![Pensacola Catholic has moved to the No. 1 spot in the Panhandle Power 10 rankings after defeating Pace in Week 2. [Photo Courtesy of Pensacola Catholic High School]](https://i0.wp.com/floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/FPRI-Panhandle-Power-10-Week-of-Aug-30-2026.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1)
Week 2 brought the first major shakeup at the top of the Panhandle Power 10, and Pensacola Catholic was responsible for it. The Crusaders beat Pace 51-33 in one of the region’s most important early-season matchups, turning a head-to-head victory over the previous No. 1 team into a two-spot climb all the way to the top.
Madison County also moves up two places to No. 2 after handling Gadsden County 34-6, while Pace slips to No. 3 following its first loss. Mosley moves up to fourth after surviving Godby 32-31, and Blountstown falls three spots to No. 5 after a 21-6 loss to Bay.
The biggest movement, however, comes deeper in the rankings. Tate jumps five places to No. 6 after edging Milton 24-21, Chiles rockets 10 spots to No. 8 after beating Florida High 24-14, and Bay makes an identical 10-position leap to No. 10 after its victory over Blountstown.
Panhandle Power 10
| # | ± | Team | Record | Rating | SOS | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ↑ 2 | Pensacola Catholic | 2-0 | -11.80 | Class 2A | |
| 2 | ↑ 2 | Madison County (Madison) | 2-0 | -16.20 | Class 1A | |
| 3 | ↓ 2 | Pace | 1-1 | 25.10 | Class 5A | |
| 4 | ↑ 1 | Mosley (Lynn Haven) | 2-0 | -13.90 | Class 4A | |
| 5 | ↓ 3 | Blountstown | 1-1 | 12.90 | Class 1A | |
| 6 | ↑ 5 | Tate (Cantonment) | 2-0 | -16.00 | Class 5A | |
| 7 | ↓ 1 | Aucilla Christian (Monticello) | 2-1 | 8.80 | SSAA 11-Man | |
| 8 | ↑ 10 | Chiles (Tallahassee) | 2-0 | 0.20 | Class 4A | |
| 9 | ↓ 2 | Taylor County (Perry) | 1-1 | -2.30 | Class 1A | |
| 10 | ↑ 10 | Bay (Panama City) | 1-1 | 5.70 | Class 3A |
Pensacola Catholic Takes Control
Pensacola Catholic’s rise to No. 1 is as straightforward as it gets: the Crusaders beat the team that had been sitting there. Pace entered Week 2 on top of the region, but Pensacola Catholic scored 51 points in a 51-33 victory and moved from No. 3 to No. 1 with a 71.63 FPRI rating.
The result also gives the Crusaders a 2-0 start and immediately strengthens their early-season profile. With preseason influence still present but shrinking, a direct win over the regional No. 1 carries considerably more meaning than where either team began in August.
Pace does not collapse after the loss, slipping only two spots to No. 3 with a 66.75 rating. The Patriots are still firmly in the upper tier of the region, but the head-to-head result gave Pensacola Catholic the opening it needed to take over.
Madison County Moves to No. 2
Madison County quietly continues building one of the strongest résumés in the Panhandle. The Cowboys followed a 38-0 opening win over Lecanto with a 34-6 victory over Gadsden County, improving to 2-0 and climbing to No. 2 with a 68.10 rating.
That makes Madison County one of only two teams in the current top three without a loss. More importantly, the Cowboys have not needed a close finish yet, outscoring their first two opponents 72-6.
Mosley also moves up one spot to No. 4 after escaping Godby 32-31. It was nothing like Madison County’s comfortable win, but surviving a one-point game still gives the Dolphins another positive result to build on as the preseason portion of the FPRI continues to fade.
Blountstown Falls While Tate, Chiles and Bay Surge
The middle and lower portions of the Power 10 experienced the biggest reshuffling. Blountstown entered Week 2 ranked second but fell to No. 5 after losing 21-6 to Bay, creating one of the largest swings involving two ranked teams. Bay took full advantage, jumping 10 positions from No. 20 to No. 10 with a 55.02 rating.
Tate is another major riser, moving five spots to No. 6 after beating Milton 24-21. The Aggies now carry a 58.78 rating and have pushed themselves firmly into the upper half of the regional rankings.
Chiles made the largest leap alongside Bay, climbing from No. 18 to No. 8 after a 24-14 victory over Florida High. The Timberwolves now sit at 56.80, giving the lower half of the Power 10 a very different look than it had one week ago.
Aucilla Christian remains in the mix at No. 7 despite a 54-7 loss to Holmes County, while Taylor County slips two places to No. 9 after falling 25-19 to Wakulla.
The Cut Line Is Razor Thin
The race around the No. 10 position is already becoming one of the most interesting parts of the Panhandle rankings. Bay holds the final Power 10 spot at 55.02, but Wakulla sits No. 11 at 55.00 — a difference of just 0.02 rating points.
Florida High is No. 12 at 54.66, Maclay is No. 13 at 54.54, Walton is No. 14 at 54.52 and Lincoln is No. 15 at 54.50. Only 0.52 points separate Bay at No. 10 from Lincoln at No. 15, meaning one strong result could reshuffle nearly the entire bottom of the rankings.
Walton helped its own case in Week 2 with a 41-6 win over Arnold, while Wakulla stayed close to the cutoff after beating Taylor County. Choctawhatchee, meanwhile, drops to No. 16 after starting the season 0-2, including a 31-21 loss to Auburn in Week 2.
Week 3 Spotlight: Pensacola Catholic Gets Godby
The new No. 1 gets no time to settle into the position. Pensacola Catholic travels to Gene Cox Stadium on Thursday night to face Godby at 7 p.m. ET, just days after the Crusaders put 51 points on Pace.
Godby enters after coming within one point of beating Mosley, so this is not simply a victory lap for Pensacola Catholic. The Cougars showed in Week 2 that they can push one of the region’s highest-rated teams to the final possession, giving the Crusaders an immediate test of their new No. 1 ranking.
Madison County also faces a significant challenge Friday night when the Cowboys travel to Lake City to face Columbia at 7:30 p.m. ET. Madison County has been dominant through two weeks, but Week 3 offers a much different type of test against a team that has already won two competitive games.
Pace will try to rebound at home against Choctawhatchee, while Mosley hosts Niceville at Tommy Oliver Stadium. Wakulla travels to Chiles in another matchup that could directly affect the Power 10 cutoff, and Aucilla Christian hosts Maclay with both teams sitting inside the broader regional top 15.
Week 2 Changed the Shape of the Region
The most important development is obvious: Pensacola Catholic beat Pace and took over No. 1. But the bigger story is how much movement happened around that result.
Madison County climbed into second. Mosley moved to fourth. Tate jumped five spots. Chiles and Bay each climbed 10. Blountstown fell three places, while only half a rating point now separates No. 10 from No. 15.
That is exactly what should happen this early in the season. The preseason provided the initial framework, but two weeks of actual results are already forcing the FPRI to reassess where teams belong.
The Panhandle Power 10 looked considerably different after Week 2. With several ranked teams facing meaningful opponents in Week 3, there is little reason to expect it to settle down yet.
Explore the Complete Florida Power Rankings Index
The Panhandle Power 10 is part of FloridaHSFootball.com’s Enhanced Florida Power Rankings Index, which ranks all 587 football teams in Florida — 563 11-man teams and 24 8-man teams — while also powering the Florida Power 25, classification rankings and eight regional rankings throughout the season.
As more games are played, current performance and opponent strength will continue replacing preseason information within the ratings.
