It’s opening week.

Here are five games to watch involving Coastal Alabama high school football teams in Week 1 along with the complete schedule.

FAIRHOPE (8-3) AT SPANISH FORT (7-4)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Thursday, Toros Stadium, Spanish Fort

Last year: Fairhope beat Spanish Fort 34-28, starting a six-game win streak to open the season. The Toros lost three of their first five before winning five straight to end the regular season.

The skinny: The Toros lead the overall series 4-3. Chase Smith enters his second year as head coach at Spanish Fort. He is 21-20 in five years overall as a head coach at Robertsdale, Orange Beach and Spanish Fort. … Tim Carter is 54-32 entering Year No. 9 at Fairhope. He has won 152 games overall in 22 years as a head coach. … Preston Godfrey (5-foot-7) moves from RB to QB for the Pirates, replacing Jacksonville State signee Caden Creel. One of his top targets will be Harvard TE commitment Sanders Daniell. North Alabama DB commit Ameyr Adams is a key on defense. … Spanish Fort should be talented on defense with transfer Alabama commit Sterling Dixon joining Louisville commit Cole McConathy and linebacker Bishop Burkhalter. Sophomore Aaden Shamburger got the start at QB in last week’s jamboree against St. Michael. The running game should be a strength with Drew Williamson and Sawyer Wilson in the backfield and Nemo Hixon provided explosive plays on the outside.

LIPSCOMB ACADEMY, TENN. (13-0) AT SARALAND (14-1)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Spartan Stadium, Saraland

Last year: The two teams did not play.

The skinny: This game will be nationally televised by ESPN. … Lipscomb is coached by NFL Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae, who replaced current UAB head coach Trent Dilfer. Mawae’s team lost its opener 35-10 to IMG Academy last week. … Jeff Kelly enters his 13th year at Saraland. He owns a 118-35 record with the Spartans and led the team to the Class 6A state title a year ago. … Lipscomb came to Alabama last season and defeated Class 7A Thompson 24-14. The Mustangs will be led by 4-star junior QB Deuce Knight, who transferred this summer from George County, Miss. They have a stockpile of top recruits, including 4-star senior DB Kaleb Beasley and 4-star senior LB Edwin Spillman, both committed to Tennessee. In addition to Knight, the junior class includes 4-star OL Chauncey Gooden and 3-star safety CJ Jimcoily. … Saraland also is ultra talented with reigning Mr. Football and Alabama commit Ryan Williams returning at wide receiver along with Texas QB commit KJ Lacey. Williams is the No. 1-ranked junior in the state and No. 3 player nationally, according to On3. He is one of four Saraland players ranked among the top juniors in Alabama. Lacey is No. 7, transfer WR Dillon Alfred is No. 14 and DL Antonio Coleman is No. 16.

MATTIE T. BLOUNT (3-7) AT VIGOR (5-4)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Saturday, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile

Last year: The Wolves won 7-0 at Blount in the 2022 season opener but neither team reached the playoffs in their respective classifications.

The skinny: Vigor leads the annual Battle of Prichard 37-14 and has won three straight and four of the last five. This year’s game was moved from Vigor’s new on-campus stadium to Ladd to accommodate the large crowd expected. … Markus Cook enters his second year as the Wolves’ head coach. Former Theodore QB legend and Satsuma head coach Ray Nelson is in his first year at Blount. … The Leopards have missed the playoffs each of the last two years. Blount hasn’t missed the playoffs in three straight seasons since 1983-1985. Nelson said the Leopards have talent at WR and will be big on the OL. Senior Colby Wells will lead the way there. Junior Chase Howard will anchor the defensive front. … Vigor returns 18 starters (8 on defense, 10 on offense). That group includes South Alabama commit Jerrian Graham, who likely will play all over the field for Vigor, along with Georgia 2025 OL commit Micah DeBose and Mississippi Valley defensive back commit Brandon Purifoy.

ST. PAUL’S (7-6) AT UMS-WRIGHT (12-1)

Time/Location: 7 p.m. Friday, Cooper Stadium, Mobile

Last year: UMS-Wright won 21-14 to start a streak of 12 straight victories.

The skinny: UMS leads the overall series 23-21. The Bulldogs have won four of the last five meetings overall. … Terry Curtis, the state’s all-time leader in victories, enters his 25th year as UMS’ head coach. He has won 271 games with the Bulldogs and 348 overall in 35 years. Ham Barnett enters Year 2 as St. Paul’s head coach. … UMS must replace South Alabama signee Cole Blaylock, who carried a heavy load for the Bulldogs a year ago. Senior Joe Lott is expected to move to quarterback. Bo Wills has moved from WR to RB to help replace Blaylock. Seniors Jake Jaye and William Taylor also will have a chance. Hayden Breal, a 3-year starter, will anchor the offensive line. Lott will continue to anchor the defense from his safety position. UMS allowed just 13.8 points a game a year ago. … The Saints won five of their last seven games in 2022, including two playoff games to reach the 6A quarterfinals. Linebacker Anthony “Tank” Jones is the No. 1 player in the state’s Class of 2026, according to 247 sports. South Alabama commit Asher Hale will anchor the St. Paul’s offensive line. Junior Braxton Byrd returns at QB with a year of experience under his belt. Sophomore RB Anthony Frasier will be counted on to replace Drew Williamson, who transferred to Spanish Fort.

THEODORE (13-1) AT BAKER (4-7)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Hornet Stadium, Mobile

Last year: Theodore won 32-3 on the way to 13 straight victories and the 6A, Region 1 championship.

The skinny: The Bobcats lead the overall series 48-8-1 and have won six straight. … For the first time since 2012, Theodore has a new coach calling the shots. Hall of Famer Steve Mask takes over for Eric Collier, who accepted an off-the-field job at South Alabama. Mask is 211-107 overall. He won 4 state championships as St. Paul’s head coach from 2012-2021. Steve Normand is 21-21 in four full seasons as the Hornets head coach. … Baker made the 7A playoffs in 2022 as the No. 2 seed from Region 1 despite six regular-season losses. The Hornets lost a first-round home game to Enterprise (35-26). Normand’s team has multiple college recruits on offense including Mississippi State commit Josh Flowers at QB and speedy Auburn commit Bryce Cain and Troy commit Kevin Beckham at WR. The Hornets return six starters on offense and four on defense from 2022. … Mask takes over a Theodore team that lost to Saraland in the 6A semifinals. The Bobcats, who allowed just 11.4 points a game last fall, should again be stout on defense led by Miami LB commit Bobby Pruitt and South Alabama DL commit Kevin Norwood. Cam Rigby returns at QB. Theodore will use a host of players to replace 1,900-yard rusher Brayden Jenkins, including senior Navontay Richardson.

WEEK 1 COASTAL ALABAMA SCHEDULE

Thursday’s Games

Daphne at Murphy (Ladd)

Fairhope at Spanish Fort (WNSP-FM 105.5)

St. Michael at Gulf Shores (Sunny 105.7 FM)

Friday’s Games

Athens (Ga.) Academy at Mobile Christian

Chickasaw at LeFlore

Choctaw County at Linden

Elberta at Bayside Academy

Escambia County at Cottage Hill

Excel at B.C. Rain

Georgiana at W.S. Neal

Hillcrest-Evergreen at T.R. Miller

J.A.G. (formerly Jeff Davis) at Faith Academy

J.F. Shields at J.U. Blacksher

Lipscomb Academy, Tenn., at Saraland (ESPN, WNSP-FM 105.5)

Millry at Citronelle

McIntosh at Satsuma

Milton, Fla., at Orange Beach

MGM at Williamson (Ladd)

Montgomery Catholic at McGill-Toolen (Archangel Radio 1410 AM)

Northview, Fla. at Flomaton

Prattville at Foley (WHEP-AM 1310)

St. Luke’s at Fruitdale

St. Paul’s at UMS-Wright (Sports Talk 99.5 FM, WJTC-UTV 44)

Sweet Water at Clarke County

Theodore at Baker

Washington County at Marengo

Wilcox Central at McKenzie

Saturday’s Game

Blount at Vigor (MCPSS-TV)

JAMBOREES

Friday

Baldwin County at Davidson

Leroy at Thomasville

All games scheduled for 7 p.m. kickoff unless otherwise noted. Schedule subject to change.