Florida
Top 25 Central Florida High School Football Rankings (12/9/2024)
Central Florida high school football teams – all from different counties – will have four chances to win a state championship this week when the FHSAA holds its title games at Florida International University in Miami.
We took a look at schools in seven area counties (Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, Volusia, Brevard and Indian River) and came up with the SBLive Top 25 Central Florida football rankings.
The rankings are based on regular season records, head-to-head matchups, district finishes, and playoff seeding and results. The Top 25 will change week to week until state champions are announced.
Last week: 1
The Tigers remain on the prowl for a first-ever state championship after ousting Naples, 18-7, in a Class 4A state semifinal. They face their toughest test, yet, on Friday when they play state power American Heritage Plantation (11-2), which beat St. Augustine, 38-28, in the other semifinal.
Last week: 2
The two-time defending state champ Tigers have been talking three-peat all season and now they’re one victory away from reaching that goal. Cocoa beat previously unbeaten Sarasota Cardinal Mooney, 31-21, last week in a Class 2A state semifinal. Next up for the Tigers is Gadsden County out of Havana for the state title on Thursday. Gadsden (13-1) crushed Miami Booker T. Washington, 47-27, in the other semifinal.
Last week: 4
The Rams won their 10th straight game with a 24-13 victory against Central Florida foe Dr. Phillips in a Class 7A state semifinal. Lake Mary next faces state power Venice (13-1) on Saturday, Dec. 14, for the championship. Venice held off Miami Columbus, 33-27, in the other semifinal.
Last week: 5
The Kowboys stretched their win streak to nine with a wild 41-35 victory against host Gainesville Buchholz in a Class 6A state semifinal. In blazing to its seventh overall state championship appearance, Osceola next faces unbeaten West Boca Raton (14-0), which edged Miami Southridge, 14-11, in the other semifinal.
Last week: 3
The Panthers ended their season with a close loss to Lake Mary, which avenged a 26-21 loss on Sept. 20. They closed the year as Orange County’s second-best team.
Last week: 6
The Seminoles ended their season with a loss to Lake Mary in the Class 7A, Region 1 title game. Seminole won 10 games for the second consecutive season.
Last week: 7
The Eagles watched their seven-game win streak come to an end at the hands of talented Tampa Bay Tech, 28-17, in a Class 5A, Region 2 semifinal.
Last week: 8
The Commodores ran into a buzzsaw in state power Miami Northwestern in last week’s Class 3A state semifinals and fell 40-0. But Eau Gallie, which is Brevard County’s second-best team, made history with its first-ever state semifinals appearance.
Last week: 9
The Indians saw their eight-game win streak come to an end at the hands of Dr. Phillips, 21-14, in the Region 3 final. They trailed 21-0 at one point before coming back to make a game of it. Vero Beach beat top-seeded Palm Beach Atlantic in the region semifinals.
Last week: 10
The Warriors ended their season with a 55-26 loss to longtime power and No. 1 seed Venice (12-1) in the Class 7A, Region 2 final. It was the most wins for West Orange since 2021 when it went 11-2.
Last week: 11
The third-seeded Titans fell to Seminole, 24-20, in a Class 7A, Region 1 semifinal. University led 14-0 at halftime before collapsing.
Last week: 12
The No. 5 seeded Hawks ran into a buzzsaw in the Class 7A, Region 1 semifinals, falling to top-seeded Lake Mary, 52-32. Spruce Creek finished strong, however, winning three of its last four games.
Last week: 13
The Hornets pushed top-seeded Eau Gallie to the limit before falling 26-24 in the Class 3A, Region 2 final. It was the most wins for Bishop Moore since it went 10-3 in 2017.
Last week: 14
The Lions lost their Class 6A, Region 1 quarterfinal game to Pace, 49-21.
Last week: 15
The Wildcats, consistently one of Metro Orlando’s best teams, ended their season early with a hard-fought 31-23 loss to University High (Orange City) in a Class 7A, Region 1 quarterfinal.
Last week: 16
The Terriers had their win streak snapped at five with a 44-7 loss to top-seeded Eau Gallie in a Class 3A, Region 2 semifinal. It was the second loss to the Commodores this season.
Last week: 17
The Trojans, who clinched their first winning season since 2012 on Nov. 1 when they beat rival Oak Ridge, ended their season early with a 42-21 loss to Gainesville Buchholz in a Class 6A, Region 1 quarterfinal.
Last week: 18
The traditionally tough Mustangs lost an overtime heartbreaker to rival Titusville, 17-14, in a Class 3A, Region 2 quarterfinal.
Last week: 19
A year after advancing to the state semifinals, the Bulldogs ended their season early with a 49-14 Class 7A regional quarterfinal loss to Lake Mary, one of the best teams in Florida. The future looks promising, though, for DeLand, which features dynamic freshman Taijh Moore.
Last week: 20
The Raiders were shockingly eliminated early, falling to Zephyrhills, 35-15, in a Class 4A, Region 2 quarterfinal. Rockledge entered the game as the No. 4 seed; Zephyrhills, No. 5.
Last week: 21
The Barracudas ended their season early with a 52-19 Class 4A, Region 2 quarterfinal loss to Polk County power Lake Wales, which won a state championship in 2022.
Last week: 22
The defending state champ Buccaneers entered the Class 5A playoffs on a five-game win streak, but the seventh seed out of Region 1 fell to No. 2 Tallahassee Leon, 21-0, in a quarterfinal game.
Last week: 23
The Blue Darters, who are just two years removed from being a state runner-up, ended their season early with a 20-19 loss to West Orange in a Class 7A, Region 2 quarterfinal.
Last week: 24
The Eagles, who compiled their best record since 2014 when they went 8-3, ended their season early with a 35-17 loss to Plant City Durant in a Class 6A, Region 2 quarterfinal.
Last week: 25
The Hurricanes ended their season with a 28-7 Class 3A, Region 2 quarterfinal loss to Dunnellon. But Mount Dora, coached by Luke Hutchinson, finished with its best record since 2014 (9-3).
On the outside looking in: Ocoee, Boone, Leesburg, Lake Nona, Viera, The Master’s Academy (Oviedo), Orlando Christian Prep, Lyman, Melbourne Central Catholic, Tavares, Astronaut, Hagerty, Melbourne, Tohopekaliga, Holy Trinity Episcopal, St. Cloud, Wekiva.
— Follow Jeff Gardenour on Twitter @JMarkG1962 or email him at jgardenour1962@gmail.com
Florida on Tuesday announced a criminal probe into whether artificial intelligence played a role in a deadly mass shooting at a university in the US state.
“If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder,” Uthmeier said.
Florida law allows anyone who assists or counsels someone in the commission of a crime to be treated as an “aider and abettor” bearing the same responsibility as the perpetrator, according to Uthmeier.
In exchanges with ChatGPT, the accused shooter sought advice on what type of gun and ammunition to use, as well as where and when on campus a lot of people would likely be found, the state attorney general said during a press briefing.
“Last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.
A massive wildfire in Putnam County in northern Florida left Amtrak passengers stranded on a train for more than 24 hours.
One train heading to New York City was forced to turn around, arriving back in Miami Monday night, including one passenger who said he had been on that train for about 38 hours.
He says he and other passengers were left uncertain about what was going on.
“Angry, confused, uncertain, in the dark,” said John Reardon.
Reardon, who lives in New York City, says he boarded the train around 7 a.m. Sunday to go back home. He said around 3 p.m. Sunday, the train stopped near Jacksonville.
“Finally, after about 5 hours, they said we’re not going to New York, we’re going back to Miami,” Reardon said. “One stop at a time.”
Amtrak said for the safety of its passengers, the train couldn’t continue going north because of the fire.
“Amtrak sends a notification to the phone saying, ‘Hey, there’s an issue with the wildfire, it’s too close to the railway,’” said passenger Katrinia Wheeler.
Multiple crews are battling multiple fires in two Florida counties, leaving at least 3,000 acres burned.
“I saw that there was a lot of smoke coming from the woods, and then I saw the fire trucks and emergency services,” Wheeler said.
The train that left Miami at 7 a.m. on Sunday returned around 9 p.m. on Monday, leaving passengers frustrated.
Amtrak corporate says they made the decision out of safety for their customers and said customers would receive full refunds and vouchers.
The Florida Lottery offers several draw games for those hoping to win one of the available jackpots.
Here’s a look at the winning numbers for games played on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 06-09-19-34-35
Evening: 08-09-12-25-31
Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from April 19 drawing
Morning: 03
Matinee: 08
Afternoon: 04
Evening: 01
Late Night: 07
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Winning Pick 2 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 4-0, FB: 3
Evening: 0-6, FB: 6
Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 2-9-1, FB: 3
Evening: 3-7-0, FB: 6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 9-7-8-0, FB: 3
Evening: 3-6-7-8, FB: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
Midday: 3-9-3-5-1, FB: 3
Evening: 1-3-1-8-7, FB: 6
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Where can you buy Florida Lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at any authorized retailer throughout Florida, including gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. To find a retailer near you, go to Find Florida Lottery Retailers.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $599 or less: Claim at any authorized Florida Lottery retailer or Florida Lottery district office.
- Prizes for $600 to $1 million: Must be claimed in person at any Florida Lottery district office for games that do not offer an annual payment option.
- Prizes greater than $1 million and all prizes with an annual payment option: Must be claimed at Florida Lottery headquarters, except Mega Millions and Powerball prizes, which can be claimed at any Florida Lottery district office.
You also can claim your winnings by mail if the prize is $250,000 or less. Mail your ticket to the Florida Lottery with the required documentation.
Florida law requires public disclosure of winners
If you’re a winner, Florida law mandates the following information is public record:
- Full name
- City of residence
- Game won
- Date won
- Amount won
- Name and location of the retailer where the winning ticket was purchased.
When are the Florida Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Florida Lotto: 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
- Jackpot Triple Play: 11:15 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Fantasy 5: Daily at 1:05 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 8:45 a.m., 11:45 a.m., 2:45 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m.
- Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: Daily at 1:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Florida digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.
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