PREPZONE - FOOTBALL

2024 Florida high school football can't miss games and which steam live on NFHS Network

Portrait of Jon Santucci Jon Santucci
Treasure Coast Newspapers

Football season is right around the corner, which means it’s time to get on the bus and see some great games.

With that in mind, it’s time USA Today Florida Network’s fourth annual Ultimate Season Pass.

The rules are simple.

You can only one game per week.

You can only see games featuring two in-state teams.

You can only see each team once a year.

Obviously, that has some inherent challenges. You won’t be able to see every team and you may miss some pristine matchups because the schedules must align perfectly. After all, you don’t want to go to a game that features a top-10 team against a perennial doormat. That’s no fun.

So, trying to thread the needle of seeing 22 really good teams that also have outstanding recruits, here’s what we came up with.

Stream Florida HS football games live on the NFHS Network

Kickoff Classic: Mainland at Eau Gallie, Aug. 17

Xavier Lherisse of Eau Gallie runs through the tackle of Courtland Campbell of Merritt Island durng their game Friday, September 29, 2023. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK

Storyline: Mainland won the Class 3S state title in 2023 but will have a different look this fall with just four starters returning and a new coach in Jerrime Bell. Eau Gallie is coming off a 10-win season and have a talented roster looking to build on last year’s regional semifinal appearance.

Top recruits to watch: Eau Gallie 2025 DL Brandon Brown (LSU commit, No. 65 USA Today top 100), Mainland 2025 DL Christian Hudson (UCF commit, No. 73 top 100), Eau Gallie 2026 S Xavier Lherisse, Mainland 2026 LB Dennis King III, Eau Gallie 2027 QB Joseph Allen

Watch on NFHS Network:Mainland at Eau Gallie

Week 1: Lakeland at Miami Central, Aug. 23

Lakeland (15) quarterback Zander Smith throws a pass against Bartow defenders during first half action at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland Fl. Thursday October 5 ,2023. Ernst Peters/The Ledger

Storyline: Two of the state’s premier programs face off in the regular season opener. Lakeland is coming off back-to-back Class 4S state titles and will look to make a statement against Central. The Rockets had a four-year state title streak snapped in 2023 and have been focused on getting back to the top of the mountain this offseason.

Top recruits to watch: Miami Central 2025 WR Naeshaun Montgomery (No. 35 top 100), Lakeland 2025 S Keon Young (Ole Miss commit, No. 37 top 100), Miami Central 2025 LB Ezekiel Marcelin (Miami commit, No. 55 top 100), 2025 DL Floyd Boucard (Oklahoma commit, No. 57 top 100), Lakeland 2026 LB Malik Morris

Week 2: Miami Northwestern at Venice, Aug. 30  

Venice quarterback Jayce Nixon throws a pass in the spring game against Naples at Venice's Powell-Davis Stadium on May 21, 2024.

Storyline: Northwestern is coming off a rare down season, but expectations are high with former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in his first year coaching his alma mater. The Bulls face a tough early-season road test at a Venice squad that has played in three consecutive state title games and won the Class 8A championship in 2021.

Top recruits to watch: Venice 2025 WR Winston Watkins Jr. (No. 34 top 100), Northwestern 2025 S Antionio Branch Jr. (Penn State commit. No. 69 top 100), Northwestern 2025 ATH Jade Card (FAU commit), Northwestern 2026 WR Calvin Russell Jr., Venice 2026 EDGE Asharri Charles

Week 3: Cocoa at IMG, Sept. 6

IMG Academy High School junior Donovan Olugbode (1) works to stay in-bounds after a reception during the first half of an IHSAA varsity football game against Ben Davis High School, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, at Ben Davis High School.

Storyline: Cocoa, which won back-to-back state titles, already has a reputation for playing some of the state’s top teams and now the Tigers travel to Sarasota to play one of the nation’s best. IMG is coming off an undefeated season and is looking for its first national championship since 2020. Miami Central is the only public school to beat IMG in the past decade.

Top recruits to watch: Cocoa 2025 EDGE Javion Hilson (Florida State commit, No. 5 top 100), IMG 2025 WR Donovan Olugbode (Missouri commit, No. 14 top 100), IMG 2025 LB Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng (No. 16 top 100), Cocoa 2025 WR Jayvan Boggs (Missouri commit, No. 23 top 100), IMG 2026 DL Elijah Golden

Week 4: Edgewater at Jones, Sept. 14

Jones quarterback Dereon Coleman throws a pass in 2023. Coleman committed to Miami on Wednesday.

Storyline: Two of the premier programs in Central Florida face off in an early season game. These rivals have played four times the past two seasons with Edgewater winning both regular season matchups and Jones avenging those losses in the regional playoffs on their way to back-to-back Final Four appearances.

Top recruits to watch: Jones 2025 WR Vernell Brown III (Florida commit, No. 8 top 100), Edgewater 2025 WR Semaj Fleming (Boston College, No. 90 top 100), Edgewater 2025 OL Jaden Wilkerson (Miami commit), Jones 2026 QB Dereon Coleman (Miami commit), Edgewater 2026 QB Carter Emanuel

Watch on NFHS Network:Orlando Edgewater at Orlando Jones

Week 5: Lake Wales at Seminole, Sept. 20

Lake Wales wide receiver Kaneilius Purdy runs for extra yardage against Leesburg on Friday night at Legion Field.

Storyline: A matchup of two recent state champions — Lake Wales won Class 3S in 2022; Seminole won Class 8A in 2020 — and both have title aspirations in 2024. Both teams were regional finalists in 2023, with Lake Wales having a 27-game win streak snapped in the regional championship.

Top recruits to watch: Seminole 2025 OL Max Buchanan (Miami commit, No. 22 top 100), Seminole 2025 LB Ethan Pritchard (Florida State commit, No. 61 top 100), Seminole 2026 QB Michael Clayton, Lake Wales 2026 WR Gabriel Legrand, Lake Wales 2027 ATH Kaneilius Purdy

Watch on NFHS Netowrk:Lake Wales at Seminole

Week 6: Cardinal Newman at Jesuit, Sept. 27

Cardinal Newman running back Xanai Scott follows his blockers against Benjamin during the regional semifinal playoff football game in West Palm Beach on November 17, 2023.

Storyline: Cardinal Newman has been a consistent winner since coach Jack Daniels arrived two years ago, reaching the regional final each year. Jesuit, the 2021 Class 6A state champion, is looking to get back to the Final Four after falling in the regional championship last fall.

Top recruits to watch: Jesuit 2025 RB Justin Thurman (Notre Dame commit, No. 58 top 100), Cardinal Newman 2025 DB Max Redmon (Florida State commit. No. 89 top 100), Cardinal Newman 2025 RB Jaylin Brown (Louisville commit), Jesuit 2026 QB Will Griffin (Florida commit), Cardinal Newman 2026 ATH Jyron Hughley

Week 7: American Heritage at Miami Norland, Oct. 4

Norland quarterback Ennio Yapoor scrambles before throwing a touchdown against Lakeland at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland, Fl. August 25th 2023.

Storyline: American Heritage, the 2021 Class 2M state runner-up and 2022 regional champion, returns a loaded offense that should have the Patriots in the mix for a state title this fall. Norland is coming off 14-win season and an appearance in the Class 2M state championship game.

Top recruits to watch: American Heritage 2025 RB Byron Louis (No. 25 top 100), American Heritage 2025 CB Greg Thomas (Florida State commit, No. 29 top 100), Norland 2025 EDGE Darryll Desir (UCF commit, No. 71 top 100), Norland 2025 EDGE Mandrell Desir (UCF commit, No. 91 top 100), American Heritage 2026 QB Dia Bell (Texas commit)

Week 8: St. Thomas Aquinas at Chaminade-Madonna, Oct. 11

Chaminade-Madonna's Denairius Gray makes a leaping catch against Cardinal Newman on Nov. 24, 2023.

Storyline: Two of the premier teams in the nation. Aquinas has its sights set on a sixth consecutive state title and has the type of schedule that would put the Raiders firmly in the conversation for a national title if they can get through unscathed. Chaminade was the No. 2 team in the nation in 2023 and has won three consecutive state titles.

Top recruits to watch: Chaminade 2025 CB Chris Ewald (Miami commit, No. 24 top 100), Chaminade 2025 ATH Koby Howard (Penn State commit, No. 46 top 100), Aquinas 2025 LB Travares Daniels (Maryland commit), Chaminade 2026 RB Derrek Cooper, Aquinas 2026 DB Justice Fitzpatrick

Watch on NFHS Network:St. Thomas Aquinas at Chaminade-Madonna

Week 9: Bolles at Riverside

Riverside's TaeÕShaun Gelsey (13) pulls in a touchdown pass as he runs down the sideline during fourth quarter action. OrlandoÕs Bishop Moore High School traveled to JacksonvilleÕs Riverside High School for the Class 3M football Playoffs Friday, November 17, 2023. The Riverside Generals trailed 22 to 13 at the half and battled back in the second half but fell short, ending their season with a 37 to 35 loss to the Bishop Moore Hornets.

Storyline: Bolles had an up-and-down regular season in 2023, but still managed to win eight games and reach the state semifinals for the fifth consecutive year. Riverside has averaged eight wins per year the past three seasons, including nine wins and its sixth consecutive regional semifinal appearance in 2023.

Top recruits to watch: Riverside 2025 WR/TE Tae’shaun Gelsey (Florida commit, No. 67 top 100), Bolles 2025 WR Chase Collier (Baylor commit), Riverside 2025 WR Myles Kendrick (Indiana commit), Bolles 2026 WR Naeem Burroughs, Bolles 2026 TE Corbyn Fordham

Week 10: Wharton at Armwood, Oct. 25

Storyline: The talented District 8-6A rivals have split four meetings during the past three seasons, with three of those games being decided by a single score. That includes Armwood’s 20-14 win in the regional quarterfinals last season. This could be the de-facto district title game.

Top recruits to watch: Armwood 2025 RB Girard Pringle (Miami commit, No. 26 top 100), Armwood 2025 WR Tyler Williams (Georgia commit, No. 53 top 100), Armwood 2025 ATH O’Lontae Dean, Armwood 2026 WR Jaelen Waters (Florida commit), Wharton 2026 OT Canon Pickett

Watch on NFHS Netowrk:Wharton at Armwood

Week 11: St. Augustine at Mandarin

Mandarin's Jaime Ffrench (2) makes a one-handed touchdown reception against Bolles' Santana Starks (12) during the first quarter of a high school football matchup Thursday, May 23, 2024 at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Fla. Mandarin defeated Bolles 35-14.

Storyline: Two of the premier programs in northeast Florida — both state runners-up in the respective classes in 2023 — face off one week before the postseason starts. St. Augustine went 13-1 last season and has one of the most potent passing games in the state. Mandarin won 11 games in 2023 and returns a loaded team on both sides of the ball.

Top recruits to watch: Mandarin 2025 WR Jaime Ffrench (No. 4 top 100), Mandarin 2025 S Hylton Stubbs (Miami commit. No. 6 top 100), Mandarin 2025 QB Tramell Jones Jr. (Florida State commit, No. 39 top 100), St. Augustine WR Carl Jenkins Jr. (UCF commit, No. 76 top 100), St. Augustine QB Locklan Hewlett (USF commit, No. 92 top 100)

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.