Six of the top seven teams on the USA Today Florida Network Super 25 are playing national powers, including Aquinas against national champ Mater Dei.

The state of Florida has a prime opportunity to flex its football muscle on a national stage this weekend.

Six of the top seven teams on the USA Today Florida Network Super 25 play elite out-of-state competition in Week 1.

IMG (No. 1) travels to Alabama to take on Hoover and Miami Northwestern (No. 2) hosts California's Orange Lutheran. Georgia defending Class 5A state champion Milton travels to Orlando to play The First Academy.

Chaminade-Madonna (No. 3), St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 4) and American Heritage (No. 5) all play national powers in the Broward County High School National Showcase.

The Week 1 lineup also inlcudes a pair of Super 25 matchups: Venice (No. 6) at Tampa Bay Tech (No. 24), Miami Southridge (No. 15) at Columbus (No. 20).

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Here's a closer look at this week's top games.

The 5 Week 1 games

Mater Dei (California) at St. Thomas Aquinas

The Bishop Verot Vikings compete against the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders in a preseason game at Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024.

The showcase game of the Broward Showacase features Mater Dei, the defending national champion and preseason No. 1, against Aquinas. Aquinas has dropped its past two season openers: St. John Bosco (California) in 2023 and Bishop Gorman (Nevada) in 2024.

Recruiting matchup to watch: Mater Dei 2027 CB Aaryn Washington vs. Aquinas 2027 WR Julius Jones

St. Frances (Maryland) vs. Chaminade-Madonna

Chaminade-Madonna running back Derrek Cooper watches the action during the Lions spring scrimmage on May 19, 2025 in Hollywood, Florida.

St. Frances (No. 5 USA Today Super 25) and Chaminade (No. 1 Class 1A) meet for the second time in the past three seasons. A Jeremiah Smith led Chaminade team beat St. Frances 35-14 in the season opener in 2023.

Recruiting matchup to watch: St. Frances 2026 EDGE Zion Elee (Maryland commit) vs. Chaminade-Madonna 2026 RB Derrek Cooper (No. 1 USA Today Florida Network top 100, Texas commit)

St. Joseph's Prep (Pennsylvania) at American Heritage

American Heritage Patriots quarterback Dia Bell (3) scrambles in the backfield during the first quarter of a game against the Naples Golden Eagles at Staver Field in Naples on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.

St. Joseph's Prep has won three consecuitve Class 6A titles in Pennsylvania and opened the season on the USA Today Super 25 watchlist. American Heritage is No. 1 in Class 4A and the No. 7 ranked team in the nation.

Recruiting matchup to watch: St. Joseph's Prep 2026 DL Alex Haskell (Penn State commit) vs. American Heritage QB Dia Bell (No. 2 top 100, Texas commit)

Milton (Georgia) at The First Academy

The First Academy safety Devin Jackson is committed to Oregon.

Milton has won back-to-back Class 7A Georgia championships, but had a 25-game win streak snapped in a season-opening loss against national power Buford on Aug. 14. The First Academy is looking to rebound from a 41-7 loss against IMG in the Kickoff Classic.

Recruiting matchup to watch: Milton 2027 TE Grant Haviland vs. The First Academy 2026 S Devin Jackson (No. 16 top 100, Oregon commit)

Venice at Tampa Bay Tech

Venice and Tampa Bay Tech meet in the season opener for the second consecutive season. Last year's game was a high-scoring affair, which Venice won 63-40. Venice won the Class 7A state title in 2024; Tampa Bay Tech lost a heartbreaker to Lakeland in a Class 5A regional final last fall.

Other top games to watch in Week 1

Thursday, Aug. 21

Lakeland running back Jadarius Dobie runs in the open field against Miami Northwestern on Saturday night in the Kickoff Classic at Vero Beach High School.

Miami Southridge (No. 2 Class 6A) at Columbus (No. 2 Class 7A)
Bolles (No. 1 Class 2A) at Monarch (No. 8 Class 6A)
Vanguard at Buchholz (No. 3 Class 6A)
Lakeland (No. 2 Class 5A) at Auburndale

Friday, Aug. 22

Lincoln football's Kabran Paul (#8) celebrates a touchdown in a dominate in 49-0 win over St. John Paul II at Gene Cox Stadium on Thursday, Sep. 5, 2024

Corner Canyon (Utah) at West Broward (No. 4 Class 6A)
Pahokee (No. 4 Rural Class) at Palm Beach Central (No. 9 Class 7A)
Clearwater Central Catholic (No. 3 Class 1A) at Berkeley Prep (No. 10 Class 2A)
Niceville (No. 5 Class 5A) at Lincoln (No. 6 Class 5A)
Nease at Ponte Vedra
Jones (No. 2 Class 4A) at Winter Park
Ed White at Trinity Christian (No. 5 Class 1A)
Eau Gallie (No. 4 Class 3A) at Vero Beach (No. 3 Class 7A)
Oviedo at Bishop Moore (No. 6 Class 3A)
Mandarin (No. 7 Class 6A) at Creekside
Miami Norland (No. 3 Class 4A) at Lake Mary (No. 7 Class 7A)
True North Classical at Cardinal Mooney (No. 3 Class 2A)
Newberry (No. 9 Class 2A) at University Christian
Estero at Riverdale
Columbia (No. 10 Class 4A) at Suwannee
Gaither at Armwood (No. 5 Class 6A)
Bishop Verot (No. 7 Class 2A) at Jesuit (No. 7 Class 4A)
Baker County at Bradford (No. 6 Class 2A)
DeLand (No. 6 Class 7A) at Madison County (No. 1 Rural Class)
St. John Bosco (California) at Manatee (No. 9 Class 5A)
Chiefland at Williston (No. 3 Rural Class)
Pace (No. 10 Class 6A) at Mary G. Montgomery (Alabama)
Dr. Phillips (No. 8 Class 7A) at Dillard (No. 9 Class 4A)
Booker (No. 5 Class 3A) at Auburn (Alabama)
IMG (No. 1 Super 25) at Hoover (Alabama)

Saturday, Aug. 23

Orange Lutheran (California) at Miami Northwestern (No. 1 Class 3A)

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: High school football: Florida's best take on national powers in Week 1

Category: General Sports