Complete fall 2026 high school football schedules for Athens-area

Football season is trudging closer through the unbearable heat wave. Padded practice starts in just under three weeks across the Peach State, and official kickoff waits just over a month away. Let the highly anticipated countdown begin.

For GHSA, Week 1 of 12 kicks off Friday, Aug. 21. The season will stretch until Friday, Nov. 6, when playoff qualifiers are selected. The playoffs will begin Nov. 13 and run through the semifinals on Dec. 4. The championships will be held between Dec. 15-16 at Mercedes Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.

For GIAA, Week 1 of 12 kicks off on Friday, Aug. 15.

The 11-man playoffs will begin Nov. 6 and run through the semifinals on Nov. 13. The championships will be held between Nov. 20-21 with the location still to be determined.

The 8-man playoffs will begin Oct. 31 and run through the semifinals on Nov. 14. The championships will be held Nov. 20 at Mount de Sales Academy's Cavalier Fields in Macon.

Here are the regular season opponents scheduled for the 18 Athens area programs in fall 2026.

Apalachee

• Week 1, Aug. 21: at Winder-Barrow
• Week 2, Aug. 28: Discovery
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Lassiter
• Week 4, Sept. 11: OPEN
• Week 5, Sept. 18: at Walnut Grove
• Week 6, Sept. 25: at Cedar Shoals
• Week 7, Oct. 2: Habersham Central
• Week 8, Oct. 9: OPEN
• Week 9, Oct. 16: Jackson County
• Week 10, Oct. 23: Mountain View
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Loganville
• Week 12, Nov. 6: Clarke Central

Athens Academy

• Week 1, Aug. 21: Savannah Christian
• Week 2, Aug. 28: Holy Innocents
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Savannah Country Day
• Week 4, Sept. 11: at Bethlehem Christian
• Week 5, Sept. 18: OPEN
• Week 6, Sept. 25: Whitefield Academy
• Week 7, Oct. 2: OPEN
• Week 8, Oct. 9: at Rabun County
• Week 9, Oct. 16: Prince Avenue Christian
• Week 10, Oct. 23: at Providence Christian
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Commerce
• Week 12, Nov. 6: Oglethorpe County

Athens Christian

• Week 1, Aug. 14: Augusta Prep
• Week 2, Aug. 21: Edmund Burke
• Week 3, Aug. 28: at Strong Rock
• Week 4, Sept. 4: Tattnall Square
• Week 5, Sept. 11: Riverside Prep
• Week 6, Sept. 18: at Bethlehem Christian
• Week 7, Sept. 25: George Walton
• Week 8, Oct. 2: at Lakeview
• Week 9, Oct. 9: Lanier Christian
• Week 10, Oct. 16: OPEN
• Week 11, Oct. 23: at Loganville Christian
• Week 12, Oct. 30: OPEN

Bethlehem Christian

• Week 1, Aug. 14: at Calvary Christian
• Week 2, Aug. 21: Social Circle
• Week 3, Aug. 28: ELCA
• Week 4, Sept. 4: at Towns County
• Week 5, Sept. 11: Athens Academy
• Week 6, Sept. 18: Athens Christian
• Week 7, Sept. 25: Lakeview
• Week 8, Oct. 2: at Loganville Christian
• Week 9, Oct. 9: OPEN
• Week 10, Oct. 16: at George Walton
• Week 11, Oct. 23: Riverside Prep
• Week 12, Oct. 30: OPEN

Cedar Shoals

• Week 1, Aug. 21: Heritage, Conyers
• Week 2, Aug. 28: Seckinger
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Hart County
• Week 4, Sept. 11: OPEN
• Week 5, Sept. 18: at Clarke Central
• Week 6, Sept. 25: Apalachee
• Week 7, Oct. 2: at Mountain View
• Week 8, Oct. 9: Walnut Grove
• Week 9, Oct. 16: OPEN
• Week 10, Oct. 23: at Jackson County
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Habersham Central
• Week 12, Nov. 6: Loganville

Clarke Central

• Week 1, Aug. 21: Pebblebrook (The Corky Kell Classic at Kell High School)
• Week 2, Aug. 28: Oconee County
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at North Oconee
• Week 4, Sept. 11: OPEN
• Week 5, Sept. 18: Cedar Shoals
• Week 6, Sept. 25: Mountain View
• Week 7, Oct. 2: at Walnut Grove
• Week 8, Oct. 9: at Habersham Central
• Week 9, Oct. 16: OPEN
• Week 10, Oct. 23: Loganville
• Week 11, Oct. 30: Jackson County
• Week 12, Nov. 6: at Apalachee

Commerce

• Week 1, Aug. 21: OPEN
• Week 2, Aug. 28: East Jackson
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Elbert County (The Granite Bowl)
• Week 4, Sept. 11: Greene County
• Week 5, Sept. 18: Chestatee
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: at Temple
• Week 8, Oct. 9: Oglethorpe County
• Week 9, Oct. 16: Rabun County
• Week 10, Oct. 23: at Prince Avenue Christian
• Week 11, Oct. 30: Athens Academy
• Week 12, Nov. 6: at Providence Christian

East Jackson

• Week 1, Aug. 21: Elbert County
• Week 2, Aug. 28: at Commerce
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Banks County
• Week 4, Sept. 11: at White County
• Week 5, Sept. 18: Hephzibah
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: West Hall
• Week 8, Oct. 9: at Monroe Area
• Week 9, Oct. 16: OPEN
• Week 10, Oct. 23: East Hall
• Week 11, Oct. 30: Cherokee Bluff
• Week 12, Nov. 6: at Oconee County

Jackson County

• Week 1, Aug. 21: North Forsyth
• Week 2, Aug. 28: at Dacula
• Week 3, Sept. 4: OPEN
• Week 4, Sept. 11: North Oconee
• Week 5, Sept. 18: at Mountain View
• Week 6, Sept. 25: at Habersham Central
• Week 7, Oct. 2: Loganville
• Week 8, Oct. 9: OPEN
• Week 9, Oct. 16: at Apalachee
• Week 10, Oct. 23: Cedar Shoals
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Clarke Central
• Week 12, Nov. 6: Walnut Grove

Jefferson

• Week 1, Aug. 21: at Calhoun
• Week 2, Aug. 28: Westside (SC)
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Peach County
• Week 4, Sept. 11: Jackson, Atlanrta
• Week 5, Sept. 18: Oconee County
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: at Flowery Branch
• Week 8, Oct. 9: East Forsyth
• Week 9, Oct. 16: Madison County
• Week 10, Oct. 23: at Winder-Barrow
• Week 11, Oct. 30: North Oconee
• Week 12, Nov. 6: OPEN

Madison County

• Week 1, Aug. 21: at Morgan County
• Week 2, Aug. 28: Hart County
• Week 3, Sept. 4: Franklin County
• Week 4, Sept. 11: at Banks County
• Week 5, Sept. 18: at Seckinger
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: East Forsyth
• Week 8, Oct. 9: North Oconee
• Week 9, Oct. 16: at Jefferson
• Week 10, Oct. 23: OPEN
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Winder-Barrow
• Week 12, Nov. 6: Flowery Branch

Monsignor Donovan Catholic

• Week 1, Aug. 14: OPEN
• Week 2, Aug. 21: at Griffin Christian
• Week 3, Aug. 28: Covenant Christian
• Week 4, Sept. 4: OPEN
• Week 5, Sept. 11: at Kings Way Christian
• Week 6, Sept. 18: Pinecrest
• Week 7, Sept. 25: at Peachtree
• Week 8, Oct. 2: at Covington
• Week 9, Oct. 9: OPEN
• Week 10, Oct. 16: Praise Academy
• Week 11, Oct. 23: at Victory Baptist
• Week 12, Oct. 30: Georgia School for Innovation and Classics

North Oconee

• Week 1, Aug. 21: at Oconee County
• Week 2, Aug. 28: Stockbridge
• Week 3, Sept. 4: Clarke Central
• Week 4, Sept. 11: at Jackson County
• Week 5, Sept. 18: Calhoun
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: Winder-Barrow
• Week 8, Oct. 9: at Madison County
• Week 9, Oct. 16: Flowery Branch
• Week 10, Oct. 23: at East Forsyth
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Jefferson
• Week 12, Nov. 6: OPEN

Oconee County

• Week 1, Aug. 21: North Oconee
• Week 2, Aug. 28: at Clarke Central
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Morgan County
• Week 4, Sept. 11: Discovery
• Week 5, Sept. 18: at Jefferson
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: Cherokee Bluff
• Week 8, Oct. 9: at East Hall
• Week 9, Oct. 16: OPEN
• Week 10, Oct. 23: West Hall
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Monroe Area
• Week 12, Nov. 6: East Jackson

Oglethorpe County

• Week 1, Aug. 21: at Hephzibah
• Week 2, Aug. 28: OPEN
• Week 3, Sept. 4: Washington-Wilkes
• Week 4, Sept. 11: Putnam County
• Week 5, Sept. 18: at East Hall
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: at Banks County
• Week 8, Oct. 9: at Commerce
• Week 9, Oct. 16: Providence Christian
• Week 10, Oct. 23: Rabun County
• Week 11, Oct. 30: Prince Avenue Christian
• Week 12, Nov. 6: at Athens Academy

Prince Avenue Christian

• Week 1, Aug. 21: Thomson
• Week 2, Aug. 28: OPEN
• Week 3, Sept. 4: OPEN
• Week 4, Sept. 11: Greater Atlanta Christian
• Week 5, Sept. 18: Trinity Christian
• Week 6, Sept. 25: at Fellowship Christian
• Week 7, Oct. 2: OPEN
• Week 8, Oct. 9: Providence Christian
• Week 9, Oct. 16: at Athens Academy
• Week 10, Oct. 23: Commerce
• Week 11, Oct. 30: at Oglethorpe County
• Week 12, Nov. 6: at Rabun County

Westminster Christian

• Week 1, Aug. 14: OPEN
• Week 2, Aug. 21: at Young Americans Christian
• Week 3, Aug. 28: OPEN
• Week 4, Sept. 4: at Augusta Eagles
• Week 5, Sept. 11: Fullington
• Week 6, Sept. 18: OPEN
• Week 7, Sept. 25: at Holy Spirit Prep
• Week 8, Oct. 2: at Vidalia Heritage
• Week 9, Oct. 9: David Emanuel
• Week 10, Oct. 16: OPEN
• Week 11, Oct. 23: OPEN
• Week 12, Oct. 30: OPEN

Winder-Barrow

• Week 1, Aug. 21: Apalachee
• Week 2, Aug. 28: at North Hall
• Week 3, Sept. 4: at Upson-Lee
• Week 4, Sept. 11: Hart County
• Week 5, Sept. 18: at St. Pius X
• Week 6, Sept. 25: OPEN
• Week 7, Oct. 2: at North Oconee
• Week 8, Oct. 9: at Flowery Branch
• Week 9, Oct. 16: OPEN
• Week 10, Oct. 23: Jefferson
• Week 11, Oct. 30: Madison County
• Week 12, Nov. 6: East Forsyth

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Complete fall 2026 high school football schedules for Athens-area