Here are five games to watch in the Huntsville area this week with the complete schedule following.

MUSCLE SHOALS (5-1) AT DECATUR (6-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m., Friday, Ogle Stadium

Last week: Class 6A, No. 8-ranked Muscle Shoals lost 29-26 to visiting, sixth-ranked Hartselle. Tenth-ranked Decatur won 65-0 at Columbia.

Region: Decatur is 3-0 in Region 8 and tied with Hartselle for first place. Muscle Shoals is a game back at 2-1.

The skinny: Decatur is 6-0 for the first time since 2010. The Red Raiders are chasing their first region championship since 2007. … Decatur boasts the No. 2 scoring offense in 6A at 45.2 points per game. Muscle Shoals is sixth at 39.2. … The Red Raiders have two shutout wins this season, both by the same score and both at a Huntsville City School team. Ryan Kirk had a pair of touchdown runs against Columbia. … Muscle Shoals has won the last four meetings against Decatur, including 24-22 last season, to take a 7-5 series lead. In the second half of last year’s game, the Red Raiders missed three field goals and an extra point and failed to convert a 2-point try that would have tied the score.

HUNTSVILLE (4-2) AT FLORENCE (5-2)

Time/location: 7 p.m., Friday, Braly Municipal Stadium

Last week: Huntsville won 34-7 at Albertville. Florence won 38-35 at Bob Jones.

Region: Both teams are 3-1 in Class 7A, Region 4, and are tied for second place.

The skinny: Huntsville is battling for its first playoff berth since 2017. The Panthers have already surpassed their combined region win total from the past two seasons (two). They last won four region games in 2013. … Jacks McClung passed for 149 yards and three touchdowns against Albertville. … Florence’s Jahlil Hurley, an Alabama commitment, blocked a last-second Bob Jones field goal attempt to seal last week’s win. He also had a clutch 29-yard catch to set up the Falcons’ go-ahead field goal on the previous drive. Leo Glover ran for 131 yards and three touchdowns, and he threw a pair of TD passes. … Florence defeated Huntsville 56-14 last season to increase its series lead to 10-3. The Panthers’ last series win came in the first round of the 2012 playoffs.

BOB JONES (3-3) AT SPARKMAN (4-2)

Time/location: 7 p.m., Friday, Sparkman Field, Harvest

Last week: Bob Jones lost 38-35 to visiting Florence. Sparkman lost 41-17 to visiting James Clemens.

Region: Both teams are 2-2 in Class 7A, Region 8, and tied with James Clemens for fourth place.

The skinny: This matchup is crucial as six teams are in the mix for Region 4′s four playoff spots. … Bob Jones fell behind 28-0 in the first quarter to Florence but battled back to tie the score 35-35 in the fourth quarter. Ray Hardy passed for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for 118 yards and a TD. … Sparkman had only allowed 33 points all season entering the James Clemens game. The Senator offense, which entered averaging a Class 7A-best 50 points per game, was held in check. … The White brothers are meeting for the fourth time as head coaches. Kelvis (Bob Jones, Mae Jemison) holds a 2-1 edge over Laron (Sparkman, Tanner). … Bob Jones rallied from a 21-6 halftime deficit to beat Sparkman 25-21 last season. Hardy ran for 170 yards and three touchdowns, and he threw a TD pass. … The Patriots lead the series 31-18.

WEST LIMESTONE (5-2) AT WEST MORGAN (5-1)

Time/location: 7 p.m., Friday, Rebels Stadium, Trinity

Last week: West Limestone beat visiting Wilson 34-26. West Morgan lost 21-6 at Deshler.

Region: West Morgan is 3-1 in Class 4A, Region 7, and is in second place via a head-to-head tiebreaker with Rogers. West Limestone is 2-2 and tied for fourth place with Central-Florence and Brooks.

The skinny: West Morgan entered its showdown with Deshler averaging 44 points per game; the Rebels came away with their lowest scoring output since being shut out by Deshler in 2020. … West Morgan was aiming for its first 6-0 start since 2003. … West Limestone is on a three-game winning streak. Easton Smith ran for 172 yards and three touchdowns against Wilson. … The Wildcats have already lost to Brooks, so a win here is critical for staying in the playoff race. … Smith had a TD run in last year’s 31-14 win over West Morgan. The Rebels lead the series 13-11.

PISGAH (5-1) AT NORTH SAND MOUNTAIN (3-3)

Time/location: 7 p.m., Friday, Dobbins Field, Higdon

Last week: Class 2A, No. 6-ranked Pisgah beat visiting Whitesburg Christian 41-7. North Sand Mountain won 49-13 at Sand Rock.

Region: Pisgah is 4-0 in Region 7 and tied with Fyffe for first place. North Sand Mountain is 3-1 and in third place.

The skinny: Pisgah must be careful not to get caught looking ahead to its showdown against top-ranked Fyffe next week. … The Eagles rebounded from their first loss of the season to dominate Whitesburg, forcing four turnovers and keeping the Warriors out of the end zone until the fourth quarter. … North Sand Mountain has won three straight. Landon Keller passed for 131 yards and three touchdowns against Sand Rock. … Pisgah beat North Sand Mountain 44-20 last season to snap a four-game series losing streak to the Bison. The Eagles hold a 34-17 series lead.

The complete Huntsville area Week 8 schedule

Thursday

Buckhorn at Lee-Huntsville, Milton Frank Stadium

Elkmont at Clements

Lawrence County at East Limestone

Madison County at Westminster Christian

New Hope at St. John Paul II, Discovery Middle, Madison

Friday

Albertville at Grissom, Milton Frank Stadium, Huntsville

Arab at Boaz

Ardmore at West Point

Danville at Asbury

Hartselle at Athens

Austinat James Clemens, Madison City Schools Stadium

Bob Jones at Sparkman

Brewer at Fairview

J.B. Pennington at Brindlee Mountain

Columbia at Cullman

DAR at Randolph

Decatur Heritage at Woodville

Muscle Shoals at Decatur

Douglas at Crossville

Red Bay at Falkville

Hazel Green at Fort Payne

Huntsville at Florence, Braly Municipal Stadium

Gadsden City at Mae Jemison, Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville

Madison Academy at Vinemont

Priceville at North Jackson

Pisgah at North Sand Mountain

Section at Whitesburg Christian, Madison County Elementary, Gurley

Sardis at Scottsboro

Lexington at Tanner

West Limestone at West Morgan