615 Preps’ week-by-week guide of games to attend in 2026
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The wait’s almost over, and in eight days’ time there will be actual football that counts being played in stadiums around the Middle Tennessee area.
So which games should be worth a visit in 2026? Well, if you’re looking to see top talent and potentially great games this year, let’s put together a guide to each week and help you out.
Intense rivalry games make up some of these fixtures, while others match up top teams against one another. We’re keeping this list to games played locally within our coverage area as well.
Don’t shoot the messenger, though: These dates are current as listed on the TSSAA website, but they are subject to change.
Week 1
Thursday, Aug. 20: Nolensville at Lebanon
The Knights and Blue Devils get us kicked off in the 615, but while you’re there, make sure to pull up the Brentwood Academy-Baylor title game rematch on your phone (it’ll be on ESPN2 and kick off an hour before this one). Once that clash in Chattanooga is done, it’ll leave the stage open for what should be a good one to start the season here.
Friday, Aug. 21: MBA at Pearl-Cohn
These teams have played every year since 2009 (excluding 2020), but MBA has hosted nearly every game in the series. Not this year, as the Big Red will travel to Pearl-Cohn for the first Friday of the campaign. MBA has dominated the all-time series, but they’ve split the last six games with five of them decided by seven points or less.
Saturday, Aug. 22: Oakland at CPA
The last time the Patriots visited the Lions’ den didn’t go so well for Oakland, but that’s been far enough removed that no current players would have played in it. The defending 6A champs will look to jump-start another big year against a CPA team that had to grow up a lot in its first season in Division II-Class AAA last year.
Others to consider in Week 1: Gallatin at Hendersonville, Madison Ridgeland Academy (Miss.) at Ravenwood, Portland at White House
Week 2
Thursday, Aug. 27: CPA at Pearl-Cohn
If their openers weren’t tough enough, both the Lions and Firebirds turn around six days later and face each other for the fourth consecutive year. They’ve also been tight games as well – each of their last four meetings have been one-score affairs.
Friday, Aug. 28: Nashville Christian at Ensworth
The Eagles will enter 2026 with a new quarterback for the first time post-Jared Curtis, and Ensworth’s seeking revenge for last year’s thrilling double-overtime loss at Nashville Christian. The Tigers have one of the nicest stadiums around to watch a game in, so that alone makes it worth the trip.
Others to consider in Week 2: Lipscomb Academy at Ravenwood, Westmoreland at Macon County
Week 3
Friday, Sept. 4: Riverdale at Blackman
The Backyard Brawl is a critical early-season region affair that could end up determining playoff seeding come November. New Blaze head coach Will Hester gets to experience this Rutherford County rivalry for the first time, while Will Kriesky’s bunch has high hopes for 2026 and this early-season test will give them a good idea of where they are three weeks in.
Others to consider in Week 3: FRA at MBA, Pearl-Cohn at BGA
Week 4
Thursday, Sept. 10: Beech at East Nashville
East Nashville nearly stunned Beech at Shackle Island last year, and now it’s the Eagles’ turn to host what should be a good test for each side in this Thursday night tussle.
Friday, Sept. 11: Page at Brentwood
Page finally broke through for its first state title last year, but now the Patriots will get everyone’s best shot in 2026. The Bruins surely remember last year’s shutout loss in this game and want to get a measure of revenge for it.
Others to consider in Week 4: Oakland at Pearl-Cohn
Week 5
Friday, Sept. 18: East Nashville at Springfield
It’s hard to find a nicer grass field at a public school in this area than you’ll find at Springfield, and the football’s pretty good, too. This’ll be a good chance to check out Jermaine Cobbins and the Yellow Jackets as they host East Nashville, who wants to stay in the Class 2A state discussion this year.
Others to consider in Week 5: Green Hill at Gallatin, Lipscomb Academy at Ensworth, Upperman at Beech, Smyrna at Rockvale (Thursday)
Week 6
Friday, Sept. 25: FRA at BGA
Last year’s regular season contest between these two saw FRA take care of business at home, but their rematch in Chattanooga went sideways quickly as the Wildcats ran away with the state title. Bo Bryan gets his turn at quarterback for BGA after Kaedyn Marable’s graduation. Is this another state championship preview?
Others to consider in Week 6: Blackman at Oakland, Brentwood Academy at Ensworth, Ravenwood at CPA, Springfield at Pearl-Cohn
Week 7
Friday, Oct. 2: MBA at CPA
CPA’s won three straight in the series and four of the last five against MBA, and the Big Red don’t like it. It’s an important region game that could decide which one of these teams gets a home playoff game in November.
Others to consider in Week 7: Gallatin at Mt. Juliet, Hillsboro at Nolensville, Westmoreland at Gordonsville, White House Heritage at Whites Creek
Week 8
Thursday, Oct. 8: Antioch at FRA
Many people will be headed out for fall break this week, but don’t leave without seeing a rematch of one of the wildest games in recent memory – Antioch raced out to a 50-23 lead in the third quarter but had to hold off a furious FRA rally last year for a 64-62 victory (and no, that game did not go to overtime).
Others to consider in Week 8: Nolensville at Centennial (Thursday), Page at Independence (Thursday), CPA at Ensworth
Week 9
Friday, Oct. 16: Beech at Gallatin
The ones who didn’t take fall break in Week 8 will do so in Week 9, leaving another short slate of area games near the end of the regular season. If you’re hanging around, head to Calvin Short Field in Gallatin where the Green Wave tangle with Beech in a Sumner County showdown.
Others to consider in Week 9: Green Hill at Lebanon, Hendersonville at Station Camp, White House at Liberty Creek
Week 10
Friday, Oct. 23: Baylor at Ensworth
This one will appeal to Tennessee fans wanting to see David Gabriel Georges up close, as Ensworth marks Baylor’s only visit to the Midstate during the regular season. Ensworth would like to do more than keep things respectable this time around, too (Baylor won 35-21 last year in Chattanooga).
Others to consider in Week 10: Independence at Brentwood, Clarksville at Antioch, Gallatin at Lebanon
Week 11
Thursday, Oct. 29: Lipscomb Academy at Brentwood Academy
We treat Week 11 as two separate weeks as the schedule is split somewhat evenly into Thursday and Friday games. There are several that could ascend to the top game on this slate by the end of October, but one to look out for is the finale between Lipscomb Academy and Brentwood Academy. It’ll be interesting to see how Trent Dilfer’s second stint with the Mustangs is progressing, while Brentwood Academy should be looking to secure home field advantage in the postseason as they hope to bring home a gold ball in 2026.
Others to consider on Thursday in Week 11: Beech at Hendersonville, Centennial at Hillsboro, Ensworth at MBA, MTCS at Providence Christian, Station Camp at Portland, Westmoreland at White House Heritage
Friday, Oct. 30: Oakland at Riverdale
The Battle of the Boro always brings out one of the most emotional games of the season, and the stakes could be as high as ever once the Rutherford County rivals face off a night before Halloween. No tricks here, as it should be a treat – Oakland’s looking for another three-peat, while Riverdale might have its best team in years aiming to win the region title.
Others to consider on Friday in Week 11: East Nashville at East Robertson, Gordonsville at Smith County, McCallie at CPA, Mt. Juliet at Green Hill, Nashville Christian at Friendship Christian, Page at Nolensville, Ravenwood at Brentwood, Upperman at Macon County
