MOBILE, Ala. — Thursday night lights will shine across South Alabama this week, as a soggy late-week forecast has pushed more than a dozen Week 7 high school football games up a day, including unbeaten Gulf Shores’ Class 5A region trip to Baldwin County in Bay Minette.
With rain chances climbing along the Gulf Coast for Friday and the weekend, schools in Mobile, Baldwin and several neighboring counties have moved 16 games to Thursday, Oct. 1, hoping to find a drier window for players, students and fans. The shuffle leaves Thursday as the busiest night of the week, with several key region matchups now being played a day earlier than originally scheduled, while 18 area games remain on Friday for now.
Why the games moved
Baldwin County Public Schools Superintendent Marty McRae said the decision was driven by the forecast and by concerns about travel for families and students.
“The rain chances for the Gulf Coast continue to get higher and higher as we move toward the end of the week and weekend,” McRae said. “Some of our coaches have decided to move the Friday night games to Thursday night hoping this would give the best chance for a drier game.”
“We also have to think of road conditions for our fans and our students,” he added. “We are continuing to monitor conditions and should there be any changes, our parents and the public will hear from us.”
Forecasters have said moisture will surge in from the Gulf late this week, setting up scattered to numerous showers and storms from Thursday into the weekend. Early-week forecasts called for rain totals of 3 to 5 inches in parts of the region through early next week, with localized flooding possible. Some forecasts put the chance of rain Friday and Saturday in Mobile at 85% to 95%.
The weather is also affecting other events around Mobile this weekend. The University of South Alabama moved its homecoming pep rally from Friday to Saturday, citing both the forecast and President Donald Trump’s Friday evening rally at the Mitchell Center.
Gulf Shores at Baldwin County moves to Thursday
One of the most notable changes on the schedule sends the Gulf Shores Dolphins to Bay Minette a night early. The Class 5A region game between Gulf Shores and the Baldwin County Tigers, originally set for Friday, will now kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. The site has not changed; Baldwin County remains the host.
Gulf Shores carries an unbeaten record into the matchup and will try to keep its perfect season intact. The Dolphins have been one of the stories of the season on the coast. Earlier this month, Gulf Shores scored 20 fourth-quarter points to end Saraland’s 41-game home winning streak, and on Sept. 18 the Dolphins routed Murphy 54-0 to reach 5-0 overall and 3-0 in region play. That same night, neighboring Orange Beach also reached 5-0, the first time both South Baldwin programs had been perfect at the same point of a season.
Baldwin County, the county-seat school in Bay Minette, has faced a demanding region slate that included a home game against Saraland in Week 5.
A crowded Thursday in Class 5A
Gulf Shores-Baldwin County is one of four Class 5A games that moved up. Saraland, which improved to 4-1 with a 68-10 win at Pell City last Friday, hosts Elberta, which snapped a 15-game losing streak last week with a win at Chickasaw. Murphy, 1-4 under coach Sherman Williams, visits Spanish Fort, and Theodore travels to Blount.
Orange Beach heads to Williamson
In Class 4A, Orange Beach takes its unbeaten record to Williamson in one of the week’s most important region games. The Makos improved to 6-0 overall and 3-0 in Class 4A, Region 1, with a 45-0 homecoming win over Francis Marion last Friday. Williamson was the top-ranked team in Class 4A heading into Week 5. Elsewhere in 4A, Vigor visits LeFlore and Citronelle travels to B.C. Rain.
Private school matchups
In Private Class AA, Faith Academy (2-3), which rallied past Murphy 20-8 last week, visits St. Michael (2-3), which is coming off a 37-19 upset of previously unbeaten Bayside Academy, then the No. 1 team in Private Class A. McGill-Toolen also plays Thursday, at Houston Academy in Dothan.
In Private Class A, St. Luke’s Episcopal (3-2) travels to Northside Methodist in Dothan, and Bayshore Christian plays at Snook.
Thursday, Oct. 1 games
Class 6A
- Davidson at Foley
- Robertsdale at Daphne
Class 5A
- Theodore at Blount
- Gulf Shores at Baldwin County (7 p.m.)
- Elberta at Saraland
- Murphy at Spanish Fort
Class 4A
- Orange Beach at Williamson
- Vigor at LeFlore
- Citronelle at B.C. Rain
Class 2A
- Hillcrest-Evergreen at Clarke County
Class 1A
- Leroy at Millry
- Washington County at Choctaw County
Private Class AA
- Faith Academy at St. Michael
- McGill-Toolen at Houston Academy
Private Class A
- Bayshore Christian at Snook
- St. Luke’s at Northside Methodist
Games still on Friday, Oct. 2
The following games remained on their original Friday dates as of Tuesday. Schools could still make changes as the forecast evolves, so fans should check with the schools before heading out.
Class 6A
- Fairhope at Alma Bryant
- Mary G. Montgomery at Baker
Class 3A
- Jackson at W.S. Neal
- Flomaton at Escambia County
- Excel at T.R. Miller
Class 2A
- Thomasville at J.U. Blacksher
Class 1A
- Fruitdale at Marengo
- J.F. Shields at Sweet Water
- McIntosh at Southern Choctaw
Private Class AA
- St. Paul’s at Montgomery Catholic
- UMS-Wright at Glenwood
Private Class A
- Bayside Academy at Cottage Hill Christian
- Providence Christian at Mobile Christian
AISA / Independent
- Clarke Prep at Southern Academy
- Monroe Academy at Bessemer Academy
- Morgan Academy at Jackson Academy
- Wilcox Academy at South Choctaw Academy
8-Man
- Escambia Academy at Cornerstone Christian
Friday games to watch
Among the games still set for Friday, Bayside Academy (4-1) will try to bounce back from its first loss when it visits Cottage Hill Christian (4-1), which has won three straight. Mobile Christian (4-1), which has won four in a row and outscored its last three opponents 156-19, hosts Providence Christian. In Class 6A, Fairhope visits Alma Bryant.
Mary G. Montgomery’s game at Baker will not count in the Class 6A region standings. The Alabama High School Athletic Association banned MG-M from postseason play this season as part of sanctions for recruiting violations, so the Vikings’ region games do not count toward either team’s record in the standings.
Back to region play
Week 7 marks a return to region play for most area teams after a Week 6 schedule filled with non-region games, long road trips and open dates. With the regular season past its midpoint, many of this week’s games carry significant weight in the race for playoff positions.
Tips for fans heading out Thursday
- Confirm kickoff times with your school or its official social media accounts before leaving, since more changes are possible.
- Expect heavier traffic around Mobile on Thursday evening, when road closures around the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Center are scheduled to begin ahead of Friday’s presidential visit.
- If storms develop, follow stadium staff instructions. Lightning delays typically require a 30-minute wait after the most recent strike before play resumes.
- Never drive through flooded roadways; turn around and find another route.