High school football season is underway across the region, with the first games of the 2026 regular season kicking off Thursday, Aug. 20, and continuing with a full slate Friday, Aug. 21, in both Escambia County, Florida, and the Mobile and Baldwin County area of Alabama.
Thursday, Aug. 20 Openers
Northwest Florida opens the season with two games: Rocky Bayou Christian travels to Northview for a 7 p.m. kickoff, and Milton visits Pensacola Catholic at 7:30 p.m. Across the state line, the Mobile and Baldwin County coverage area — 35 schools in all — begins its regular season with Spanish Fort hosting Daphne.
Friday, Aug. 21: Florida Panhandle Schedule
Escambia County and the surrounding Panhandle counties see a full slate of games Friday night, led by Tate hosting Marianna. The night’s matchups:
- Marianna at Tate, 7 p.m.
- Jay at Baker, 7 p.m.
- West Florida at Walton, 7 p.m.
- Gulf Breeze at South Walton, 7 p.m.
- Booker T. Washington at Pine Forest, 7 p.m.
- Pensacola at Fort Walton Beach, 7 p.m.
- Graceville at Central, 7 p.m.
- Fairhope at Pace, 7:30 p.m.
- Navarre at Florida High, 6 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 21: Alabama Schedule
Several Baldwin and Escambia County, Alabama, teams also open Friday, joining another 18 games scheduled around the wider Mobile-Baldwin region this week:
- Flomaton at Sweetwater, 7 p.m.
- Escambia Academy at Evangel Christian (Alabaster), 7 p.m.
- Escambia County (Atmore) at Elberta, 7 p.m.
- Orange Beach at T.R. Miller, 7 p.m.
- Bullock County at W.S. Neal, 7 p.m.
With classroom bells already ringing across South Alabama and Northwest Florida for the new school year, football has followed close behind, giving communities on both sides of the state line their first look at this season’s teams under the Friday night lights.