GAINESVILLE, Fla. —
The road to a state championship is officially underway for teams across the Gulf Coast.
The Florida High School Athletic Association released its 2026 high school football playoff brackets Friday, Nov. 6, revealing which Southwest Florida programs will continue their seasons and who stands in their way.
Four local teams enter the postseason as district champions: Bishop Verot, Naples, Cape Coral and St. John Neumann.
From familiar rivalries to challenging first-round matchups, here’s how the postseason is shaping up across Southwest Florida.
Southwest Florida’s first-round playoff matchups
The following matchups and seedings are based on the FHSAA’s official postseason bracket release.
CLASS 1A – REGION 3
No. 8 First Baptist Academy at No. 1 Carrollwood
No. 5 Community School of Naples at No. 4 St. Petersburg
No. 6 Victory Christian at No. 3 St. John Neumann
CLASS 3A – REGION 4
No. 7 Key West at No. 2 Bishop Verot
CLASS 4A – REGION 3
No. 8 Gulf Coast at No. 1 Port Charlotte
No. 5 Clearwater at No. 4 Dunbar
No. 7 Estero at No. 2 Tampa Jesuit
No. 6 South Fort Myers at No. 3 Naples
CLASS 5A – REGION 3
No. 8 Cape Coral at No. 1 Armwood
The first round of the FHSAA high school football playoffs for Classes 1A – 6A begins Friday, Nov. 13.
INDEPENDENT – SOUTH A
No. 8 Oasis at No. 1 Fort Lauderdale
No. 7 Ida Baker at No. 2 Cooper City
INDEPENDENT – SOUTH B
Evangelical Christian School at Canterbury
Independent playoff games begin Thursday, Nov. 12.
Playoff storylines to watch
Port Charlotte looks to build on its rivalry momentum
The Pirates enter the Class 4A postseason as the region’s No. 1 seed after closing the regular season with a commanding 42-6 victory over Charlotte in the Peace River Rivalry.
Quarterback Logan Flaherty and playmaker Elias Pearl have helped fuel Port Charlotte’s explosive offense, while the Pirates’ defense and special teams have consistently made an impact.
They’ll open the playoffs against Gulf Coast, led by running back Gio Marenco.
Naples and South Fort Myers renew their postseason rivalry
One of the most intriguing first-round matchups features two familiar opponents.
Third-seeded Naples will host sixth-seeded South Fort Myers in a rematch of last year’s playoff opener.
The Wolfpack defeated Naples during the 2025 regular season before the Golden Eagles returned the favor in the postseason.
South Fort Myers also welcomes back quarterback Jaydon Henderson, who returned for the regular-season finale after missing six games with a hand injury.
Bishop Verot’s defense could be the difference
The Vikings enter the Class 3A playoffs as the No. 2 seed in Region 4 after allowing just 89 points all season and recording four shutouts.
Bishop Verot will host Key West in the opening round, looking to carry that defensive dominance into the postseason.
Local programs face challenging road tests
Several Southwest Florida teams will need to deliver strong performances away from home to keep their seasons alive.
Cape Coral, despite winning its district championship, draws top-seeded Armwood, which enters the playoffs 9-1.
Estero travels to Tampa Jesuit with record-setting quarterback Maddox Stewart leading the Wildcats’ offense.
Meanwhile, Oasis and Ida Baker begin their independent playoff campaigns on the road. For Ida Baker, it’s the Bulldogs’ first postseason appearance since 2020.
As the postseason unfolds, count on Gulf Coast News for the latest scores, highlights and continuing coverage of high school football across the Gulf Coast.
All playoff matchups and seedings are attributed to the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Nov. 6, 2026, bracket release.
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