"TOP 8" Open District .....

[DILLARDBOYZ954]

so are the teams being chosen to be in the top 8 open district or do they have a choice. 

because top teams like STA, miami central,miami northwestern,american heritage,chaminade & etc are all still in regular districts for the 2026-2028 classification change. @nolebull813

[MC Rockets]

2 minutes ago, DILLARDBOYZ954 said:

so are the teams being chosen to be in the top 8 open district or do they have a choice. 

because top teams like STA, miami central,miami northwestern,american heritage,chaminade & etc are all still in regular districts for the 2026-2028 classification change. @nolebull813

It's not considered a "district". Teams will be picked no matter the class they're in. So you can have a 1a school playing a 6a school, etc.

[Dr. D]

Based on the 8 highest ranked teams in the FHSAA Rankings at the end of the regular season.  Not optional if you're in the top 8.   

[DILLARDBOYZ954]

18 minutes ago, Dr. D said:

Based on the 8 highest ranked teams in the FHSAA Rankings at the end of the regular season.  Not optional if you're in the top 8.   

But what if youre not in the Top 8.

For example sta, chaminade,miami northwestern,west boca, miami central , American heritage are in my opinion all considered top 8. But thats 6 schools already.

So will it be top 8 from each county or top 8 in Florida.? If it's top 8 in florida then youre still gonna run into some problems. Because if theyre going to go off maxpreps rankings, its some teams ranked way lower then certain teams but would beat those same teams by 50.

But if its top 8 by each county and then all the top 8s play each other throughout the year and for a title in the end, then that would be a start. @MC Rockets

[MC Rockets]

2 minutes ago, DILLARDBOYZ954 said:

But what if youre not in the Top 8.

 

 

 

For example sta, chaminade,miami northwestern,west boca, miami central , American heritage are in my opinion all considered top 8. But thats 6 schools already.

 

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So will it be top 8 from each county or top 8 in Florida.? If it's top 8 in florida then youre still gonna run into some problems. Because if theyre going to go off maxpreps rankings, its some teams ranked way lower then certain teams but would beat those same teams by 50.

But if its top 8 by each county and then all the top 8s play each other throughout the year and for a title in the end, then that would be a start. @MC Rockets

Top 8 in Florida based on Maxpreps computer rating. It's gonna be horrible. 

[DILLARDBOYZ954]

1 hour ago, MC Rockets said:

Top 8 in Florida based on Maxpreps computer rating. It's gonna be horrible. 

Smh lord have mercy. So of youre in the top 8 and selected do that remove you from your district classification that came out last week ? And place u in the open bracket ?

[MC Rockets]

49 minutes ago, DILLARDBOYZ954 said:

Smh lord have mercy. So of youre in the top 8 and selected do that remove you from your district classification that came out last week ? And place u in the open bracket ?

That is absolutely correct. And to make matters worse, it's supposed to double elimination in the middle rounds. But not for the championship. 

[DILLARDBOYZ954]

25 minutes ago, MC Rockets said:

That is absolutely correct. And to make matters worse, it's supposed to double elimination in the middle rounds. But not for the championship. 

So when will it be determined whose chosen for the top 8?

[MC Rockets]

5 minutes ago, DILLARDBOYZ954 said:

So when will it be determined whose chosen for the top 8?

At the end of the season. 

[KeemD321]

2 hours ago, DILLARDBOYZ954 said:

Smh lord have mercy. So of youre in the top 8 and selected do that remove you from your district classification that came out last week ? And place u in the open bracket ?

They still play regular season schedule. The final maxprep/FHSAA rankings will determine the top 8. The top 8 in the state at the end of the season will be in the open division playoffs. More than likely the finals for the open will be the finale game of the title games to put more eyes on it

[h8r]

On 12/19/2025 at 6:51 PM, DILLARDBOYZ954 said:

But what if youre not in the Top 8.

For example sta, chaminade,miami northwestern,west boca, miami central , American heritage are in my opinion all considered top 8. But thats 6 schools already.

So will it be top 8 from each county or top 8 in Florida.? If it's top 8 in florida then youre still gonna run into some problems. Because if theyre going to go off maxpreps rankings, its some teams ranked way lower then certain teams but would beat those same teams by 50.

But if its top 8 by each county and then all the top 8s play each other throughout the year and for a title in the end, then that would be a start. @MC Rockets

good lord have mercy,

because i am the h8r, i cannot sit and read this without saying something.

seriously, what planet are you from?  you thought, after all the talk about the open division playoffs, that they would put those 6 teams from district play???? and then you follow up that by spewing top 8 teams from each county?  what in the actual he77 are you taking, because we all need some of it.  

the FINAL ranking BEFORE the playoffs are conducted, WHILE the playoff selection show is going on, THE FINAL RANKINGS WILL PULL THE TOP 8 TEAMS FROM THE FHSAA RANKINGS AND PLACE THEM INTO THE OPEN DIVISION PLAYOFFS.  

THEY DO NOT GO INTO THEIR OWN DISTRICT.

THIS WILL ADD 8 TEAMS INTO THE PLAYOFFS TO TAKE THEIR PLACE.

Floored I just read this, 

smfh

[PinellasFB]

Did I miss something?  There is an 8-team open playoff this year? That solves basically nothing since the rankings over-reward W-L record while the actual strongest teams in the state play national schedules and pile up out of state losses, hurting their rankings.  Here's how I would determine open division with a much simpler formula.  If you had 5+ transfers into your school then you are automatically promoted to open playoffs.  Simple as that and it will fix the transfer portal issue all by itself with no other regulation.

[nolebull813]

This is the worst idea the FHSAA has ever came up with and that’s saying something. It’s breathtaking how horrible it is. 
 

The reason is they are basically taking the best teams from an already embarrassing watered down playoff bracket and putting them together. Which makes one bracket good, and the rest disgustingly mediocre. 
 

Someone with power hates football in Florida. This is sabotage if i have ever seen it 

[PinellasFB]

On 1/3/2026 at 7:55 PM, nolebull813 said:

This is the worst idea the FHSAA has ever came up with and that’s saying something. It’s breathtaking how horrible it is. 
 

The reason is they are basically taking the best teams from an already embarrassing watered down playoff bracket and putting them together. Which makes one bracket good, and the rest disgustingly mediocre. 
 

Someone with power hates football in Florida. This is sabotage if i have ever seen it 

Maybe most people don't enjoy all-star teams full of transfers beat up on student body teams that make up the majority of FHSAA?  It seems more fair to have these teams play each other as they obviously have a different mission/focus than the rest of us?  

[i4football]

Listen up, y'all—it's your boy back at it, slingin' words from the Publix break room where I just dealt with a lady arguin' over why her "buy one get one" coupon don't work on expired yogurt. Life's full of mysteries, noimsayin, like why I keep bettin' on the Dolphins to cover the spread or why that dancer named Sparkle thought "dinner at Applebee's" meant we was gettin' married.

Now, to the meat: yeah, I'm gon' say somethin' about this FHSAA mess with the Open Division and that "human element" they're chewin' on for pickin' the top 8 in 2026. Lord knows they need it, 'cause relyin' solely on that MaxPreps computer juju is like trustin' a slot machine to pay out fair—it's rigged for the house every time. Back in December '25, right after they dropped them classifications, FHSAA boss Craig Damon straight-up said they're "explorin' somethin' besides just rankings," maybe a committee of folks who actually watch the games instead of lettin' an algorithm do the thinkin'. Human oversight, they call it—like addin' a referee to review a bad call, 'stead of lettin' the machine decide if it's a touchdown or not.

Shoot, without it, we gon' end up with another 2025-style bracket where some 10-0 nobody sneaks in while real beasts like STA or Northwestern get snubbed 'cause they played a murderer's row and took a L to some Cali powerhouse. I bet my next paycheck (responsibly, of course—nah, who am I kiddin'?) that by spring meetin's, they lock in some kinda panel. 'Cause if they don't, the Open gon' look like a mismatched blind date: all hype, no chemistry, and everybody leavin' disappointed.

Reminds me of that time I took home a gal from the track after hittin' a trifecta—thought it was my lucky night, but woke up to find my wallet lighter and her gone. FHSAA, don't be me—add that human touch before it's too late.

What y'all think? Drop your takes, but keep it clean; I got enough drama at the counter. Peace.

[nolebull813]

Matthew 7:17

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

[nolebull813]

The FHSAA is the corrupt tree and the incompetent actions and consequences from those actions are the evil fruit for those keeping score at home. 

[i4football]

1 hour ago, nolebull813 said:

Matthew 7:17

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

 

1 hour ago, nolebull813 said:

The FHSAA is the corrupt tree and the incompetent actions and consequences from those actions are the evil fruit for those keeping score at home. 

Man, I tell you what, every time somebody on here starts droppin' scripture like they just rolled outta Sunday school, I get a big ol' grin on my face. Love it, noimsayin? Matthew 7:17, huh? "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." Deep stuff, brother nolebull813. Real deep.

 

But hold up now—let me take you back to somethin'. Back in the day, growin' up in the hood in the late '60s, we had this one cat on the corner who loved quotin' the Bible louder than anybody. Man could recite whole chapters while shootin' dice or chasin' whatever skirt walked by. Problem was, soon as the preachin' stopped, he'd turn around and short you on your change or talk slick about your mama. Folks would just shake they head and say, "Boy talkin' outta both sides of his mouth... and one side smell worse than the other!"

 

So I'm readin' this post, and I'm wonderin'—you callin' the FHSAA a "corrupt tree" bearin' "evil fruit," right? That's some heavy accusin', straight fire and brimstone. But then, two sentences later, you switch it up and say they just "incompetent." So which is it, playa? They evil and corrupt on purpose, schemin' in some dark room like villains in a bad movie? Or they just a buncha folks who can't tie they own shoes without trippin' over the laces?'

 

Cause see, them two things ain't the same tree at all. One's rotten to the core, deliberate-like. The other's just a tree that forgot how to grow straight—maybe bad soil, maybe nobody watered it right. You can't have it both ways without lookin' like you just makin' noise to hear yourself talk, noimsayin?

 

Now don't get me wrong, I been watchin' this Open Division mess closer than I watch the line on a Gators game (and Lord knows I done lost plenty on them boys). FHSAA been changin' rules more often than I change my bets when I'm down bad at the dog track. One year it's Metro-Suburban, next it's back to straight classes, now they shrinkin' to six plus rural and throwin' in this Top 8 Open thing like it's gon' fix everything. Half the time it feel like they pullin' ideas outta a hat after too many drinks. Incompetent? Yeah, I can see that. But corrupt and evil? Man, that take intent. You got proof they out here pocketin' money or hatin' on certain schools for kicks? Or you just mad 'cause your team's bracket lookin' funky?

 

Me, I been slingin' subs and fried chicken at the Publix counter long enough to know when somebody's blowin' smoke. Lady come in yesterday, swearin' up and down her coupons was good, quotin' the fine print like she a lawyer. Turned out she was readin' last year's ad. I just smiled, scanned 'em anyway, and said "Bless your heart, ma'am." Kept the peace, noimsayin?

 

So come on, brother—tell us straight. Is the FHSAA corrupt or just incompetent? Pick a lane before the fruit start smellin' funny.

[nolebull813]

On 1/5/2026 at 8:12 PM, i4football said:

 

 

Man, I tell you what, every time somebody on here starts droppin' scripture like they just rolled outta Sunday school, I get a big ol' grin on my face. Love it, noimsayin? Matthew 7:17, huh? "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." Deep stuff, brother nolebull813. Real deep.

 

But hold up now—let me take you back to somethin'. Back in the day, growin' up in the hood in the late '60s, we had this one cat on the corner who loved quotin' the Bible louder than anybody. Man could recite whole chapters while shootin' dice or chasin' whatever skirt walked by. Problem was, soon as the preachin' stopped, he'd turn around and short you on your change or talk slick about your mama. Folks would just shake they head and say, "Boy talkin' outta both sides of his mouth... and one side smell worse than the other!"

 

So I'm readin' this post, and I'm wonderin'—you callin' the FHSAA a "corrupt tree" bearin' "evil fruit," right? That's some heavy accusin', straight fire and brimstone. But then, two sentences later, you switch it up and say they just "incompetent." So which is it, playa? They evil and corrupt on purpose, schemin' in some dark room like villains in a bad movie? Or they just a buncha folks who can't tie they own shoes without trippin' over the laces?'

 

Cause see, them two things ain't the same tree at all. One's rotten to the core, deliberate-like. The other's just a tree that forgot how to grow straight—maybe bad soil, maybe nobody watered it right. You can't have it both ways without lookin' like you just makin' noise to hear yourself talk, noimsayin?

 

Now don't get me wrong, I been watchin' this Open Division mess closer than I watch the line on a Gators game (and Lord knows I done lost plenty on them boys). FHSAA been changin' rules more often than I change my bets when I'm down bad at the dog track. One year it's Metro-Suburban, next it's back to straight classes, now they shrinkin' to six plus rural and throwin' in this Top 8 Open thing like it's gon' fix everything. Half the time it feel like they pullin' ideas outta a hat after too many drinks. Incompetent? Yeah, I can see that. But corrupt and evil? Man, that take intent. You got proof they out here pocketin' money or hatin' on certain schools for kicks? Or you just mad 'cause your team's bracket lookin' funky?

 

Me, I been slingin' subs and fried chicken at the Publix counter long enough to know when somebody's blowin' smoke. Lady come in yesterday, swearin' up and down her coupons was good, quotin' the fine print like she a lawyer. Turned out she was readin' last year's ad. I just smiled, scanned 'em anyway, and said "Bless your heart, ma'am." Kept the peace, noimsayin?

 

So come on, brother—tell us straight. Is the FHSAA corrupt or just incompetent? Pick a lane before the fruit start smellin' funny.

you can be corrupt and incompetent. One doesn’t cancel out the other. 

[Perspective]

1 hour ago, nolebull813 said:

you can be corrupt and incompetent. One doesn’t cancel out the other. 

Be careful, Nolebull . . . someone may think you're talking politics.   

[i4football]

Yo

@nolebull813

,I read your Bible verse drop about the FHSAA bein’ a corrupt tree bearin’ bad fruit… and then you doubled down sayin’ it can be corrupt and incompetent at the same damn time.Well hell, brother, you just described every DMV in the state of Florida. Congratulations—you solved it.You’re right though. Sometimes they’re crooked as a barrel of snakes, handin’ out playoff spots like participation trophies to whoever kisses the right ring. Other times they’re just too dumb to pour water outta a boot with instructions printed on the heel—brackets lookin’ like my ex-wife’s checkbook after a weekend in Biloxi.

But here’s the part you conveniently left out while you’re quotin’ scripture at me: even a sorry-lookin’ tree can grow some decent fruit if somebody finally grabs a chainsaw and cuts the dead branches off.

 

Craig Damon already said back in December—on camera, sober as far as we know—that they’re lookin’ at puttin’ a human committee together for them 2026 Open Division top-8 picks instead of lettin’ MaxPreps keep playin’ roulette with everybody’s season. Real people. Who watch film. Who know that a 9-1 team that played IMG, STA, and Bosco ain’t the same as some 10-0 cupcake king from the Panhandle.

 

If they actually do it, we might get some edible fruit for once. If they don’t… well, then your Bible verse is 100% spot-on, the tree’s rotten to the root, and we’ll all keep bitin’ into wormy apples while the FHSAA laughs all the way to the bank.

So what’s your play, preacher? You want a committee of actual football folks, or you just here to keep quotin’ scripture and tellin’ us the whole orchard’s gotta burn? I’m listenin’. But talk fast—my break’s almost over and this Publix chicken tender sub ain’t gonna eat itself.

Peace, love, and questionable life choices.
—Your boy in the deli

[Jambun82]

1 hour ago, Perspective said:

Be careful, Nolebull . . . someone may think you're talking politics.   

Do you think that Nolebull813 is talking about Dementia Joe?  

[nolebull813]

8 hours ago, Perspective said:

Be careful, Nolebull . . . someone may think you're talking politics.   

I’m talking to anyone who feels guilty about my statement 

[nolebull813]

7 hours ago, i4football said:

 

Yo

@nolebull813

,I read your Bible verse drop about the FHSAA bein’ a corrupt tree bearin’ bad fruit… and then you doubled down sayin’ it can be corrupt and incompetent at the same damn time.Well hell, brother, you just described every DMV in the state of Florida. Congratulations—you solved it.You’re right though. Sometimes they’re crooked as a barrel of snakes, handin’ out playoff spots like participation trophies to whoever kisses the right ring. Other times they’re just too dumb to pour water outta a boot with instructions printed on the heel—brackets lookin’ like my ex-wife’s checkbook after a weekend in Biloxi.

But here’s the part you conveniently left out while you’re quotin’ scripture at me: even a sorry-lookin’ tree can grow some decent fruit if somebody finally grabs a chainsaw and cuts the dead branches off.

 

Craig Damon already said back in December—on camera, sober as far as we know—that they’re lookin’ at puttin’ a human committee together for them 2026 Open Division top-8 picks instead of lettin’ MaxPreps keep playin’ roulette with everybody’s season. Real people. Who watch film. Who know that a 9-1 team that played IMG, STA, and Bosco ain’t the same as some 10-0 cupcake king from the Panhandle.

 

If they actually do it, we might get some edible fruit for once. If they don’t… well, then your Bible verse is 100% spot-on, the tree’s rotten to the root, and we’ll all keep bitin’ into wormy apples while the FHSAA laughs all the way to the bank.

So what’s your play, preacher? You want a committee of actual football folks, or you just here to keep quotin’ scripture and tellin’ us the whole orchard’s gotta burn? I’m listenin’. But talk fast—my break’s almost over and this Publix chicken tender sub ain’t gonna eat itself.

Peace, love, and questionable life choices.
—Your boy in the deli

If they took the undisputed top 8 teams in the state and put them in one open bracket it will still be a disaster because there are too many classes. Which means you will have one awesome bracket who rivals any in the country. And 6 or 7 of the most embarrassing jokes ever.

Think about that. They water down the playoff system with way too many classes. And then the solution they come up with is essentially taking the top ranked team from most those classes and putting them in one class making the rest a bunch of JV jokes. 
 

It’s so crazy to me that with all the numbers, data, history, and live results that they can make the product worse! 

[Dr. D]

These are the 8 teams that would have qualified for the Open Division had the plan been in effect this season:  DeLand, Cardinal Mooney, Vero Beach, Buchholz, Miami NW, Mandarin, Carrollwood Day, Bolles.  Which brackets would have been devastated had these teams not participated in their assigned classification?  You could argue 2A, but the fact is that 7 out of the 8 state champions came from outside these eight teams.  Now if the "undisputed top 8 teams" were placed in the Open Division, you might have an argument; but this is the FHSAA, so - nah, you got nothing to worry about.