TAMPA BAY TOP 25: Lakeland Holds No. 1 as Armwood Surges to No. 2 and Sumner, Plant Make Major Moves

The Tampa Bay Top 25 undergoes substantial movement after Week 3, even with Lakeland maintaining its grip on the No. 1 position.

The Dreadnaughts fall 32-25 to Venice but remain the region’s highest-rated team, while Armwood makes a three-position jump to No. 2 following a 35-0 shutout of Plant City. Tampa Bay Tech remains No. 3 after blanking Jefferson 38-0, while Carrollwood Day and Clearwater Central Catholic round out the top five.

Some of the biggest movement occurs farther down. Lake Wales climbs three spots after winning at Winter Haven, Sumner surges seven positions following a 43-20 victory over Gaither, and Plant rockets 14 spots into the Top 25 after beating Hillsborough 34-8. Lennard also makes a 12-position climb, while Berkeley Prep jumps eight spots following a convincing win over Wiregrass Ranch.

FPRI Methodology Update

Readers may notice more movement than usual in this week’s FPRI rankings.

After reviewing how the first three weeks of the 2026 season were being reflected in the model, several refinements were made to better balance preseason expectations with actual on-field results. The changes were applied consistently across the entire statewide dataset and were not made to benefit or penalize individual teams.

The biggest update involves head-to-head results. FPRI now gives stronger recognition to statement wins over teams that entered a game rated significantly higher, but it does so in a controlled way. Rather than automatically transferring the defeated opponent’s full rating to the winner, the system moves the winning team part of the way toward that opponent’s pregame strength.

The model also now considers what happens after that win. A later loss to an elite or higher-rated opponent does not erase the value of an earlier statement victory, while a later loss to a significantly lower-rated opponent can reduce how much of that head-to-head boost remains.

Quality wins were also refined. Instead of using hard rating cutoffs that could create abrupt jumps in bonus value, the quality-win component now uses a smoother scale and gives more consideration to current-season performance when a team has already exceeded its preseason expectation.

A 35-point per-game margin-of-victory cap has also been added to the rating calculation. Actual scores and point differentials remain unchanged in the published statistics, but margins beyond 35 points no longer continue increasing a team’s rating. This helps prevent extreme blowouts from carrying too much weight in the overall formula.

Preseason ratings still remain part of FPRI early in the season because the sample size is small, but that influence continues to decline as more games are played and more 2026 data becomes available. Because these refinements are being applied to games already played this season, some teams may make larger-than-normal moves in this week’s rankings.

That movement is expected as the model adjusts to the stronger body of current-season evidence. As the season progresses, FPRI should naturally become more stable while remaining responsive to meaningful wins, losses, opponent strength and head-to-head results.

Lakeland Holds No. 1 Despite Loss to Venice

Lakeland remains No. 1 in Tampa Bay, but Week 3 provides the Dreadnaughts with their first setback of the season.

Venice defeated Lakeland 32-25 in one of the highest-profile games anywhere in Florida, sending the Dreadnaughts down seven positions in the statewide FPRI to No. 12. Within Tampa Bay, however, Lakeland remains on top with an 84.39 rating.

The result illustrates an important distinction between losing a game and completely surrendering an established rating position. Venice entered as a highly regarded opponent, and a seven-point loss against that level of competition does not carry the same effect as a defeat against a substantially lower-rated team. Lakeland also began Week 3 with enough separation in its underlying profile to remain slightly ahead of the teams chasing it.

That margin has narrowed considerably.

Armwood now sits only 2.50 rating points behind Lakeland, meaning the regional lead is no longer comfortable. Week 4 also gives the Dreadnaughts another enormous test when they travel to Kissimmee to face Osceola, which just defeated Lake Mary and surged to No. 2 in Central Florida.

Lakeland therefore enters Week 4 still No. 1 in Tampa Bay, but with far less room for error than it had a week ago.

Armwood Surges Into the No. 2 Position

Armwood makes the biggest move among the region’s elite teams after dominating Plant City 35-0.

The Hawks climb three positions from No. 5 to No. 2 with an 81.89 FPRI rating and rise nine spots statewide to No. 16.

Armwood’s 24.4 strength-of-schedule rating is particularly significant. It is one of the strongest figures anywhere in the Tampa Bay Top 25 and gives the FPRI substantial context when evaluating the Hawks against teams with less demanding early schedules.

The shutout of Plant City strengthens that profile further. Armwood did not merely win; the Hawks completely controlled a team that entered Week 3 carrying meaningful opponent-strength information of its own.

The 35-point margin also reaches the new FPRI cap exactly. Any additional scoring beyond that point would not have increased Armwood’s rating value from the margin-of-victory component.

Armwood now sits only 2.50 points behind Lakeland and gets a district matchup Thursday when Spoto visits Lyle Flagg Field.

Tampa Bay Tech Holds No. 3 After Another Shutout

Tampa Bay Tech remains No. 3 after shutting out Jefferson 38-0.

The Titans carry a 79.53 rating and remain only 2.36 points behind Armwood. Tampa Bay Tech also owns an 11.3 strength-of-schedule figure, giving the FPRI a stronger opponent profile than several teams immediately below it.

The result itself reaches the 35-point rating cap, meaning the Titans receive the full permitted margin value without the extra three points continuing to inflate the calculation.

More importantly, Tampa Bay Tech continues supplying positive current-season evidence. While several teams around the region are experiencing major swings, the Titans have remained much more stable near the top.

That stability gets tested immediately in Week 4 when Tampa Bay Tech travels to Plant for a district matchup. Plant has just made one of the largest jumps in the entire Tampa Bay Top 25, creating a direct comparison between the established No. 3 team and one of this week’s fastest risers.

Carrollwood Day Remains No. 4 After Another Rout

Carrollwood Day falls two positions but remains firmly inside the top five after overwhelming Northside Christian 76-0.

The Patriots now carry a 78.37 rating and sit No. 4 in the region.

The score provides a clear example of why the 35-point margin-of-victory cap was added to FPRI. Carrollwood Day won by 76 points, but the rating calculation stops awarding additional margin value once the lead reaches 35.

That prevents an extreme result against one opponent from having disproportionate influence over the full rating.

Carrollwood Day’s slight decline in the rankings therefore has less to do with anything the Patriots did wrong and more to do with the amount of stronger information generated elsewhere, particularly Armwood’s shutout of Plant City.

The Patriots travel to Steinbrenner on Thursday night in Week 4.

Clearwater Central Catholic Rounds Out the Top Five

Clearwater Central Catholic falls one position to No. 5 with a 77.16 rating.

The Marauders did not add a Week 3 result, which allowed Armwood and other programs with fresh current-season information to gain ground around them.

That is increasingly important as the season progresses. A team does not necessarily become weaker during an open week, but the rankings can still move when other teams add victories, losses and opponent-strength data that were not previously available.

Clearwater Central Catholic remains well positioned despite the movement and carries a 13.4 strength-of-schedule figure.

Week 4 provides a particularly important matchup when No. 14 Calvary Christian visits Clearwater Central Catholic in district play. With both teams inside the Top 15, the result gives the FPRI another clean head-to-head comparison.

Mitchell Remains Strong While Jesuit Moves Up

Mitchell remains No. 6 after overwhelming Fivay 50-0.

The Mustangs now carry a 75.32 rating, though their early strength-of-schedule figure remains significantly lower than several teams around them. That means future results will become increasingly important as more current-season information replaces the preseason baseline.

The 50-point win also reaches the FPRI margin cap. Mitchell receives rating credit through a 35-point differential, but the additional 15 points do not keep increasing the rating.

Jesuit moves one position from No. 8 to No. 7 after beating Vanguard 24-21.

That victory carries a different kind of value.

Vanguard entered as one of North Central Florida’s strongest teams and brought a demanding schedule profile into the matchup. Jesuit therefore gains useful opponent-strength information from a competitive victory rather than simply accumulating another large margin.

The Tigers now carry a 74.58 rating and are only 0.74 points behind Mitchell.

Jesuit opens district play against Blake in Week 4, while Mitchell has an open week.

Lake Wales Climbs After Winning at Winter Haven

Lake Wales makes one of the stronger moves in the upper half, climbing three positions from No. 11 to No. 8 following a 41-14 victory at Winter Haven.

The Highlanders now carry a 73.65 FPRI rating and rise 16 positions statewide to No. 35.

Lake Wales also owns a 12.6 strength-of-schedule figure, which gives the FPRI meaningful context around its current-season performance.

That becomes particularly important when comparing teams clustered tightly together. Lake Wales sits only 0.93 points behind Jesuit and 2.10 ahead of Clearwater.

Week 4 begins district play with a trip to Lake Region, giving the Highlanders an opportunity to reinforce a top-10 position that has strengthened considerably this week.

Clearwater Continues Climbing

Clearwater moves one position to No. 9 after shutting out Countryside 26-0.

The Tornadoes carry a 71.55 rating and rise four positions statewide to No. 43.

The result continues a steady early-season climb rather than the dramatic single-week movement seen elsewhere. Clearwater’s 9.2 strength-of-schedule figure also gives the FPRI useful information as the Tornadoes begin separating themselves from the large group immediately behind them.

Clearwater is now 0.95 rating points ahead of No. 10 Sumner.

The Tornadoes travel to St. Petersburg in Week 4 for a district matchup that gives them another direct regional comparison.

Sumner Rockets Seven Spots Into the Top 10

Sumner makes one of the defining moves of this week’s Tampa Bay rankings.

The Stingrays defeated Gaither 43-20 and climb seven positions from No. 17 to No. 10 with a 70.60 FPRI rating.

Their statewide movement is even more dramatic.

Sumner rises 51 positions to No. 47 overall, reflecting how strongly the current-season result changes its profile relative to the preseason baseline.

The victory is particularly valuable because Gaither entered Week 3 at No. 7 in Tampa Bay. Sumner therefore had an opportunity to provide the FPRI with a direct comparison against a team sitting substantially higher in the regional order and took advantage of it.

Gaither falls five positions to No. 12 as a result.

Sumner’s rise puts the Stingrays only 0.95 points behind Clearwater and firmly establishes them inside the top 10 heading into a Thursday matchup with Durant.

Lakeland Christian Slips Despite 63-0 Victory

Lakeland Christian presents another clear example of why rankings movement is relative.

The Vikings defeated Fort Meade 63-0 but fall two positions from No. 9 to No. 11 with a 69.08 rating.

That does not mean the victory harmed Lakeland Christian.

The margin-of-victory cap means the rating calculation stops adding value beyond 35 points, while teams such as Sumner created more valuable new information through head-to-head wins over stronger-rated opponents.

Lakeland Christian also carries a significantly negative early strength-of-schedule figure, giving the FPRI less opponent-strength support than several teams around it.

The Vikings remain only 1.52 points behind Sumner and host Saint Andrew’s in Week 4.

Gaither Falls After Sumner Loss

Gaither drops five positions from No. 7 to No. 12 following its 43-20 loss to Sumner.

The Cowboys now carry a 68.11 rating.

This is one of the week’s clearest head-to-head movements. Sumner entered ranked well below Gaither, beat the Cowboys by 23 points and subsequently moved ahead of them.

That does not erase Gaither’s entire profile, but it gives the FPRI a strong piece of current-season evidence when comparing the two programs directly.

Gaither now gets another important Tampa Bay matchup Thursday when East Lake visits Ron Allen Field in district play.

East Lake has climbed seven positions to No. 22, making that game particularly relevant to the next rankings update.

Plant Rockets 14 Spots Into the Top 15

Plant makes one of the largest jumps anywhere in Tampa Bay after defeating Hillsborough 34-8.

The Panthers climb 14 positions, from No. 27 to No. 13, and surge 77 positions statewide to No. 65.

Plant now carries a 66.39 rating and a 9.3 strength-of-schedule figure.

That is a major departure from where the Panthers sat only one week ago and reflects how quickly current-season results can replace preseason assumptions when a team produces convincing performances.

The 26-point win over Hillsborough gives the FPRI a substantial new data point without reaching the margin cap, meaning the full differential remains part of the rating calculation.

Plant’s reward is immediate: the Panthers now sit inside the top 15 and get a chance to validate that move against No. 3 Tampa Bay Tech on Thursday.

Few Week 4 games provide a cleaner opportunity to determine whether a massive rise is sustainable.

Calvary Christian and Auburndale Hold Their Ground

Calvary Christian falls two positions to No. 14 despite defeating Victory Christian 54-28.

The Warriors carry a 64.86 rating but also have one of the weakest early strength-of-schedule figures among the Top 25, which limits how much separation a convincing victory can create.

Auburndale remains No. 15 after shutting out Davenport 50-0.

Like several other teams this week, Auburndale reaches the 35-point margin cap and receives no additional rating value for the final 15 points of separation.

The Bloodhounds carry a 62.48 rating and remain only 0.57 points ahead of Zephyrhills.

Both teams face meaningful Week 4 games. Calvary Christian travels to No. 5 Clearwater Central Catholic, while Auburndale visits Bartow in district play.

Zephyrhills Falls as Land O’ Lakes Pulls the Upset

Zephyrhills experiences one of the more significant drops in the middle of the rankings after losing 9-7 to Land O’ Lakes.

The Bulldogs fall three positions from No. 13 to No. 16 with a 61.91 rating.

Land O’ Lakes moves in exactly the opposite direction.

The Gators were ranked No. 58 in Tampa Bay entering Week 3 and surge 31 positions to No. 27 following the victory. Statewide, Land O’ Lakes makes an extraordinary 178-position climb.

That is precisely the kind of statement result the refined head-to-head component is designed to recognize. Land O’ Lakes defeated an opponent that entered substantially higher and receives a major adjustment toward the strength suggested by that result.

Zephyrhills remains inside the Top 20 because the entire body of work still matters, but the direct loss significantly reduces the separation between the Bulldogs and the teams chasing them.

Zephyrhills travels to Springstead in Week 4, while Land O’ Lakes visits Cypress Creek.

Largo, Berkeley Prep and Lennard Make Major Gains

The portion of the rankings from No. 17 through No. 19 includes three teams heading sharply upward.

Largo climbs five positions to No. 17 following a 46-12 victory over Tarpon Springs. The Packers now carry a 61.09 rating and sit less than one point behind Zephyrhills.

Berkeley Prep moves eight positions from No. 26 to No. 18 after beating Wiregrass Ranch 35-7. The Buccaneers now carry a 60.08 rating and have moved directly back into the regional Top 20.

Lennard makes an even larger climb.

The Longhorns rise 12 positions from No. 31 to No. 19 after defeating St. Petersburg Catholic 32-14. Lennard also jumps 59 positions statewide and carries a 14.0 strength-of-schedule rating, one of the stronger figures among the teams in this portion of the rankings.

Those three moves dramatically tighten the middle of the Top 25.

Only 1.18 rating points separate No. 17 Largo from No. 19 Lennard.

Seffner Christian Holds No. 20 as Plant City Falls

Seffner Christian remains No. 20 following a 28-8 victory over Central Florida Christian.

The Crusaders carry a 59.12 rating and provide one of the more stable points in a portion of the rankings experiencing major movement.

Plant City is not nearly as fortunate.

The Raiders fall seven positions from No. 14 to No. 21 after the 35-0 loss to Armwood. Plant City’s 21.7 strength-of-schedule figure remains one of the strongest in the Top 25, which helps provide context for a defeat against the region’s new No. 2 team.

Still, the head-to-head result is decisive enough to push the Raiders out of the Top 20.

Plant City now sits only 0.28 points behind Seffner Christian and gets an immediate opportunity to rebound against Riverview in district play.

East Lake and East Bay Climb While Nature Coast Falls

East Lake climbs seven positions from No. 29 to No. 22 after overwhelming Osceola (Seminole) 55-7.

The Eagles now carry a 58.78 rating and put themselves back into the Top 25 after entering Week 3 outside it.

East Bay also produces positive movement, remaining No. 25 after beating Gibbs 26-14.

Between them, Keswick Christian sits No. 23 despite falling five positions, while Nature Coast drops eight spots from No. 16 to No. 24 after losing 7-0 to Tampa Catholic.

That result creates another significant head-to-head relationship.

Tampa Catholic entered Week 3 at No. 34 and jumps eight positions to No. 26 after shutting out Nature Coast. The Crusaders now sit only 0.62 points outside the Top 25.

Nature Coast, meanwhile, has much less breathing room than it did a week ago.

The Chase Just Outside the Top 25

Tampa Catholic is the first team out at No. 26 with a 57.40 rating following its 7-0 victory over Nature Coast.

Land O’ Lakes follows at No. 27 with a 56.88 rating after its upset of Zephyrhills. That massive climb makes the Gators one of the most important teams to watch immediately outside the rankings.

Frostproof sits No. 28 at 56.82 after losing 23-19 to Lemon Bay, while Santa Fe Catholic climbs 11 regional positions to No. 29 after overwhelming Legacy Charter 62-0.

St. Petersburg Catholic falls nine positions to No. 30 following its loss to Lennard.

The gap around the cutoff remains extremely small. Only 0.62 rating points separate No. 25 East Bay from No. 26 Tampa Catholic, while only 1.20 points separate East Bay from No. 27 Land O’ Lakes.

With several of those teams involved in meaningful Week 4 games, the final positions in the Top 25 remain highly vulnerable.

Week 4 Spotlight: Lakeland Heads to Osceola

The Tampa Bay No. 1 gets perhaps the most significant Week 4 matchup of any team in the region.

Lakeland travels to Kowboy Field on Friday night to face Osceola in a district matchup.

The timing could hardly be more interesting.

Lakeland enters after losing 32-25 to Venice but retaining the No. 1 Tampa Bay ranking. Osceola enters after defeating Lake Mary 17-9 and climbing from No. 12 to No. 2 in Central Florida, nearly erasing what had been a 31-point FPRI gap behind the Rams.

That gives Lakeland an immediate opportunity to strengthen its regional position against a team whose rating has just surged dramatically.

A Dreadnaught victory would provide powerful current-season evidence following the Venice loss. An Osceola victory would add another major result to a résumé already transformed by Week 3.

Several other Tampa Bay matchups also carry direct ranking implications.

No. 3 Tampa Bay Tech travels to No. 13 Plant on Thursday night. Plant just made a 14-position climb, while Tampa Bay Tech is trying to protect its place among the regional elite.

No. 5 Clearwater Central Catholic hosts No. 14 Calvary Christian in another direct Top 15 matchup.

No. 12 Gaither hosts No. 22 East Lake, giving the Eagles an opportunity to build on their return to the Top 25.

No. 10 Sumner hosts Durant after the Stingrays’ breakthrough victory over Gaither, while No. 19 Lennard hosts Newsome in district play.

Berkeley Prep welcomes Tampa Catholic, putting the No. 18 Buccaneers against the first team outside the Top 25. With only 2.68 rating points separating them, that result could create another meaningful shift around the cutoff.

Elsewhere, Armwood hosts Spoto, Carrollwood Day visits Steinbrenner, Jesuit hosts Blake, Lake Wales travels to Lake Region and Clearwater visits St. Petersburg.

Auburndale travels to Bartow, Zephyrhills visits Springstead, Largo heads to Sickles, East Bay travels to Hillsborough and Plant City visits Riverview.

Mitchell and Seffner Christian have open weeks.

Tampa Bay Is Developing a Much Tighter Race at the Top

Lakeland remains No. 1, but the shape of the Tampa Bay rankings is changing rapidly.

The Dreadnaughts’ loss to Venice has reduced their separation from the field, while Armwood’s dominant win over Plant City moves the Hawks into the No. 2 position and within 2.50 rating points of the regional lead.

Tampa Bay Tech remains steady at No. 3, while Carrollwood Day and Clearwater Central Catholic stay inside a top five that is beginning to separate itself from the rest of the region.

The more dramatic story, however, is the amount of movement underneath them.

Sumner has climbed seven positions into the top 10 after beating Gaither. Plant has surged 14 spots into the Top 15. Berkeley Prep is up eight positions, Lennard is up 12, East Lake has climbed seven and Land O’ Lakes has made a remarkable 31-position jump after beating Zephyrhills.

Those movements are not occurring in isolation.

Armwood has beaten Plant City.

Sumner has beaten Gaither.

Land O’ Lakes has beaten Zephyrhills.

Tampa Catholic has beaten Nature Coast.

Those head-to-head results give FPRI direct evidence about teams that previously depended much more heavily on preseason expectations and indirect comparisons.

At the same time, several large-margin victories are now being moderated by the 35-point cap, preventing teams from accumulating excessive rating value simply by continuing to score in already-decided games.

The result is a Tampa Bay picture increasingly shaped by who teams are beating, who those opponents have played and how the network of current-season results connects together.

Week 4 should provide another major step in that process.

Lakeland faces Osceola. Tampa Bay Tech faces Plant. Clearwater Central Catholic gets Calvary Christian. Gaither faces East Lake. Berkeley Prep gets Tampa Catholic.

Three weeks into the season, Tampa Bay still has a familiar name at No. 1.

The race underneath Lakeland is becoming considerably less familiar — and considerably more competitive.

Explore the Complete Florida Power Rankings Index

The Tampa Bay Top 25 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.

Explore the complete Florida Power Rankings Index →