Football: Undefeated No. 1 teams Columbus, Miami Central headline Week 9

The Greater Miami Athletic Conference got it right this year.

After last year’s inaugural Football Championship Series produced several teams meeting for the second time during the regular season — including Miami Central vs. Miami Northwestern and Miami Palmetto vs. Columbus — this year’s reconfiguration means some elite late-season matchups.

The headliner is undefeated Miami Central, the No. 1 team in Class 2M on the USA Today Florida Network poll, taking on undefeated Columbus, the No. 1 team in Class 4M, on Friday.

Both teams have been equally dominant this season. Central opened the year with a win at IMG and have outscored its past opponents by a combined score of 213-21. Columbus, which is looking to be the first Florida team to beat Central since the 2020 season opener, has not allowed any opponent to score more than 19 points in a game this fall.

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Other marquee games include Homestead at Miami Northwestern and Miami Norland at Palmetto.

Homestead (5-2, No. 8 Class 3M) won its first five games before falling to Columbus and Miami Southridge in its past two games while Northwestern (4-3, No. 3 Class 2M) is coming off a big district win against Booker T. Washington.

Norland (4-2, ARV Class 2M) is looking to snap a two-game losing skid against Palmetto (4-4, No. 10 Class 4M), which has won three games in a row and scored at least 35 points in each of those games.

Here are some of the other big games from a packed Week 9.

Buchholz (6-0, No. 2 Class 4M) at Bartram Trail (7-0, No. 3 Class 4M)

The de facto District 3-4M championship game features two of the best teams in the state. Buchholz, led by dual-threat quarterback Creed Whittemore, has scored at least 31 points in five of its six games. Bartram Trail has proven it can win shootouts or defensive struggles. Running back Laython Biddle (14 rushing touchdowns) and quarterback Riley Trujillo (323 yards, four touchdowns last week against Creekside) have been the focal point for the Bears offense.

American Heritage (7-1, No. 2 Class 2M) at Naples (6-1, No. 2 Class 3S)

This is a matchup of two elite programs, each with just a one-score road loss against a ranked opponent on the ledger. Heritage is led by Ohio State commits Brandon Inniss and Mark Fletcher Jr. and has been dominant in each of its seven victories — winning each game by at least 18 points. Naples is on a five-game win streak and has a defense that has limited opponents to 14 points or less six times this fall.

Florida High at Chiefland

Florida High is 7-0 and the No. 1 team in Class 2S; Chiefland is 5-0 and the No. 3 team in Class 1R.

North Florida Christian at Wakulla

North Florida Christian is 8-0 and the No. 2 team in Class 1S); Wakulla is 7-1 and the No. 5 team in Class 2M.

Clearwater Academy International at Lakeland

Clearwater Academy International is 6-0; Lakeland is 6-0 and the No. 1 team in Class 4S.

Tampa Bay Tech at Jesuit

Tampa Bay Tech is 8-0 and the No. 3 team in Class 3M; Jesuit is 4-3 and the No. 7 team in Class 3M

Here are some of the top individual matchups featuring top recruits to watch in Week 9.

American Heritage 2024 WR Brandon Inniss vs. Naples 2023 DB Kerry Brown

Inniss is committed to Ohio State; Brown is committed to Minnesota

More: Recruiting: Ohio State WR commit Inniss flexing muscle on defense

Columbus 2023 RB Sedrick Irvin Jr. vs. Miami Central 2023 EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.

Irvin is committed to Stanford

Munroe 2023 WR Ahmari Borden vs. Pensacola Catholic 2023 CB Ja’Bril Rawls

Borden is committed to Stanford; Rawls is committed to Florida State

Miami Norland 2023 RB Javin Simpkins vs. Miami Palmetto 2023 EDGE/LB Bobby Washington

Simpkins is committed to Georgia Tech; Washington is committed to Miami

Bayside 2023 WR Michael Parkes vs. Eau Gallie 2023 ATH Robert Stafford

Parkes is committed to Iowa State; Stafford is committed to Miami

Avant Garde 2023 WR William Fowles vs. Chaminade-Madonna 2023 ATH Edwin Joseph

Fowles is committed to Louisville

More: Florida impact recruits: Edwin Joseph leads state prospects on the rise after first half

Clearwater Academy International 2024 WR Dallas Sims vs. Lakeland 2023 CB Cormani McClain

McClain is the No. 1 player on the USA Today Florida Network top 100

Mainland 2024 WR James Randle vs. Osceola 2023 DB Ja’Keem Jackson

Jackson is committed to Florida

Homestead 2023 WR Richard Dandridge vs. Miami Northwestern 2023 DB Rayquan Adkins

Dandridge is committed to Temple; Adkins is committed to Louisville

Seminole 2023 QB Luke Rucker vs. Lake Brantley 2023 LB Michael Harris

Rucker is committed to FAU; Harris is committed to UCF

Bartram Trail 2024 QB Riley Trujillo vs. Buchholz 2023 DL Gavin Hill

Hill is committed to Florida

Tampa Bay Tech 2024 RB Rod Gainey vs. Jesuit 2024 EDGE Peter Pesansky

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Football: Undefeated No. 1 teams Columbus, Central headline Week 9