After eight long months, high school football has finally returned to Florida! Never mind that the kickoff classics won’t count in the record books.
Some of the games on the schedule would fit right in with the state’s first Open Division state playoffs. The biggest matchup pits St. Thomas Aquinas, the No. 1 team in the preseason Super 25 rankings, against fellow defending state champion Cardinal Mooney. Both start the season in the top eight in the MaxPreps rankings, which determine who would play in the new top-tier playoffs.
Preseason games began Thursday night, headlined by Buchholz vs. Lake Mary. The Friday night action also features West Boca vs. Carol City, two teams also in the Open Division field as the 2026 season gets rolling. And while the FHSAA is still in the preseason until next week, we do get regular-season action from the SSAA.
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The USA TODAY Network – Florida has game updates on all teams big and small. Keep scrolling to check out all the high school football games across the Sunshine State.
Top 25 Florida high school football scores
Florida high school football scores
Looking for more from Friday night’s football games across Florida? Take a look at our coverage from Palm Beach County to the Panhandle:
Sarasota high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Sarasota and Manatee counties, from Bradenton to Venice.
Southwest Florida high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Lee and Collier counties, from Fort Myers to Naples.
Palm Beach high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Palm Beach County, from Boynton Beach to Wellington.
Vero Beach high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties, from Port St. Lucie to Vero Beach.
Melbourne high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Brevard County, from Cocoa to Viera.
Daytona high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Volusia and Flagler counties, from DeLand to Mainland.
Jacksonville high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties, from Jacksonville to St. Augustine.
Gainesville high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Alachua and Marion counties, from Gainesville to Ocala.
Lakeland high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in Polk County, from Lakeland to Winter Haven.
Tallahassee high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in the Big Bend, from Gadsden County to Tallahassee.
Pensacola high school football scores
Recap all the high school football games in the Florida Panhandle, from Panama City Beach to Pensacola.
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida high school football scores: Recap 2026 preseason games
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
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By Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
