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.
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 6A includes several notable programs, including Lake Mary, Vero Beach, Venice, Columbus, DeLand and Mainland. Lake Mary beat Vero Beach 28-27 in an instant classic in the 2025 Class 7A state championship. Venice, Columbus and Mainland also have won state titles in the past three years.
Open Division contenders
Venice: This should come as no surprise as the Indians are one of the state’s premier programs. After losing to eventual Class 7A champion Lake Mary in the state semifinals in 2025, expect Venice to be eager to get back to the state championship game for the fifth time in six years.
DeLand: Rick Darlington’s squad started last season 12-0 before falling to Lake Mary in the regional final. DeLand’s offense is potent, scoring 671 points in 2025, and is led by All-American junior running back Taihj Moore.
State title contenders
Columbus: The Explorers went 4-8 in 2025 but expect a rebound back to contention in 2026. The biggest change is the addition of five-star athlete Amir Sears, who helped West Broward reach the Class 6A state championship game last season.
Vero Beach: The Fighting Indians were one play away from winning the Class 8A state title last season, which should provide a different type of motivation for the team this fall. The offense will be led by quarterback Champ Monds (Notre Dame commit), who missed most of 2025 with an injury.
Miami Palmetto: The Panthers lost in the Class 7A state semifinals on two-point conversion attempt in overtime last season. The offense should be potent with receiver Kaden Howard (Georgia Tech commit) and running back Butler Aiden.
Lake Mary: Count out the Rams at your own peril. The 2025 Class 7A state champions lost four-year starting quarterback Noah Grubbs to graduation but turn to junior Remy Jarman to lead the offense. Rams coach Scott Peterson and his staff do a great job of getting their team prepared and this year should be no different.
Mainland: The 2023 Class 3S state champions were a regional semifinalist last season. The Buccaneers return a lot of production from 2025, led by standout skill player Braylyn Simmons and wide receivers Kadin Flores and Chris Butler.
Toughest district
District 6: Dr. Phillips, Edgewater, Olympia, West Orange
Dr. Phillips and Edgewater were regional finalists in 2025, and West Orange was a regional semifinalist. All have key offensive playmakers returning this season. Edgewater went undefeated during the regular season before losing to eventual Class 5A state runner-up Lakeland. West Orange junior quarterback Andrew Chung has the talent to keep the Warriors in just about any game. Caleb Walls takes over as coach at his alma mater, Dr. Phillips, replacing state title winner Rodney Wells.
Toughest region
Region 2
In addition to Class 7A state runner-up Vero Beach (District 8), Lake Nona (District 5), Dr. Phillips, Edgewater, West Orange and Fort Pierce Central (District 8) all won at least one playoff game last season. Ocoee (District 6) and Treasure Coast (District 8) both have been state semifinalists in recent years.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Who will win Florida high school football Class 6A? Our top contenders
Reporting by Jon Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jon Santucci, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
