The 2026 Florida high school football season will have a different feel than any prior.
Not only are there fewer classes (six down from eight), which means new rivalries, but the Florida High School Athletic Association has added an Open Division.
The round-robin tournament will take the top eight ranked teams, regardless of classification, and have them play in their own playoff bracket this fall.
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As the 2026 season approaches, the USA TODAY Florida Network is looking at each of the six classes to see which teams have the best chance of a getting into the Open Division, which teams are top contenders to lift the championship trophy in December and what playoff brackets could prove the most difficult.
Class 4A includes is headlined by American Heritage and Jones. The two teams have met for the Class 4A state championship the past two seasons, with Heritage winning both meetings. McArthur drops down to Class 4A after falling to St. Thomas Aquinas in the Class 5A regional title game in 2025. The class also includes several perennial powers, including Jesuit, St. Thomas Aquinas and Miami Northwestern.
Open Division contenders
American Heritage: The Patriots have won consecutive Class 4A state titles and added one of the state’s premier quarterbacks in junior Neimann Lawrence (Texas commit). The offense line is experienced and physical and the defense, led by cornerback Amare Nugent (Florida) is very talented.
Jones: The back-to-back Class 4A state runner-up will have a different look this season but don’t expect a big step back. The defense boasts arguably the most talented line in the state, led by edge Fred Ards (Texas A&M) and defensive lineman DaJour Webb (West Virginia) and Noah Robinson (UCF).
McArthur: The Mustangs were a reginal finalist in 2025, the program’s first season under coach Robert Ortega, and have one of the most talented defenses in the state, Senior defensive backs Jaylyn Jones (Miami) and Sherrod Gourdine (Miami) will lead the way for this team.
State title contenders
Choctawhatchee: Coach Frank Beasley has done a really good job with this program. The Indians went 12-2 and reached the Class 4A state semifinals in 2025. They did lose several key players to graduation but will count on cornerback Amir Reese (Oregon State) and linebacker Juan Carlos Pupo Buch to lead a strong defense.
Bishop Moore: The Hornets are another team that has made positive strides over the past few years and reached the Class 3A state semifinals last season. This year’s team boasts a talented defense, led by linebackers Cale Britt (Nebraska) and Giacamo SanFlippo (Kansas State) and edge Noah Prince (Eastern Michigan).
Lake Wales: The 2022 Class 3S state champions have one of the state’s top playmakers in athlete Kanelius Purdy (UCF) and standout running back Kamari Smith. Safety Raeshaun Pugh (Tulane) and tackle Jerzey Lighten (UCF) lead the defense.
Jesuit: The Tigers won the Class 4A state title in 2021 and reached the regional championship game last season. The linebacker group, led by seniors Kaden Henderson (Texas A&M), Tripp Keller (Duke) and Colton Haywood (Richmond), should be one of the best in the state.
Port Charlotte: The Pirates were a state semifinalist in 2025 and return one of the state’s premier quarterback-receiver duos in seniors Logan Flaherty (Florida State) and Elias Pearl (Florida). This offense will give teams a lot of trouble.
Atlantic: The Eagles have been knocking on the door the past few seasons, losing heartbreakers in the regional final in 2024 and the regional semifinals last year. Atlantic has a star running back in senior Omari St. Fort (UCF).
St. Augustine: St. Augustine won 11 games and reached the regional final in 2025. The Yellow Jackets offense will have a different look this fall, but the defense is expected to be very good. Junior linebacker Mason Beane led the team in tackles and sacks last year.
Toughest district
District 15: American Heritage, McArthur, Miami Norland, Miramar
This is a loaded district, and it’s more than just American Heritage with its back-to-back state titles. McArthur was a regional finalist in 2025. Norland has a new coach this season in alum Keith Brown, but this is a program that reached the regional semifinal last season and was a nationally ranked state runner-up in 2023.
Toughest Region
Region 4
It’s a top-heavy region with American Heritage (District 15), McArthur (District 15) and Atlantic (District 14), but there are some under-the-radar programs to keeps an eye on, too. Miami Northwestern (District 16) has a new coach and will have a different look this season but won a state title in 2024 and was the state runner-up in 2025. Plantation (District 14) was a regional finalist in 2025. Jensen Beach and Heritage will be the favorites to win the District 13 title
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who will win Florida high school football Class 4A? Our top contenders
Reporting by Jon Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jon Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
