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
The number of fatalities because of Brightline train collisions since 2017 unofficially stands at about 214, including 17 in 2026. The company says that is down 30% compared to 2025.
Nearly halfway through 2026, high-speed Brightline trains in Florida have now been involved in over 200 deaths since 2017, even as the company stresses its ongoing safety improvements.
The number of fatalities because of Brightline train collisions since 2017 unofficially stands at about 214, including 17 in 2026 according to media reports, law firms and third-party observers. The company says incidents, which include any contact a train has with another object, have dropped 30% compared with the same time last year.
The company also said it is in the midst of implementing a series of safety improvements using a $45 million federal grant, plus $10 million from Brightline itself. These include fencing, warning and suicide prevention signs and other installations at 327 crossings from Miami to Cocoa.
“These enhancements to the corridor, combined with our education and enforcement efforts, reflect our commitment to continually prioritizing safety and preventing avoidable incidents,” said Brightline Florida CEO Patrick Goddard in a news release.
It’s been well-established that privately owned Brightline, which runs from Miami to Orlando, has the highest death rate per mile traveled of any railroad in the U.S. As of 2025, that figure was 25 deaths per million miles, or about one person every 13 days.
In comparison, that per-mile number is three times higher than Tri-Rail (8.12 deaths per millions miles) and SunRail (8.04) and nearly six times higher than Amtrak (4.20), according to the Florida-based Meldon Law firm.
Where do most Brightline accidents happen in Florida?
In densely populated South Florida, the trains run at speeds of 79 mph or above, with a top speed of about 125 mph in open areas. The vast majority of fatalities occur in the stretch between Miami and West Palm Beach.
Some are suicides. Some are people in vehicles or on bicycles trying to beat the trains or stuck at a crossing. Others are people simply walking on the tracks, apparently unaware a speeding train approaches.
In two recent incidents, a 68-year-old bicyclist was killed May 26 after he was struck by a Brightline train in Stuart. On May 24, two people died when their car was hit by a train in West Palm Beach even though the crossing gate arms were down.
In urban Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties the trains run at grade level, meaning no elevation above the ground. There are also numerous “quiet zones” along the route where the trains do not sound their horns to avoid disturbing residents and businesses.
Where are the least amount of fatal Brightline train accidents in Florida?
The route from Cocoa to Orlando goes through a more rural area, with fewer crossings and 6-foot fencing along the tracks. In 27 months since that section opened, no fatal accidents have been recorded, according to an Orlando Sentinel analysis.
In the long term, Brightline hopes to connect Orlando with the Tampa Bay area. The timing for that proposed extension is uncertain.
What is Brightline’s financial situation?
As deaths continue to mount, so does debt.
The rail line lost more than $233 million in 2025 despite higher revenues than 2024, according to its annual financial statement, prepared by consulting firm Ernst & Young and released April 30.
“Substantial doubt exists about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the firm wrote. Brightline acknowledged it lacks the money to pay off more than $5 billion in debt and interest on schedule.
At the same time, Brightline passengers’ average fares fell during first three months of this year compared to the first quarter of 2025, another company report shows, and its trains carried a quarterly record of more than 900,000 passengers.
Credit-rating agencies have said the company needs either much higher fares or ridership to stay solvent.
The Miami-to-Orlando train company made $214 million in 2025, an increase from about $188 million in 2024, the audit shows.
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Chris Persaud contributed to this report.
Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
Push for Elevate Florida funding
Almost two years after Hurricane Helene, some people are still waiting to get back into their homes. They’ve been on hold waiting for help from the Elevate Florida program. FOX 13’s Kylie Jones reports.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Some homeowners in St. Pete are still waiting for funding to raise their home after it flooded during Hurricane Helene.
One couple is still waiting for an update on their application to the Elevate Florida program — after about a year with no progress.
PREVIOUS: Thousands denied in first round of Florida’s new home elevation program
Elevate Florida program delays
What we know:
Jason and Carrie Nash’s home in Shore Acres had about four feet of water inside after Hurricane Helene. It solidified their decision to raise their home.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management opened the Elevate Florida program following Helene. The program is expected to cover approximately 75% of the costs to lift homes using federal grant money from FEMA. The homeowner would be expected to cover the remaining 25% of the cost.
The couple applied to the program and received an email last summer from Elevate Florida, saying the state had sent their application to FEMA for further review. Jason Nash says in November, they still hadn’t heard anything.
Mixed reactions as Shores Acres awaits ‘Elevate Florida’ decisions
He says they got an email from Elevate Florida in March, explaining that FEMA processing has been repeatedly delayed by factors outside the control of the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Elevate Florida. Last week, Pinellas County state lawmakers signed a letter to congressional leaders, calling on them to urge federal agencies to expedite the grant approval process.
“To put some more staffing, expedite the awards of these programs,” Rep. Lindsay Cross said.
Cross says that because the grant money being awarded is coming from federal funding, they don’t have direct control at the state level.
“Once that award comes, there’s still the stages of designing and permitting and getting people temporary housing in some cases,” she said.
According to the Elevate Florida website, federal grant requirements added extra review steps in June of last year, which could impact the timeline of the program.
St. Pete housing gridlock
What they’re saying:
Nash and his wife haven’t been able to live in their home for almost two years. The couple has been renting, while they wait to hopefully get awarded a grant from Elevate Florida.
“We not only have double rent, double bills, double everything, but on top of that, we’re paying for a storage unit to house all of our belongings in,” Nash said.
Nash says he’s reached out to leaders on the local, state and federal level, but feels like he isn’t getting answers.
“The worst thing that somebody can tell you in life is ‘Maybe’, because it still gives you hope,” he said. “And that’s all we’re getting, is ‘Maybes.’”
Stalled federal grant awards
What we don’t know:
It remains unclear exactly when FEMA will finalize the remaining applications. Nash says they received an email from Elevate Florida last week, saying 16 projects had been awarded funding, and that FEMA was continuing to award grants and would update homeowners.
FOX 13 reached out to the Florida Division of Emergency Management and is waiting for a response.
The other side:
On Monday night, a FEMA representative shared the following statement:
“FEMA obligates Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds to the state, not homeowners directly. Elevate Florida is a state-managed mitigation program. Questions should be sent to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.”
FEMA also directed people to its latest updates on funding awarded in Florida here.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview with a St. Pete homeowner, an interview with Rep. Lindsay Cross, a letter written by state representatives from Pinellas County, the Elevate Florida website and a statement from FEMA.
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