The Florida High School Athletics Association will announce the 2025 state high school football playoff bracket pairings on Thursday at noon, via the association’s YouTube channel.

The Sentinel decided to get a jumpstart on the matchups and predict the Nov. 14 first-round matchups ourselves.  In our projections four Orlando-area teams would earn region No. 1 seeds: DeLand, Edgewater, Jones and Bishop Moore. (Click here for last week’s Orlando area FHSAA power rankings.)

We are predicting that The First Academy’s win at Lakeland on Friday night will be enough to boost Edgewater (10-0) into the No. 1 overall seeding in Class 5A, thus giving the Orlando area four No. 1 seeds in their respective regions, including DeLand (10-0) in 7A, Jones in 4A, and Bishop Moore in 3A.

In last week’s FHSAA power rankings, Lakeland was the overall No. 1 in 5A with 21.651 points. Edgewater was No. 3 at 18.012. We believe the Eagles win over Boone (9-1), coupled with Lakeland’s loss, will be enough for Edgewater (10-0) to jump both Lakeland (8-2) and No. 2 Delray Beach Atlantic (9-1), which also lost last week.

Last regular season Super 16 Coaches Poll: Edgewater rules 8 straight weeks

If the Sentinel projections hold true, there would be four rematches of regular-season games in the 7A bracket, with three in Region 1: Hagerty at Lake Mary, Seminole at Spruce Creek and Winter Park at Boone. Earlier this year, Lake Mary defeated Hagerty 55-17, Boone rallied to beat Winter Park 44-38, and Seminole knocked off Spruce Creek, which was unbeaten at the time, 16-10.

In Region 2, Ocoee would travel to West Orange to mix it up one more time. West Orange won the previous game 21-14.

There remains one mystery equation within the brackets, in 1A, as we continue to await a judge’s decision as to whether TFA will have its playoff ban lifted. On Tuesday, the Sentinel reached out to Heitner Legal of Fort Lauderdale, the law firm representing the parents of TFA players, for an update on the firm’s injunction that was filed last week. There was no response as of close of business.

FHSAA rankings: There are 22 Orlando teams poised to make playoffs

Should TFA be allowed to participate in the playoffs, our projections would have the Royals (5-5) likely jumping to No. 3 in the seedings after their upset of Lakeland. That would mean a first-round home game against Lakeland Christian (8-2), and Father Lopez would be knocked out of the playoffs.

(Note: Projections are not the official playoff matchups.)

FHSAA playoff projections

(* — denotes district champ; All games Nov. 14)

Class 7A, Region 1

8 Creekside* (4-6) at 1 DeLand* (10-0)

7 Hagerty (6-4) at 2 Lake Mary* (7-3)

6 Seminole (5-5) at 3 Spruce Creek (8-2)

5 Winter Park (5-5) at 4 Boone* (9-1)

Note: District champ Creekside knocks out No. 8 Lake Brantley.

Class 7A, Region 2

8 Ridge Community* (5-5) at 1 Venice* (6-3)

7 Alonzo (6-4) at 2 Sarasota Riverview* (8-1-1)

6 Ocoee (5-5) at 3 West Orange* (9-1)

5 Plant City (7-3) at 4 Sumner (8-2)

Note: Ocoee-West Orange rematch of two weeks ago, when West Orange won 21-14.

Class 7A, Region 3

8 East Ridge (6-4) at 1 Vero Beach* (10-0)

7 Lake Nona (7-3) at 2 Jupiter* (10-0)

6 Palm Beach Central (6-4) at 3 Ft. Pierce Central (9-1)

5 Dr. Phillips* (7-3) at 4 St. Cloud* (8-2)

Note: East Ridge sneaks in despite losing four in a row.

Class 6A, Region 1

8 Crestview (6-3) at 1 Mandarin* (9-1)

7 Oviedo* (8-2) at 2 Buchholz* (9-1)

6 Evans (8-2) at 3 Pace* (9-1)

5 Oakleaf (8-2) at 4 Nease (8-2)

Note: Mandarin unseats Buchholz as No. 1.

Class 6A, Region 2

8 Plant (5-5) at 1 Armwood* (10-0)

7 Durant* (5-5) at 2 South Lake* (9-1)

6 Melbourne (6-4) at 3 Osceola* (6-4)

5 Riverview (6-4) at Viera (6-4)

Note: Plant jumps into Top 8, knocking out Ocala Forest.

Class 5A, Region 2

8 Wesley Chapel (6-4) 1 Edgewater* (10-0)

7 Lake Gibson (5-5) at 2 Lakeland* (8-2)

6 Winter Springs (7-3) at 3 Gaither* (9-1)

5 Sebring (5-5) at 4 Tampa Bay Tech* (8-2)

Note: Lakeland loss to TFA drops Dreadnaughts to No. 2.

Class 4A, Region 2

8 Lecanto (6-4) at 1 Jones* (8-2)

7 Rockledge (3-7) at 2 Zephyrhills* (10-0)

3 Lake Wales (8-2) at 6 New Smyrna Beach* (8-2)

4 Auburndale (8-2) at 5 Vanguard* (8-2)

Note: Higher-seeded Lake Wales has to travel to district champ New Smyrna Beach.

Class 3A, Region 2

8 Hernando* (7-3) at 1 Bishop Moore* (9-1)

7 Tavares (6-4) at 2 Eau Gallie* (7-3)

6 Titusville (5-5) at 3 Merritt Island (6-4)

5 South Sumter (7-3) at 4 Eastside* (8-2)

Note: District champ Hernando knocks out No. 8 Dunnellon.

Class 1A, Region 2

8 Father Lopez* (6-4) at 1 Carrollwood Day* (9-0)

7 Indian Rocks (4-6) at Clearwater Central Catholic* (8-2)

3 Lakeland Christian (8-2) at 6 Melbourne Central Catholic* (2-7)

5 Victory Christian (4-5) at Orlando Christian Prep (7-3)

Note: Higher-seeded Lakeland Christian has to travel to district champ MCC.

Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.