Predicting the winners of the 2024 Florida high school football playoffs Rural state championships

High School On SI is going on the record to make our predictions on the FHSAA Rural state title games

Hawthorne Hornets wide receiver Demetrius Brown (5) runs with the ball against the Newberry Panthers during the first half at Hawthorne High School Football Stadium in Hawthorne, FL on Friday, August 30, 2024. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun] / Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Rural classification state playoffs continued in the state of Florida last week and the classification did not disappoint. 

Heading into Friday, it’s helped set up some fantastic state semifinal matchups, and the talented field of teams is going to get sliced in half and in the final stage. The state championships will feature some intriguing matchups, and a few little road trips across the Sunshine State.

>>>FHSAA 2024 PLAYOFF BRACKETS<<<

While the third round saw tournament favorites fall, these state championships has the potential to see several really good teams have their seasons upended a lot shorter than they anticipated. 

Check out who High School On SI predicts will win their state championships matchups on Friday, and who will win in the Class Rural state championships this week at The Villages.

RURAL CLASS A

Madison County (9-3) at Hawthorne (10-1)

Andy V's quick hits: Welp, we decided to pick against the back-to-back Class Rural state champion Hornets and ended up getting burned. Hawthorne cruised past Williston to book its ticket to this week's state championship game against Madison County. Both teams are very well acquainted with one another after meeting in last year's state title game. The Hornets defeated the Cowboys a year ago in a defensive struggle, but this is a different Hawthorne team. Can we really try picking against the defending champions two weeks straight? Hornets' running back Keon Johnson has been the club's workhorse on offense, rushing for over 1,600 yards and scoring 21-plus touchdowns. On the Cowboys' end of the spectrum, Madison County has been battle tested with losses coming to Lincoln, FSU High and Pace. All three aforementioned teams made the postseason in higher classifications. This should be an entertaining contest over at The Villages.

Prediction: Hawthorne, 24-21

RURAL CLASS B

Fort Meade (5-7) at Dixie County (7-6)

Andy V's quick hits: Both of these clubs are playing some of their best football as they take part in this very first edition of the Rural Invitational state championship game. In how either of these teams got to this point comes from very different angles. The Miners, whom won the Class 1A state title back in 2004, once sat at 1-5 on the season and not going anywhere fast. Over the last six games, they have gone 4-2 and it's come behind the play of sophomore quarterback Jayden McCrutchen, who has thrown for over 2,400 yards and 17 touchdowns. Flipping over to Dixie County and the Bears had a very similar story when it came to wins-losses at the outset of the season, starting 2-5. Now 5-1 over their last six games, the Bears have seen plenty of success come in the second half of the season and postseason. History we believe hands Fort Meade its second state title in program history.

Prediction: Fort Meade, 28-13

2024 FHSAA high football state championship projections

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl