Armwood and Raines Qualify for Florida Open Division

The two teams secured the final spots in the top eight-team high school football playoff bracket.

Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Football

Armwood and Raines Qualify for Florida Open Division

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Armwood and Raines have qualified for the Florida high school football Open Division playoffs. They occupy the final two seeds in the tournament, which features the top eight eligible teams in the MaxPreps rankings.

Why it matters

The Open Division postseason is restricted to the state's highest-ranked eligible programs. Because several schools are currently on probation, rankings shifts have directly determined the final makeup of the playoff bracket.

Armwood climbed three spots and Raines moved up five in the latest rankings to secure their bids. Venice, which holds an 8-1 record, rose nine spots but remains the first team excluded from the eight-team field.

The players

Armwood

This Florida-based high school football program moved up three spots in the rankings to clinch an Open Division seed.

Raines

The football team improved their standing by five spots to secure the final position in the state's top division.

St. Thomas Aquinas

This institution currently holds the top seed in the Florida high school Open Division bracket.

Venice

Despite a significant nine-spot rise in the rankings, this 8-1 team remains the first program excluded from the postseason.

The details

The postseason field is determined exclusively by MaxPreps rankings, with St. Thomas Aquinas entering as the top seed. Baldwin, Carol City, Deltona, Matanzas, and Parker are ineligible for selection this year due to their current status on restrictive probation.

Week 2: Armwood recorded their only loss against Don Bosco Prep.
Week 10: The regular season timing for finalizing the playoff bracket projections.

Season Trajectory

The playoff bracket is dictated by the MaxPreps state football rankings. This year's field is heavily impacted by the inclusion of only eligible teams, leaving out schools currently under restrictive probation.

The qualification of Armwood and Raines finalizes the eight-team Open Division bracket. Eligible schools must now prepare for postseason matchups, while excluded teams like Venice conclude their seasons following the Week 10 cutoff.

The takeaway

Postseason eligibility in Florida high school football is highly dependent on institutional compliance records. Teams must maintain good standing to remain eligible for top-tier tournament play regardless of their on-field performance.