It’s finally kick off time for the 2023 high school football season in the state of Alabama.

As is usually the case, this year’s slate includes plenty of high-profile matchups, top-notch recruits and even several nationally televised games.

The action starts this Thursday.

Here are 23 must-see high school football games for 2023.

Auburn at Hoover (Aug. 25)

These two Class 7A powers open the season against each other for the second year in a row. Keith Etheredge’s Tigers won 17-14 in the AHSAA Kickoff Classic in Montgomery a year ago and went on to an appearance in the state championship game. The Bucs won 11 straight games after the loss before losing to eventual champ Thompson in the state semifinals.

Lipscomb (Tenn.) Academy at Saraland (Aug. 25)

This star-studded opener will be played before a national TV audience on ESPN. Reigning Class 6A state champion Saraland returns Mr. Football Ryan Williams, an Alabama commit, along with Texas QB commit KJ Lacey, RB Santae McWilliams, DL Antonio Coleman and LB Jamison Curtis among others. The Lipscomb roster includes a pair of Tennessee senior commits on defense in LB Edwin Spillman and DB Kaleb Beasley along with junior transfer QB Deuce Knight.

Pell City at Moody (Aug. 25)

All eyes will be on Rush Propst in his first game as the Pell City head coach. The former Hoover coach will try to rebuild the Panthers after a 1-9 season a year ago. Pell City hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2017 and hasn’t won a postseason game since 2012. He faces a Moody team that went 10-2 a year ago under first-year coach Jake Ganus and includes Auburn commit A’Mon Lane.

Central-Phenix City at Hewitt-Trussville (Aug. 25)

Another opener between two tradition 7A powers. The Red Devils won 37-21 at home a year ago and are loaded with talent again including Texas A&M WR commit Cam Coleman and Alabama DL commit Isaia Faga. Hewitt is led by reigning Class 7A Back of the Year Peyton Floyd at quarterback.

Mattie T. Blount at Vigor (Aug. 26)

The crowd at the annual Battle of Prichard is expected to be so large that Mobile County officials moved it from Vigor’s new on-campus stadium to Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile. Kickoff is 7 p.m. on Saturday night. Both teams have high hopes of bouncing back in 2023 after missing the postseason a year ago. Ray Nelson takes over as the Leopards’ head coach. Vigor boasts South Alabama ATH commit Jerrian Graham and Georgia OT commit Micah DeBose.

Mountain Brook at James Clemens (Aug. 31)

After a 10-1 season in Chad McGehee’s first year as head coach, James Clemens fell to 4-6 a year ago and missed the playoffs. Are the Jets ready to get back into contention in Class 7A in 2023? They will get a stiff early test from RB Cole Gamble and Mountain Brook, which finished as Class 6A runner-up a year ago. The Spartans won this game 42-21 a year ago in Mountain Brook.

IMG Academy at Thompson (Aug. 31)

The four-time reigning 7A champ Warriors host IMG on Thursday night in Week 2. Thompson returns sophomore phenom Trent Seaborn at quarterback along with USC DB commit Anquon Fegans. IMG’s roster includes four of the top seniors in the state of Alabama in DL David Stone, DB Ellis Robinson IV (Georgia), OT Jordan Seaton and RB Jerrick Gibson (Texas). It also marks the return of Pike Road RB transfer Anthony Rogers back to his home state.

Austin at Decatur (Sept. 1)

A year ago, Decatur ended Austin’s seven-game win streak in the River City Rivalry with a 28-14 victory. The Red Raiders have a new coach this year with former Auburn standout Aairon Savage taking over for the retired Jere Adcock, who won 187 games in 27 years as the team’s head coach. Jeremy Perkins enters Year 14 at Austin. He has led the Black Bears to the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons.

Enterprise at Auburn (Sept. 1)

Key Region 2 opener for these two teams. Ben Blackmon’s first year as head coach at Enterprise was a good one. He led the Wildcats to an 8-4 record and an appearance in the second round of the 7A playoffs. However, Enterprise must face the two top teams in the region (Auburn and Central-Phenix City) in back-to-back weeks. They lost both games a year ago.

James Clemens at Bob Jones (Sept. 8)

The annual Madison Bowl should be a key game once again in the Class 7A, Region 4 race. Bob Jones snapped a four-game losing streak in the series last year with a 26-19 victory. The Patriots hold a 7-4 edge in the young series overall. Bob Jones made the playoffs a year ago, while James Clemens was left out.

Oneonta at Cherokee County (Sept. 15)

Two of the state’s premier running backs will be featured in this Class 4A, Region 6 battle. Oneonta’s Fluff Bothwell is the reigning 4A Back of the Year. He rushed for 3,112 yards and 41 TDs a year ago. Cherokee County’s Jacob Cornejo, also a finalist for Back of the Year, rushed for 2,580 yards and 33 TDs. The teams split two games in 2022 with the Redskins winning 17-14 in the regular season and losing 42-21 in the state semifinals.

Saraland at Spanish Fort (Sept. 15)

Anytime these two Class 6A, Region 1 rivals play, it’s worth watching. The Spartans won 35-24 last year, their second straight win in the series. However, Spanish Fort holds an 8-4 edge overall. The Toro defense – led by Alabama commit Sterling Dixon and Louisville commit Cole McConathy – will try to slow down Ryan Williams, KJ Lacey, CD Gill and the Spartans.

UMS-Wright at Gulf Shores (Sept. 15)

Terry Curtis, the state’s all-time wins leader, takes the Bulldogs to Gulf Shores to meet Mark Hudspeth and the Dolphins in a key 5A, 1 battle. UMS outlasted the Dolphins 35-28 last year in Mobile and went on to an undefeated regular season. QB/DB Joe Lott is expected to be UMS’ main weapon. N.C. State RB/DB commit Ronnie Royal and DL Otto Brewer lead Gulf Shores.

Clay-Chalkville at Thompson (Sept. 28)

This Thursday game will be televised nationally by ESPN2. Perennial Class 6A contender Clay-Chalkville features Alabama commit Jaylen Mbakwe, who will play quarterback this year for the Cougars, along with WR Mario Craver, Oregon OT commit Jac’Qawn McRoy and Arkansas DB commit Tevis Metcalf. Thompson won 17-14 last year in just the third meeting between the two teams and first since 1999.

Auburn at Ramsay (Sept. 29)

Class 7A runner-up Auburn travels to meet reigning Class 5A champ Ramsay. Keith Etheredge’s Tigers won 42-21 a year ago. That was the last of two losses for the Rams, who won the next nine games and the championship. UNA RB commit Ashton Ashford rushed for 1,881 yards and 26 TDs for Ramsay on 253 carries a year ago.

Charles Henderson at St. James (Sept. 29)

Last year’s Class 5A runners-up travel to Montgomery to meet Arkansas QB commit KJ Jackson and the reigning 3A champs. The Trojans won 26-14 a year ago. Charles Henderson is expected to be led by 2025 4-star EDGE Zion Grady and 2024 Troy ATH commit Jywon Boyd.

Muscle Shoals at Hartselle (Oct. 6)

Hartselle scored in the final minute to win 29-26 last year in what ultimately decided the Class 6A, Region 7 title. Hartselle coach Bryan Moore is 29-6 entering his fourth year, including a 22-2 record the past two seasons. Scott Basden is 138-45 entering his 16th year at Muscle Shoals. His teams have made the playoffs 14 years in a row. The Trojans reached the semifinals a year ago before losing to Mountain Brook.

Central-Phenix City at Auburn (Oct. 20)

These two Region 2 powers have met twice in each of the last four seasons with the winner of the second game moving on to the Class 7A championship game. The Red Devils won 38-17 in the regular-season a year ago before Auburn came back to win the state semifinal game 14-13.

Theodore at Saraland (Oct. 27)

The Bobcats and Spartans met twice a year ago. Theodore won Game 1 27-26 and claimed the Class 6A, Region 1 title. Saraland won the rematch in the state semifinals 21-6 and went on to its first state football championship. Both of those games were in Theodore. This one is at Saraland. Steve Mask takes over the Bobcats for Eric Collier.

Thompson at Hoover (Oct. 27)

The first of 2 in all likelihood. The Warriors and Bucs have played 12 times in the last six years with the winner of the second game moving on to the Class 7A championship matchup. A year ago, first-year Hoover coach Wade Waldrop won his first game against Thompson 9-0 in the regular season before the Warriors won 40-10 behind eighth-grade QB Trent Seaborn in the state semifinals. The Warriors and Bucs have combined to win seven of the nine AHSAA Class 7A titles. (McGill-Toolen won in 2015, Central-Phenix City in 2018).

Andalusia at Montgomery Catholic (Oct. 27)

Auburn RB commit and A-List member J’Marion Burnette and reigning 4A champ Andalusia travel to Montgomery to take on Troy QB commit Caleb McCreary and Catholic. These two teams also played twice a year ago. Catholic won 45-23 in its regular-season finale. Andalusia won 29-26 in the state semifinals and went on to defeat Cherokee County for the championship.

Baker at Mountain Brook (Nov. 2)

Mountain Brook made a statement in its regular-season finale a year ago, traveling to Mobile and drilling the Class 7A Hornets 41-7. Mississippi State QB commit Josh Flowers and Auburn WR Bryce Cain will try to keep up with Cole Gamble and the high-scoring Spartans a little better in 2023.

Guntersville at Albertville (Nov. 3)

Guntersville and Albertville meet for the 109th time in a rivalry that dates back to 1914. The two rivals have played more times than any other two teams in state history, though Sylacauga vs. Talladega is the oldest rivalry. That game dates back to 1911. Guntersville has won the last four meetings and leads the overall series 55-47-6.

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