Premier matchups at the high school level are being scheduled at a high rate, specifically in the Broward County Classic. To nobody’s surprise, another fun game has been added, and this one is history-making.
According to Rivals’ Andy Villamarzo, Texas powerhouse DeSoto will battle a Florida football staple in St. Thomas Aquinas early in the 2026 season. It is the first time ever that a team from Texas will travel to Florida to play a game against a Sunshine State school.
It is very easy to laud a game as one of the best in a season, but this one has the potential to live up to the billing. St. Thomas Aquinas went 14-1 in 2025, winning its 17th state championship while finishing as the 2nd-ranked team in Florida and the 8th-ranked team nationally (both according to the Massey Rankings). DeSoto, the top-ranked team in the final 2025 Texas High School Football Massey Rankings, won the 2025 UIL Class 6A, Division II state championship.
Both teams are littered with talent throughout their rosters. St. Thomas Aquinas has two of the best players in the 2027 class in five-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews, star 2027 wideout Julius Jones Jr., and standout four-star safety Zayden Gamble. They also added a very fun quarterback in 2027 USF commit James Perrone. For DeSoto, they have two standout defensive players in Texas Tech commit K’Adrian Redmond and EDGE rusher D.J. Rumph. Offensively, the Eagles have a star running back in SaRod Baker, who ran for over 3,000 yards in 2025.
As I said in a previous article, the Broward County Classic is loaded with great matchups. From East St. Louis vs. American Heritage to Sierra Canyon vs. Chaminade-Madonna, this year’s edition involves not only upper-tier Florida high schools but also premier programs from across the country.
The true “best” matchup will not be determined until the whistle sounds and foot is put to leather. But when it comes to looking at things on paper, it truly does not get much better from a game perspective than St. Thomas Aquinas vs. DeSoto.
Cover Photo Credit: Jack Smeal, NewEraPrep staff
