It feels like just yesterday that Hawthorne and Buchholz football ended the 2025 season.
The Hornets ended in exaltation, the Bobcats in degradation.
All that looking back can officially end today because the moment is finally here – the beginning of the 2026 FHSAA and SSAA high school football season in Florida.
The Gainesville area sees a more stacked lineup than usual to begin the season. There’s battles for Alachua County like between Santa Fe and Newberry. Buchholz and Vanguard renew the best Gainesville-Ocala rivalry we have, and Chiefland and Williston meet for the Levy Cup with district implications on the line.
Furthermore, Hawthorne and Columbia each face defending region champions on the road.
You can read our predictions here and the full schedule for the week here. Be sure to keep it here for live updates and scores from every game across the Gainesville area.
Also make sure to follow Gainesville Sun Preps Reporter Noah Ram on X, Instagram and Facebook for highlights from Santa Fe at Newberry. We’ll also have live coverage from Buchholz at Vanguard.
Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, GatorSports.com and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X @Noah_ram1, Instagram @Ramreporter and Facebook Noah Ram – Reporter.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville Week 1 Florida high school football final scores, updates
Reporting by Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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By Noah Ram, Gainesville Sun | USA TODAY Network
