The regional pecking order is set. Now it is time to look at the races that ultimately matter when the postseason arrives.
The Enhanced Florida Power Rankings Index (FPRI) preseason classification rankings bring together teams competing for the same championship paths, establishing an opening order across Classes 6A through 1A along with the SSAA and independent classifications.
At the top, there are plenty of familiar names.
Lake Mary leads Class 6A. St. Thomas Aquinas starts atop Class 5A. Miami Northwestern gets the first nod in Class 4A. Raines sits comfortably ahead of the Class 3A field. Cardinal Newman leads a loaded Class 2A, and Hawthorne begins No. 1 in Class 1A.
Those are the starting points.
What happens once the regular season begins will decide how long they last.
One important note: preseason and kickoff classic games do not count toward the FPRI and will not affect the rankings. The first movement in the rankings will come from regular-season results.
Explore the Full Florida Power Rankings Index
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View the complete Florida Power Rankings Index →
Class 6A Starts With Lake Mary, but the Depth Is Behind It
Lake Mary gets the opening No. 1 in Class 6A with a 94.12 rating.
Venice follows at No. 2 with an 86.52, while Vero Beach sits third at 83.82. West Broward is only two-hundredths of a point behind Vero Beach at No. 4, and Edgewater rounds out the Top 5 at 83.16.
That creates an interesting shape to the classification.
Lake Mary has some preseason separation at the top, but Nos. 3 through 5 are packed tightly enough that one or two significant early results could change the order quickly.
Dr. Phillips starts sixth, followed by DeLand, West Orange, Spruce Creek and Jupiter.
Lake Mary owns the first No. 1.
Class 6A has enough contenders behind the Rams to make keeping it another matter entirely.
Class 5A Might Have the Strongest Top Four in Florida
There is no gentle introduction to Class 5A.
St. Thomas Aquinas opens at No. 1 with a 99.20 rating.
West Boca Raton is right behind at 95.98.
Lakeland sits third at 94.73.
Buchholz is fourth at 92.37.
All four also sit among the highest-rated teams in the entire state.
Then comes Armwood at No. 5, meaning even getting through the first handful of teams requires navigating programs accustomed to playing deep into November and December.
Nease is sixth, followed by Miami Southridge, Mandarin, Oakleaf and Archbishop McCarthy.
St. Thomas Aquinas starts in the familiar position of being the team everyone is chasing who is going after their eigth straight state championship.
There are plenty of teams equipped to chase.
Miami Northwestern and American Heritage Are Nearly Side by Side in Class 4A
Class 4A begins with one of the tightest races for No. 1.
Miami Northwestern opens at 97.06.
American Heritage (Plantation) is second at 96.06.
One point separates them.
Jones gives the classification another heavyweight at No. 3 with an 88.79 rating, while St. Augustine is fourth at 87.34.
Then comes a more substantial break to Atlantic at No. 5.
Port Charlotte, Lake Wales, Miami Norland, Bishop Moore and Jesuit complete the preseason Power 10.
Northwestern gets the first No. 1.
American Heritage begins close enough that there is no reason to treat it as anything more than an opening edge.
Raines Has Room Between Itself and the Rest of Class 3A
If Class 4A starts tight, Class 3A starts very differently.
Raines opens with a 101.14 rating, the highest mark of any FHSAA-classified team in the preseason FPRI.
Cardinal Mooney is No. 2 at 96.46.
Then comes Miami Central at 84.04.
That gives Raines and Cardinal Mooney considerable numerical separation from the rest of the opening field, although Miami Central is not exactly the kind of program anyone dismisses because of an August rating.
Eau Gallie starts fourth, Dillard fifth and Bishop Verot sixth.
Glades Central, Cardinal Gibbons, Bishop Kenny and The Villages complete the Top 10.
For now, Class 3A looks like a race with two teams clearly in front.
Football has a way of complicating those things.
Class 2A Is Loaded Before Anyone Plays a Down
There may not be a more intriguing preseason classification than Class 2A.
Cardinal Newman opens No. 1 with a 93.05 rating.
Chaminade-Madonna is No. 2 at 88.36.
Bolles sits third at 85.50.
Cocoa is fourth at 77.73.
Those four names alone give the classification plenty of weight.
The middle of the Power 10 does not offer much relief, either.
Clearwater Central Catholic and The First Academy both enter with identical 73.93 ratings, followed by Bradford, Pensacola Catholic, Immaculata-La Salle and Lakewood.
Cardinal Newman gets the preseason edge, but this is not a classification where anyone should feel comfortable in August.
There are too many teams with legitimate reasons to expect December football.
Hawthorne Has the Early Separation in Class 1A
Hawthorne begins Class 1A at No. 1 with an 84.04 rating.
Carrollwood Day follows at 77.79, creating a noticeable gap between the first two teams and another drop before Blountstown at No. 3 with a 69.39.
True North is fourth and Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) fifth.
Chiefland, Lakeland Christian, Madison County, Pahokee and Taylor County round out the Top 10.
The classification mixes programs from every corner of the state, but Hawthorne enters with the clearest numerical advantage.
That gives the Hornets the first target on their back.
Jupiter Christian and NSU University School Are Almost Even in SSAA 11-Man
You cannot get much tighter than the top of SSAA 11-Man.
Jupiter Christian opens No. 1 with a 65.59 rating.
NSU University School is No. 2 at 65.54.
That is a difference of 0.05 points.
Aucilla Christian begins third, followed by Out-of-Door and St. Joseph.
Florida Christian, Monsignor Pace, Maclay, Seffner Christian and Christ’s Church Academy complete the preseason Power 10.
There may be a No. 1 next to Jupiter Christian’s name.
There is essentially no daylight behind it.
American Heritage Gets the First Nod in SSAA Atlantic
American Heritage (Delray Beach) begins the season atop SSAA Atlantic with a 68.95 rating.
West Nassau is second at 66.88, while Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale) opens third at 61.56.
Lafayette and Space Coast round out the Top 5.
Frostproof, Branford, King’s Academy, LaBelle and Fernandina Beach fill out the rest of the preseason Power 10.
Unlike some classifications with a dominant preseason favorite, the Atlantic division begins with multiple teams close enough to make the opening order worth watching immediately.
Real Life Christian Leads the SSAA 8-Man Field
Real Life Christian opens No. 1 in SSAA 8-Man with a 66.88 rating.
Merritt Island Christian is not far behind at 64.73, followed by Shorecrest Prep at 60.81 and Donahue Academy at 57.59. Florida Deaf and Blind rounds out the Top 5.
Bradenton Christian sits sixth, with Ocala Christian, Hernando Christian, Foundation Christian and Academy at the Lakes completing the Top 10.
The first two teams have an early edge.
There is enough depth behind them to keep the race from feeling settled before it begins.
Windermere Leads Independent League A
Windermere enters 2026 at No. 1 in Independent League A with a 69.80 rating.
The gap behind the Wolverines is substantial.
Umatilla starts second at 51.30, followed by Innovation, Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines) and Oasis.
South Broward, Hallandale, Cooper City, Hollywood Hills and Oak Ridge complete the Power 10.
Of all the classification leaders, Windermere begins with one of the more pronounced numerical advantages over the field.
Mount Dora Christian Opens on Top in Independent League B
Independent League B begins with Mount Dora Christian at No. 1 with a 61.29 rating.
Lake Highland Prep follows at 55.57, with Foundation Academy third, The Masters Academy fourth and Southwest Florida Christian fifth.
Jay, Providence, Oak Hall, Holy Trinity and Santa Fe Catholic round out the Top 10.
Mount Dora Christian has the early separation.
The rest of the classification begins much more tightly packed.
IMG Academy National Is in Its Own Territory Among Independents
Then there is the Independent classification.
IMG Academy National opens at 105.70.
IMG Academy Junior National is second at 62.16.
That is not a typo.
The gap reflects the very different level at which IMG Academy National operates, with the Ascenders building a schedule that extends well beyond Florida and competing in the national conversation rather than an FHSAA championship bracket.
Coral Reef starts third, followed by Reagan and SFA Academy.
Cornerstone Charter, Ferguson, Zarephath Academy, Varela and Hialeah Gardens round out the preseason Top 10.
For IMG Academy National, the question is not whether it begins No. 1 among Florida’s independents.
It is how the Ascenders stack up against the best teams in the state and beyond.
The Rankings Start Here, Not Finish Here
Every classification has a preseason No. 1.
Lake Mary.
St. Thomas Aquinas.
Miami Northwestern.
Raines.
Cardinal Newman.
Hawthorne.
Jupiter Christian.
American Heritage (Delray Beach).
Real Life Christian.
Windermere.
Mount Dora Christian.
IMG Academy National.
Those names establish the opening order.
Nothing guarantees they will still be there when the games that count start reshaping the rankings.
Preseason and kickoff classic results will not be factored into the FPRI. Once the regular season begins, actual results, opponent strength and team performance will increasingly drive the ratings.
Some of these No. 1 teams will strengthen their grip.
Others will get caught.
And across 12 separate classification races, there will be plenty of opportunities for the numbers to change their mind.
That starts when the games start counting.
Want to See Where Every Team Ranks?
The classification Power 10s are only part of the full FPRI.
Explore the Florida Power 25, every classification ranking, all eight regional rankings, SSAA classifications and independent rankings throughout the 2026 season.
Every ranking is free to view.
Explore the complete Florida Power Rankings Index →
2026 Preseason Classification Power Rankings
Class 6A Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Lake Mary | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 2 | — | Venice | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 3 | — | Vero Beach | — | — | Space & Treasure Coast | |
| 4 | — | West Broward (Pembroke Pines) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 5 | — | Edgewater (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 6 | — | Dr. Phillips (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 7 | — | DeLand | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 8 | — | West Orange (Winter Garden) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 9 | — | Spruce Creek (Port Orange) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 10 | — | Jupiter | — | — | South Florida |
Class 5A Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 2 | — | West Boca Raton | — | — | South Florida | |
| 3 | — | Lakeland | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 4 | — | Buchholz (Gainesville) | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 5 | — | Armwood (Seffner) | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 6 | — | Nease (Ponte Vedra) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 7 | — | Miami Southridge | — | — | South Florida | |
| 8 | — | Mandarin (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 9 | — | Oakleaf (Orange Park) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 10 | — | Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches) | — | — | South Florida |
Class 4A Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Miami Northwestern | — | — | South Florida | |
| 2 | — | American Heritage (Plantation) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 3 | — | Jones (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 4 | — | St. Augustine | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 5 | — | Atlantic (Delray Beach) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 6 | — | Port Charlotte | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 7 | — | Lake Wales | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 8 | — | Miami Norland | — | — | South Florida | |
| 9 | — | Bishop Moore (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 10 | — | Jesuit (Tampa) | — | — | Tampa Bay |
Class 3A Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Raines (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 2 | — | Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 3 | — | Miami Central | — | — | South Florida | |
| 4 | — | Eau Gallie (Melbourne) | — | — | Space & Treasure Coast | |
| 5 | — | Dillard (Fort Lauderdale) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 6 | — | Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 7 | — | Glades Central (Belle Glade) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 8 | — | Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 9 | — | Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 10 | — | The Villages | — | — | North Central Florida |
Class 2A Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 2 | — | Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 3 | — | Bolles (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 4 | — | Cocoa | — | — | Space & Treasure Coast | |
| 5 | — | Clearwater Central Catholic | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 6 | — | The First Academy (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 7 | — | Bradford (Starke) | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 8 | — | Pensacola Catholic | — | — | Panhandle | |
| 9 | — | Immaculata-La Salle (Miami) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 10 | — | Lakewood (St. Petersburg) | — | — | Tampa Bay |
Class 1A Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Hawthorne | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 2 | — | Carrollwood Day (Tampa) | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 3 | — | Blountstown | — | — | Panhandle | |
| 4 | — | True North (Miami) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 5 | — | Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 6 | — | Chiefland | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 7 | — | Lakeland Christian | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 8 | — | Madison County (Madison) | — | — | Panhandle | |
| 9 | — | Pahokee | — | — | South Florida | |
| 10 | — | Taylor County (Perry) | — | — | Panhandle |
SSAA 11-Man Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Jupiter Christian | — | — | South Florida | |
| 2 | — | NSU University School (Fort Lauderdale) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 3 | — | Aucilla Christian (Monticello) | — | — | Panhandle | |
| 4 | — | Out-of-Door (Sarasota) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 5 | — | St. Joseph (St. Augustine) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 6 | — | Florida Christian (Miami) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 7 | — | Monsignor Pace (Miami) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 8 | — | Maclay (Tallahassee) | — | — | Panhandle | |
| 9 | — | Seffner Christian | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 10 | — | Christ’s Church Academy (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida |
SSAA Atlantic Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | American Heritage (Delray Beach) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 2 | — | West Nassau (Callahan) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 3 | — | Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 4 | — | Lafayette (Mayo) | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 5 | — | Space Coast (Cocoa) | — | — | Space & Treasure Coast | |
| 6 | — | Frostproof | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 7 | — | Branford | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 8 | — | King’s Academy (West Palm Beach) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 9 | — | LaBelle | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 10 | — | Fernandina Beach | — | — | Northeast Florida |
SSAA 8-Man Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Real Life Christian (Clermont) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 2 | — | Merritt Island Christian | — | — | Space & Treasure Coast | |
| 3 | — | Shorecrest Prep (St. Petersburg) | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 4 | — | Donahue Academy (Ave Maria) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 5 | — | Florida Deaf and Blind (St. Augustine) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 6 | — | Bradenton Christian | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 7 | — | Ocala Christian | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 8 | — | Hernando Christian (Brooksville) | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 9 | — | Foundation Christian (Valrico) | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 10 | — | Academy at the Lakes (Land O’ Lakes) | — | — | Tampa Bay |
Ind. League A Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Windermere | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 2 | — | Umatilla | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 3 | — | Innovation (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 4 | — | Somerset Academy (Pembroke Pines) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 5 | — | Oasis (Cape Coral) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 6 | — | South Broward (Hollywood) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 7 | — | Hallandale | — | — | South Florida | |
| 8 | — | Cooper City | — | — | South Florida | |
| 9 | — | Hollywood Hills | — | — | South Florida | |
| 10 | — | Oak Ridge (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida |
Ind. League B Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | Mount Dora Christian | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 2 | — | Lake Highland Prep (Orlando) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 3 | — | Foundation Academy (Winter Garden) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 4 | — | The Masters Academy (Oviedo) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 5 | — | Southwest Florida Christian (Fort Myers) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 6 | — | Jay | — | — | Panhandle | |
| 7 | — | Providence (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 8 | — | Oak Hall (Gainesville) | — | — | North Central Florida | |
| 9 | — | Holy Trinity (Melbourne) | — | — | Space & Treasure Coast | |
| 10 | — | Santa Fe Catholic (Lakeland) | — | — | Tampa Bay |
Ind. Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | — | IMG Academy National (Bradenton) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 2 | — | IMG Academy Junior National (Bradenton) | — | — | Southwest Florida | |
| 3 | — | Coral Reef (Miami) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 4 | — | Reagan (Doral) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 5 | — | SFA Academy (Dover) | — | — | Tampa Bay | |
| 6 | — | Cornerstone Charter (Belle Isle) | — | — | Central Florida | |
| 7 | — | Ferguson (Miami) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 8 | — | Zarephath Academy (Jacksonville) | — | — | Northeast Florida | |
| 9 | — | Varela (Miami) | — | — | South Florida | |
| 10 | — | Hialeah Gardens | — | — | South Florida |
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