The more things change, the more things stay the same in the MaxPreps rankings.
At least as far as the Open Division is concerned.
The updated MaxPreps rankings were released on Sunday, Oct. 11. Perhaps the biggest news is that Cardinal Newman remained in the top eight despite losing 20-7 to Chaminade-Madonna in Week 8. Technically, factoring in Carol City being ineligible for postseason play
, Cardinal Newman actually moved up a spot.The only new addition to the Open Division from last week is Miami Central, which has won four in a row since losing at national power Buford (Georgia) in Week 4.
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Undefeated Columbia, the top-ranked team in Class 4A, moved up to No. 11 — one spot out of
the Open Division when factoring in IMG and Carol City.
Armwood and Lake Wales both had big wins in Week 8, but those didn't seem to move the needle much as far MaxPreps is concerned.
Here is an updated look at the Open Division bracket as well as the playoff brackets for Classes 6A-1A.
Note: Baldwin, Carol City, Deltona, Matanzas and Parker have been placed on restrictive probation by the FHSAA and are ineligible for the postseason.
Open Division

Group A: (1) St. Thomas Aquinas, (4) Chaminade-Madonna, (5) Miami Central, (8) The First Academy
Group B: (2) Columbus, (3) West Boca, (6) Cardinal Newman, (7) Cardinal Mooney
Class 6A

Region 1
(1) Seminole* vs. (8) Hagerty
(4) Winter Park* vs. (5) Creekside*
(3) Mainland vs. (6) Lake Mary
(2) DeLand* vs. (7) Spruce Creek
Region 2
(1) Vero Beach* vs. (8) Fort Pierce Central
(4) Lake Nona* vs. (5) Dr. Phillips
(3) West Orange vs. (6) Ocoee*
(2) Edgewater* vs. (7) Dr. Phillips
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Region 3
(1) Venice* vs. (8) Winter Haven*
(4) Plant City* vs. (5) Lennard
(3) Alonso* vs. (6) Durant
(2) Sarasota Riverview vs. (7) Sarasota
Region 4
(1) Miami Palmetto vs. (8) Spanish River*
(4) West Broward vs. (5) South Dade
(3) Western vs. (6) Palm Beach Central*
(2) Cypress Bay* vs. (7) Jupiter
Class 5A

Region 1
(1) Mandarin* vs. (8) Bartram Trail
(4) Oakleaf vs. (5) Evans*
(3) Nease vs. (6) Pace*
(2) Buchholz* vs. (7) Fletcher
Region 2
(1) Lakeland* vs. (8) Wiregrass Ranch*
(4) Osceola vs. (5) Oviedo*
(3) Gaither* vs. (6) Lake Gibson
(2) Sebring vs. (7) Melbourne
Region 3
(1) Armwood* vs. (8) Immokalee
(4) Sumner vs. (5) Palmetto*
(3) Manatee vs. (6) Plant
(2) Tampa Bay Tech* vs. (7) Royal Palm Beach*
Region 4
(1) Archbishop McCarthy vs. (8) Deerfield Beach
(4) Miami Southridge* vs. (5) Miami Beach
(3) Coconut Creek* vs. (6) Piper
(2) Monarch vs. (7) Mater Academy
Class 4A
Region 1
(1) Columbia* vs. (8) Clay
(4) St. Augustine* vs. (5) Ed White
(3) Choctawhatchee* vs. (6) Lincoln
(2) Mosley* vs. (7) Rickards
Region 2
(1) Jones vs. (8) Seabreeze
(4) Vanguard* vs. (5) New Smyrna Beach
(3) Bishop Moore* vs. (6) Zephyrhills*
(2) Lake Wales* vs. (7) Lake Weir
Region 3
(1) Port Charlotte* vs. (8) Hillsborough
(4) Naples* vs. (5) South Fort Myers
(3) Clearwater* vs. (6) Dunbar
(2) Jesuit* vs. (7) Estero
Region 4
(1) American Heritage* vs. (8) Blanche Ely
(4) Atlantic* vs. (5) McArthur
(3) Miami Northwestern* vs. (6) Miramar
(2) Miami Norland vs. (7) Jensen Beach*
Class 3A
Region 1
(1) Raines* vs. (8) Palatka*
(4) Baker County vs. (5) Pine Forest
(3) Bishop Kenny vs. (6) South Walton*
(2) Godby* vs. (7) Bay
Region 2
(1) Merritt Island* vs. (8) Tenoroc*
(4) Santa Fe* vs. (5) Titusville
(3) Villages Charter* vs. (6) South Sumter
(2) Eau Gallie vs. (7) Dunnellon
Region 3
(1) Nature Coast Tech* vs. (8) Gibbs
(4) Braden River vs. (5) Tarpon Springs*
(3) Robinson vs. (6) Jefferson
(2) Jefferson* vs. (7) Dunedin
Region 4
(1) Cardinal Gibbons* vs. (8) Miami Jackson
(4) Glades Central* vs. (5) North Miami Beach
(3) Dillard vs. (6) Key West
(2) Bishop Verot* vs. (7) Miami Springs
Class 2A
Region 1
(1) Bolles* vs. (8) Rutherford
(4) Walton vs. (5) Andrew Jackson
(3) Florida High* vs. (6) Gadsden County
(2) Pensacola Catholic* vs. (7) Baldwin
Region 2
(1) Clearwater Central Catholic vs. (8) Boca Ciega
(4) Cocoa vs. (5) Bradford
(3) Tampa Catholic vs. (6) Lakewood
(2) Berkeley Prep* vs. (7) Calvary Christian (Clearwater)
Region 3
(1) St. Andrew's
(2) Miami Booker T. Washington vs. (3) Miami Edison
Region 4
(1) Miami Killian*
(4) Westminster Christian vs. (5) Gulliver Prep
(3) Ransom Everglades vs. (6) Somerset Charter (Silver Palms)
(2) Immaculata-La Salle*
Class 1A
![Hawthorne Dakarai Wiggins (4) scores during an FHSAA football game at Hawthorne High School football field in Hawthorne, FL on Friday, September 25, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun]](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2026/09/26/NTGS/91947348007-gai-williston-hawthorne-football-092901.jpg)
Region 1
(1) Madison County* vs. (8) Marianna
(4) Holmes County vs. (5) Fort White
(3) Maclay* vs. (6) Baker
(2) Blountstown* vs. (7) Taylor County
Region 2
(1) Trinity Christian* vs. (8) Father Lopez
(4) University Christian vs. (5) Williston
(3) Melbourne Central Catholic* vs. (6) Wildwood
(2) Hawthorne* vs. (7) Chiefland
Region 3
(1) Carrollwood Day* vs. (8) Zephyrhills Christian
(4) St. Petersburg Catholic vs. (5) Community School of Naples
(3) St. John Neumann* vs. (6) Victory Christian
(2) Lakeland Christian* vs. (7) First Baptist
Region 4
(1) True North Classical*
(4) Archbishop Carroll* vs. (5) Benjamin
(3) Pahokee vs. (6) Palmer Trinity
(2) John Carroll Catholic* vs. (7) Somerset Prep (North Lauderdale)
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FHSAA Open Division projections: Newman football still in after loss
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