MIAMI, Florida, Aug. 21 — The Florida high school football season officially kicks off Thursday, August 21, with several games on the schedule, including this battle between these two traditional Miami powers.
The Columbus Explorers play in Florida’s FHSAA Class 7A ranks while the Southridge Spartans inhabit the Class 6A space. But both programs were state semifinalists in their respective classifications a year ago with Southridge losing a 14-11 thriller to the eventual undefeated 6A state champion West Boca Raton [Boca Raton] Bulls. Columbus was tripped up by the eventual 7A champion Venice Indians in similarly close fashion in a 33-27 defeat
No hype needed. Just football.
Columbus vs. Southridge.
Explorers vs. Spartans.
Kickoff: 4 PM at Tropical Park.
Be there. Be loud. Back the Brotherhood.#CPride #Adelante pic.twitter.com/uthRCnrPUr— Columbus High School (@ColumbusHS_Mia) August 21, 2025
Two-and-a-half months prior to those December nailbiters, the Explorers and the Spartans staged an exciting duel of their own in the 2024 season opener with Columbus forcing a late turnover to escape Southridge with a 17-14 win.
Both teams expect to be competitive at the state level again this fall, and they’ll each get their first look at a high-caliber opponent when they face off with Columbus serving as the host.
How to watch Columbus vs. Southridge football
- TV channel: N/A
- Live stream: NFHS Network
- Date: Thursday, August 21, 2025
- Time: 4 p.m. EST local
Columbus vs. Southridge will not be broadcast on traditional television, but it will be streamed live by the NFHS Network.
NFHS Network is the leader in streaming live and on-demand high school sports from across the country. Sign up today to watch the game live or on demand.
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Just a reminder, too, that this game is being streamed on the NFHS Network It does require a subscription, but NFHS delivers an excellent experience when it comes to their streaming platform. Details are above if you want to tune in with us.
KEYS TO THE GAME …
Last year these two teams played to a near draw with Columbus escaping with a 17-14 win thanks in large part to a late turnover.
And, it sounds cliche sometimes to talk about turnovers being a key to the game. But when you’ve got two fairly evenly matched teams like we’ve got here today, it honestly is one of the most important factors. MaxPreps has Southridge ranked No. 17 in Florida with Columbus at No. 20 so with the weather looking good, it really will probably come down to not just turnovers, but mistakes in general.
Or missed opportunities. It was a low-scoring affair a year ago so if one of these teams is able to gain an advantage by finishing drives in the red zone, that could be enough to make the difference.
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TEAM INFO …
Both of these teams were state finalists a year ago. Columbus finished 9-4 in 2024 during their march to the FHSAA Class 7A semifinals while Southridge fashioned a 12-3 record out of their similar ride to the 6A final four.
Southridge has two ranked 3-star Class of 2026 prospects playing today. IOL Ryan Miret (6-4, 290 lbs.) is committed to Ole Miss, and edge rusher Kamron Wilson (6-5, 210 lbs.) is headed to Syracuse after high school.
Columbus has 3-star safety Tedrick Lee who is still uncommitted.
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WEATHER AND MORE …
Alright, we’re getting hyped for this big season opener in Miami, Florida! Time for a peek at the weather down there in the Sunshine State, and that’s what we’re hoping for, is plenty of sunshine. Georgia’s opening weekend was affected by some serious storms and delays, but we’re hoping to get out of the gate tonight in Florida with some good weather.
And so far so good, according to The Weather Channel. They’re reporting 88 degrees and sunny with just some scattered clouds. The 68 percent humidity, however, is making it feel like a hundred! We saw some kids cramping in those season openers in Georgia a week ago, and that will be something to keep an eye on here, too.
There is a possibility of some light rain in the 7 o’clock hour, but barring any technical delays, this game should be in the book by then.
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TOP 25 AND THE GAME OF THE WEEK …
While you’re getting ready for tonight’s big game, get yourself up to speed on the preseason edition of The Sporting News High School Football Top 25.
Then check out our TSN Game of the Week Recap featuring the No. 14 Milton (GA) Eagles at the No. 12 Buford (GA) Wolves on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
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OUR PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAMS …
Finally, don’t miss out on The Sporting News Preseason All-American Teams that just debuted today!
The Sporting News High School Preseason All-American Offense 2025
The Sporting News High School Preseason All-American Defense 2025
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We’ll check back in here in a while with a look at some more storylines and an update on the weather in the greater Atlanta area.
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