Miami-Dade County high school football: The top games to watch each week of the 2022 season

Miami-Dade County is still a deep an area as there is for high school football in the entire country, and it means every week the calendar is filled with awesome games featuring blue-chip recruits, state championship contenders, rivalry stakes and major postseason implications.

Central is trying to win a fourth straight state title and now, after the Florida High School Athletic Association’s major realignment, the Rockets will have to go through archrival Northwestern and Gulliver Prep to get there. At the same time, Columbus is trying to get back to the mountaintop in its new classification and a series of high-profile coaching changes have shaken up the Miami football scene.

Note: All games Friday at 7:30 p.m. unless noted.

Week 1 — Aug. 25-27

Central at Bradenton IMG Academy, 7, Aug. 26

New Central coach Jube Joseph doesn’t get to ease into his new job at all: The Rockets, the No. 15 team in MaxPreps’ preseason rankings, head over to Bradenton to face No. 4 IMG Academy in a matchup with potential national-championship implications.

Others to watch: Booker T. Washington vs. Killian, Thursday, 7 (Traz); Palmetto vs. Homestead, Thursday, 7 (Tropical); Benedictine (Savannah, Ga.) at Columbus, 6 (Tropical); Northwestern at Venice.

Week 2 — Sept. 1-3

Edison vs. Booker T. Washington, Sept. 1, 7 (Curtis)

Last year, Edison beat Booker T. Washington for the first time since 2000, but legendary coach Tim “Ice” Harris Sr. is back with the Tornadoes and will get his first major test against an inner-city Miami rival.

Others to watch: Northwestern vs. Jackson (Traz); Palmetto at Clearwater Academy International, 7; Doral Academy at Rockledge, 7; Homestead vs. South Dade (Tropical)

Week 3 — Sept. 8-10

Chaminade-Madonna at Northwestern, Sept. 8, 7 (Traz)

Northwestern welcomes Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna down to Miami for a national top-100 matchup between state title contenders.

Others to watch: Gulliver Prep at Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, 7; Homestead at St. Petersburg Lakewood, 7; Columbus at Tampa Jesuit, 7; Central vs. Booker T. Washington (Traz); Palmetto vs. Killian (Tropical).

Week 4 — Sept. 15-17

Palmetto vs. Columbus (Tropical), Sept. 16

This isn’t a district showdown anymore, but Columbus-Palmetto still could be a postseason preview. The Explorers and Panthers are the top two 4M contenders in Miami-Dade.

Others to watch: Northwestern vs. Edison (Traz); Doral Academy at Cardinal Newman; Killian vs. South Dade (Harris); Norland at Monsignor Pace.

Week 5 — Sept. 22-24

Chaminade-Madonna at Gulliver Prep, Sept. 22, 3:30

Gulliver welcomes Chaminade-Madonna down to Miami for a top-100 matchup with elite prospects on both sides.

Others to watch: Northwestern vs. Columbus, Thursday, 7 (Traz); Palmetto at Vero Beach, 7; Edison at Tallahassee Rickards, 7; Homestead at Treasure Coast; Killian at Naples; Dillard at Central, Saturday, 7 (Traz)

Week 6 — Sept. 29-Oct. 1

Gulliver Prep vs. Killian (Tropical), Sept. 30

Killian is a major mystery after former coach Derrick Gibson left to become the FAU Owls’ safeties coach and Bryce Bishop took over, but this still could be for the District 16-2M title.

Others to watch: Booker T. Washington vs. Jackson, 7, Thursday (Traz); Carol City at Monsignor Pace; La Salle vs. Edison, Saturday, 7 (Traz); South Broward at Dr. Krop (Ives).

Week 7 — Oct. 6-8

Central vs. Northwestern (Traz), Oct. 7

South Florida’s best rivalry could also be a preview of the Region 4-2M championship — and perhaps the first of three meetings between inner-city Miami rivals if they also play in the Greater Miami Athletic Conference’s championship series.

Others to watch: Palmetto vs. Edison, Thursday, 7 (Curtis); Booker T. Washington vs. Norland, Thursday, 7 (Traz); Homestead vs. Columbus (Harris); TRU Prep Academy at Jacksonville Bolles.

Week 8 — Oct. 13-15

Columbus at Doral Academy, Oct. 14

Doral is headed in the right direction after getting back to the playoffs in coach Eddie Delgado’s first full season last year, but its district competition is stiffer this year. Columbus will face the Firebirds in Doral with the District 15-4M title potentially at stake.

Others to watch: Central vs. Norland, Thursday, 7 (Traz); North Miami Beach vs. Carol City, 7 (Traz); Westland Hialeah at St. Brendan, 7; Northwestern vs. Booker T. Washington, Saturday, 7 (Traz)

Week 9 — Oct. 20-22

Gulliver Prep at Belen Jesuit, Oct. 21

It’s GMAC championship week, which means most of the schedule for this week has not been determined. Belen Jesuit’s schedule gets tough down the stretch, starting with this one against Gulliver.

Others to watch: Archbishop Carroll vs. Westminster Christian (Tropical), 7; Monsignor Pace at La Salle, 7; Florida Christian at Ransom Everglades, 7; St. Brendan at Somerset Academy South Homestead, 7.

Week 10 — Oct. 27-29

Homestead vs. Belen Jesuit (Harris), Oct. 28

Belen Jesuit continues its tough close to the season by trekking down to Homestead in a potential District 16-3M championship game. The Broncos are coming off one of their best seasons ever and begin the year as Dade County’s top team in 3M.

Others to watch: South Miami at Gulliver Prep, Thursday, 3:30; Norland vs. North Miami Beach, Thursday, 7 (Traz); South Dade vs. Coral Gables, Thursday, 7 (Harris); Central vs. Monsignor Pace (Traz).

Week 11 — Nov. 3-5

Cardinal Newman at Gulliver Prep, 3:30, Nov. 4

Gulliver quarterback Davi Belfort faces his old team when Cardinal Newman comes down from West Palm Beach to close out the regular season.

Others to watch: Killian vs. Norland, Thursday, 7 (Traz); Edison at Doral Academy, 7; Belen Jesuit vs. La Salle, 7 (Tropical); Palmetto vs. Coconut Creek, 7, Thursday (Southridge).

This story was originally published August 23, 2022 at 2:42 PM.