Football games to watch in Southwest Florida in Week 8

As Southwest Florida tries to return to normal following the wreckage of Hurricane Ian, the high school football teams are doing the same.

Collier County, which was not hit as hard as Lee, resumed football last week. Most of the schools In Lee County are returning to the gridiron this week. However the teams in the town of Cape Coral, where Ian made landfall, will not play.

There are 15 games in the area this week, and SBLive Florida has picked out the best ones for you to follow. Here are the Games to Watch in Southwest Florida in Week 8:

Game of the Week

Charlotte (0-4) at Lehigh (1-3): This is a highly-anticipated matchup any year. Despite their records this season, these two programs are consistent winners and perennial playoff contenders. But this year it means more after both areas were hit hard by the storm, especially Charlotte County. Both teams will be looking to start a turnaround as the playoffs approach.

Fort Myers (2-2) at South Fort Myers (1-3): These teams are crosstown rivals, but they're also district opponents. Both teams need to win if they want a shot at the Class 3S-District 15 title, especially since they both have district games against undefeated Dunbar left. Fort Myers has won two straight games.

Lely (2-3) at Naples (5-1): This rivalry game between the two oldest high schools in Naples is called the Coconut Bowl. It's been a one-sided rivalry recently. Lely has only beaten Naples once in the past two decades, and that was back in 2009. It's also a Class 3S-District 16 game, and Naples hasn't lost a district game in 12 years.

Dunbar (3-0) at Lowndes, Ga. (3-3): Dunbar might be a bit rusty in this interstate showdown. Not only do the Tigers have to take a six-hour bus ride to Valdosta, Georgia, but they also haven't played a game in over a month (Sept. 9). Since the Tigers have had a rainout, a bye and then two weeks wiped out by Hurricane Ian. Lowndes went 10-3 last year.

Estero (5-0) at Key West (2-3): The Wildcats put the best record in Southwest Florida on the line in a long road trip. Despite the five-hour distance between the schools, they are in the same district. Estero won its first district title in 20 years last season. A win here would set up a Class 2S-District 16 title tilt with Bishop Verot in a few weeks.

Barron Collier (4-1) at Golden Gate: Barron Collier suffered its first loss of the season last week, which also was the Cougars' 24th consecutive loss to rival Naples. However, they showed plenty of hope. The Cougars scored three times in the final eight mintues against Naples' vaunted defense in a 41-24 loss. Golden Gate has won two straight games, including last weeks' 42-21 over IMG Blue.

Immokalee (4-3) at Palmetto Ridge (1-4): With a win Immokalee will be over .500 for the first time since 2019. The Indians, who went 5-21 the past three years, also would have their most victories in a season since that same year. Immokalee has developed a strong rushing attack under first-year coach James Delgado. Palmetto Ridge is struggling after losing its coach and top players from last season. The Bears have lost four straight games and been outscored 179-8 in that time.

First Baptist (3-1) at Pahokee (5-2): This is a big test for First Baptist. Pahokee is a public school with twice the enrollment of FBA. And even though it's in the FHSAA's rural classification, Pahokee is known for having top-notch athletes with high-end speed. First Baptist hasn't seen much action this season. The Lions already have had their bye and they couldn't find a game last week, so they've played just once in the past five weeks.