statement.
To continue reading the complete North Central Florida Region Top 10 analysis and complete regional rankings for all 24 teams — including schedule strength figures, statewide SOS rankings, and full breakdowns for every team along with games to watch for the week — consider becoming a Premium Season Ticket Member at FloridaHSFootball.com. Annual and monthly options are available. Your support helps keep independent high school sports journalism alive in Florida, and as one of the few truly independent outlets still covering prep sports in the state, every membership makes a difference.
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