With high school football season starting in just a few weeks, it’s time to start planning your must-attend games each week.
The Tuscaloosa News has compiled a list of the best games this high school football season within each coverage area, with a few rules to follow: A team can only appear on the list three times — twice for home games — and rivalry games take precedence, followed by regional games and then non-rivalry non-regional games.
Having said that, we can start the tour:
Week Zero
Thursday, August 22
Game: Fayette County near Gordo
Argumentation: After playing in the same region for a few seasons, the Green Wave and Tigers now find themselves in different regions as Fayette County moves up to Class 4A. This rivalry has a history dating back to the early 1900s and is a must-watch to kick off this football season.
Week One
Friday, August 30
Game: Bibb County near Gordo
Argumentation: The roots of this rivalry go back to 1940. Even though the teams do not compete in the same region, there is still a lot at stake in this encounter.
Week two
Friday, September 6
Game: Aliceville at Tuscaloosa Academy
Argumentation: This game marks the start of regional play. Tuscaloosa Academy will look to defend its Class 2A, Region 5 title, while Aliceville will look to start regional play with a win after starting regional play 0-2 in 2023.
Week three
Friday, September 13
Game: American Christian Academy of Bibb County
Argumentation: In years past, the winner of this matchup has often been the Class 4A, Region 3 winner, so this game is sure to have playoff implications. Bibb County earned its first win over ACA since 2019 last season.
Week four
Friday, September 20
Game: Centrally located in Northridge
Argumentation: Last season, this matchup ended with a game-winning touchdown from Central as the Falcons defeated the Jaguars for the first time since 2007. This game could also have major implications for the Class 6A, Region 4 race, as both teams are battling for a playoff spot.
Week five
Friday, September 27
Game: Gordo in Pickens County
Argumentation: Although it is an out-of-region contest, this game represents one of the biggest rivalries in West Alabama between two schools that often compete for the state championship in their respective classifications.
INDIVIDUAL SCHEDULES: High school football team schedules for the 2024 season in the Tuscaloosa area
WEEKLY SCHEDULE FOR THE REGION: Tuscaloosa area high school football weekly schedules for the 2024 season
Week six
Friday, October 4
Game: Hillcrest in Tuscaloosa County
Argumentation: This game will be the first meeting between these two programs since 2022, as they join the same region for the first time since 2013. This matchup can have significant implications for the Class 7A, Region 3 playoff hunt.
Week seven
Friday, October 11
Game: Sipsey Valley in Demopolis
Argumentation: This will be the third meeting between these two programs, as they are in the same region for the first time since 2021, with Sipsey Valley making the jump back to Class 5A. This game can also have big implications for the 5A, Region 3 playoff race.
Week eight
Friday, October 18
Game: Tuscaloosa Academy in Sulligent
Argumentation: This game was pretty much the deciding factor in the Class 2A, Region 5 race last year. TA won the game 21-14 to take the regional championship while handing Sulligent its first loss of the season. Expect it to be the same this year.
Week nine
Friday, October 25
Game: Brookwood at Paul W. Bryant
Argumentation: As the final regional game of the regular season, this game could have major implications for the Class 6A, Region 4 playoff race. Brookwood is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011, while Paul W. Bryant is looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Week ten
Friday, November 1st
Game: Northside at American Christian Academy
Argumentation: This will be the first meeting between these two teams since the 2017 season. There is no playoff berth at stake in this matchup, but each team will be looking to finish their regular season with a win.
