This game has all the makings of truly being Florida’s best game of Week 7.

Not just because things are bad in Miami, but also because of the location of the programs, the value of the prize and of course the numerous boasts surrounding Dade County.

Yes, it’s Miami Central and Miami Northwestern, and the game has a lot of implications for the home stretch of upcoming contests. The Rockets have won five straight in this fiercely competitive rivalry that pits arguably two of South Florida’s best programs against one another at Traz Powell Stadium.

High School On SI Florida gives you three things to know before tonight’s big matchup between the two rivals in Dade County:

Surprise, surprise. As if it was news to people that none of these teams produced some pretty good passers. The fact is that neither team entered the 2024 season with clear starters at the quarterback position before the season. Anthony McQueen has thrived in the Rockets’ center position and is now positioned as a darkhorse MVP candidate this fall. So far this season, McQueen has completed 33 of 46 (71 percent) passes for 911 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception. There are also 147 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. For the Bulls, Strawder has become the clear man for Teddy Bridgewater and his play has spoken for itself. The signal-caller has thrown for an impressive 924 yards and 15 touchdowns. The game will depend crucially on which of these quarterbacks can perform under the bright lights of Traz in front of a sold-out crowd.

Aren’t there much better results for head coach duels in the Sunshine State? We really don’t think so, because Miami Central’s Jube Joseph and Miami Northwestern’s Teddy Bridgewater are battling it out tonight and these two are as good as it gets when it comes to coaching. Joseph is in Year 3 as lead man at Miami Central and has led the Rockets to four straight wins since a season-opening loss to Lakeland at home. From his epic pre-game speeches to adjustments on the road, Joseph can definitely compete with the best. Enter Bridgewater, a well-known former NFL player who played this game himself when he was a Bull in high school. To say that this game runs deep in both coaches’ veins might be an understatement, as each knows what achieving a win means to the communities, alumni and schools.

Calvin Russell Jr. is arguably the best player in the country when it comes to the Class of 2026 and can play at his natural position this time around compared to last year. In 2023, Russell played primarily as a quarterback for Northwestern, making it difficult to have a full impact on the game at his natural position of wide receiver. Now that Strawder is throwing him the rock, Russell is thriving in Bridgewater’s system, hauling in 17 passes for 383 yards and seven touchdowns. Miami Central will try to get the team Russell is on, but in some or most cases that might not make all that much of a difference.

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–Andy Villamarzo | [email protected] | @sblivefl