Looking ahead to 2026

[Dr. D]

Since we can’t get this year’s brackets totally ironed out, why not briefly look ahead to the upcoming Open Division bracket.  Unless amended by the FHSAA Board of Directors, the Open Division will debut in 2026 as a mandatory (not optional) bracket for the top 8 teams in the FHSAA rankings after the regular season.  If the Open Division was in effect this year, these would be the opening round matchups:

• #8 Bolles @ #1 DeLand
• #5 Miami NW @ #4 Buchholz
• #6 Mandarin @ #3 Vero Beach
• #7 Carrollwood Day @ #2 Cardinal Mooney

Not terrible, but these are some of the teams left out (and their final ranking): Raines (#9); Armwood (#10); Edgewater (#12); Lakeland (#14); C-M (#15); STA (#17).  Once again, relying solely on computer rankings may not achieve the desired goals.   

[Perspective]

4 hours ago, Dr. D said:

Since we can’t get this year’s brackets totally ironed out, why not briefly look ahead to the upcoming Open Division bracket.  Unless amended by the FHSAA Board of Directors, the Open Division will debut in 2026 as a mandatory (not optional) bracket for the top 8 teams in the FHSAA rankings after the regular season.  If the Open Division was in effect this year, these would be the opening round matchups:

 

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• #8 Bolles @ #1 DeLand
• #5 Miami NW @ #4 Buchholz
• #6 Mandarin @ #3 Vero Beach
• #7 Carrollwood Day @ #2 Cardinal Mooney

Not terrible, but these are some of the teams left out (and their final ranking): Raines (#9); Armwood (#10); Edgewater (#12); Lakeland (#14); C-M (#15); STA (#17).  Once again, relying solely on computer rankings may not achieve the desired goals.   

I wish that the mandatory open division playoffs were happening this year . . . because if both Lakeland and STA got left out, all hell would break loose and the FHSAA would have to change things fast!   

[badbird]

On 11/7/2025 at 3:43 PM, Perspective said:

I wish that the mandatory open division playoffs were happening this year . . . because if both Lakeland and STA got left out, all hell would break loose and the FHSAA would have to change things fast!   

How many of these top 8 win a state title?  The open division is a great idea until you use the FHSAA rankings which suck.  

[PinellasFB]

On 11/7/2025 at 11:26 AM, Dr. D said:

Since we can’t get this year’s brackets totally ironed out, why not briefly look ahead to the upcoming Open Division bracket.  Unless amended by the FHSAA Board of Directors, the Open Division will debut in 2026 as a mandatory (not optional) bracket for the top 8 teams in the FHSAA rankings after the regular season.  If the Open Division was in effect this year, these would be the opening round matchups:

• #8 Bolles @ #1 DeLand
• #5 Miami NW @ #4 Buchholz
• #6 Mandarin @ #3 Vero Beach
• #7 Carrollwood Day @ #2 Cardinal Mooney

Not terrible, but these are some of the teams left out (and their final ranking): Raines (#9); Armwood (#10); Edgewater (#12); Lakeland (#14); C-M (#15); STA (#17).  Once again, relying solely on computer rankings may not achieve the desired goals.   

I'm stunned.  The whole purpose was to get STA, Chaminade, AHP, CCC, MNW, Miami Central, Venice, etc. into their own bracket.  The open division does not solve this at all.

[Dr. D]

19 hours ago, badbird said:

How many of these top 8 win a state title?  The open division is a great idea until you use the FHSAA rankings which suck.  

I looked back to last year and 4 of the top 8 teams in the end-of-regular-season rankings won state titles -- Venice, C-M, West Boca Raton, and AH-P.  I would put this year's over/under at 2 for state titles out of the current group.  

[Ray Icaza]

14 hours ago, PinellasFB said:

I'm stunned.  The whole purpose was to get STA, Chaminade, AHP, CCC, MNW, Miami Central, Venice, etc. into their own bracket.  The open division does not solve this at all.

It would have if the number of teams scooped up in that bracket was 16 like I believe it should be and they went with straight MaxPrep rankings. 

[nolebull813]

5 hours ago, Ray Icaza said:

It would have if the number of teams scooped up in that bracket was 16 like I believe it should be and they went with straight MaxPrep rankings. 

That would make every other bracket the worst in the history of the sport 

[Ray Icaza]

4 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

That would make every other bracket the worst in the history of the sport 

Perspective my friend as the OPEN CHAMPION would be declared the only STATE CHAMPION.  However, there are still many good, solid programs out there that could compete for a GOLD, SILVER & BRONZE championship award with fair competition in each and every bracket as most observers would declare what we currently have today is closer to your "Worst in History" declaration.   Less teams would resign themselves to leave the FHSAA as is happening today due to the lack of hope in reaching a desired goal.  But what do I know when disagreeing with the "ALL KNOWING ORACLE OF DELPHI"!

[nolebull813]

5 hours ago, Ray Icaza said:

Perspective my friend as the OPEN CHAMPION would be declared the only STATE CHAMPION.  However, there are still many good, solid programs out there that could compete for a GOLD, SILVER & BRONZE championship award with fair competition in each and every bracket as most observers would declare what we currently have today is closer to your "Worst in History" declaration.   Less teams would resign themselves to leave the FHSAA as is happening today due to the lack of hope in reaching a desired goal.  But what do I know when disagreeing with the "ALL KNOWING ORACLE OF DELPHI"!

So if that was the case then that would be ok. But that would never happen. If they just called the open winner the “state champion” and the rest of the winners the “Gold bracket champ”, “silver bracket champ” etc etc

Only the FHSAA can take something that is the worst in history and make it worse!

[badbird]

The open division should automatically include STA.