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

ATHENS (3-0) AT MUSCLE SHOALS (3-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, J.F. Moore Stadium

Last week: Athens beat visiting Decatur 44-16. Muscle Shoals shut out visiting Columbia 42-0.

Region: Both teams are 1-0 in Class 6A, Region 7, and tied with Hartselle for first place.

The skinny: Athens enters with the No. 2 scoring offense in Class 6A (47.3 points per game), while Muscle Shoals counters with the No. 3 scoring defense (4.7). … Golden Eagles quarterback Brogan Gross threw two touchdown passes against Decatur last week, giving him 11 on the season. Jay’Shon Ridgle, who has five touchdown catches this season, scored TDs via a kick return and a run against Decatur. … Athens is 3-0 for the first time since its 2006 state title season. … Muscle Shoals has not yielded a point in its last two games, marking the first time since 2015 that the Trojans have recorded consecutive shutouts. … Muscle Shoals has won eight consecutive meetings with Athens. In last year’s 28-20 win, the Trojans rallied from a 20-14 second-half deficit, forced two turnovers and held the Golden Eagles to 30 yards rushing. … Athens leads the series 18-16.

ELKMONT (3-0) AT LAUDERDALE COUNTY (3-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Grisham Stadium, Rogersville

Last week: Elkmont doubled up visiting Phil Campbell 44-22. Lauderdale County won 59-9 at Clements.

Region: Both teams are 1-0 in Class 3A, Region 8, and tied with Mars Hill for first place.

The skinny: Elkmont is 3-0 for the first time since 2010. The Red Devils last started 4-0 in 2008. Elkmont has already equaled its combined win total from the past four seasons, a stretch in which the Red Devils went 3-37. … John Adam Doner threw four touchdown passes against Phil Campbell. … Lauderdale County quarterback Jackson Lovelace accounted for four touchdowns – three passing and one rushing – against Clements. … This matchup features two of the top-10 scoring offenses in Class 3A: No. 3 Elkmont (46.0) and No. 10 Lauderdale County (37.3). … The Tigers have defeated Elkmont in nine consecutive meetings and outscored the Red Devils 181-9 over 2020-22. Lauderdale County leads the series 24-6.

TANNER (1-2) AT FALKVILLE (3-0)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Burl Vest Stadium

Last week: Tanner beat visiting Tharptown 74-8. Falkville won 58-34 at Sheffield.

Region: Both teams are 1-0 in Class 2A, Region 8, and tied with Lexington for first place.

The skinny: Falkville is averaging 44.3 points per game, fourth-highest in Class 2A. … Landon Powers threw for 176 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for 86 yards and a score against Sheffield. He has 10 TDs on the season – five apiece passing and rushing. … Tanner got in the win column last week after losing its first two games to opponents from larger classifications – 3A Lauderdale County and 6A Mae Jemison. … The Rattlers forced nine turnovers, which included eight interceptions, against Tharptown. Tanner ran for 323 yards in the win. Ny’Quavius Green recorded two touchdowns and an interception. … Tanner built a 27-6 halftime lead against Falkville last season and held on to win 27-20. Karl Parham threw three touchdown passes and scored on defense with a Pick 6. The Rattlers lead the series 22-9-2.

LEE-HUNTSVILLE (3-0) VS. MAE JEMISON (1-2)

Time/location: 7 p.m. Friday, Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville

Last week: Lee won 46-21 at Hazel Green. Mae Jemison lost 61-13 at Fort Payne.

Region: Lee is 1-0 in Class 6A, Region 8, and tied with Fort Payne and Gadsden City for first place. Mae Jemison is 0-1.

The skinny: Lee is off to its best start since opening 3-0 in 2011. The Generals’ last 4-0 start came in 2005. … Huntsville High transfer Carlin Long has been Lee’s workhorse, rushing for 11 TDs and recording a 300-yard game and a 200-yard game. … Lee has the No. 3 scoring offense in Class 6A at 46.7 points per game. Mae Jemison has the third-worst scoring defense at 47.3. … The Jaguars have a 5-2 edge in the crosstown rivalry. Lee prevailed 42-26 last season.

CULLMAN (1-2) AT DECATUR (1-2)

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

Last week: Cullman lost 42-0 at Hartselle. Decatur lost 44-16 at Athens.

Region: Both teams are 0-1 in Class 6A, Region 7.

The skinny: It may seem too early to discuss the playoffs, but the outcome of this game will likely determine one of Region 7′s four postseason berths. Muscle Shoals, Hartselle and Athens are entrenched as frontrunners in the six-team region, while Columbia is mired in the state’s longest losing streak (74 games). That leaves Decatur and Cullman to fight it out for the remaining spot – though upsets later in the season could upend this scenario. … Cullman’s offensive production has dropped each week, from 21 to 15 to zero; the Bearcats’ average of 12 points per game ranks 45th among 57 teams in 6A. … Decatur scored a combined 19 points over the past two weeks after opening with 54 points against Mae Jemison. … Decatur has a 35-18-2 series lead over Cullman. The Red Raiders outlasted the Bearcats 39-36 in triple overtime last season.

Huntsville area Week 4 schedule

Friday, Sept. 15

Ardmore at Lawrence County

Athens at Muscle Shoals

Bob Jones at Grissom, Joe Davis Stadium, Huntsville

Brindlee Mountain at Vinemont

Cullman at Decatur

Danville at J.B. Pennington

Decatur Heritage at Coosa Christian

Douglas at Guntersville

East Limestone at Brewer

Elkmont at Lauderdale County

Florence at Austin

Hartselle at Columbia, Milton Frank Stadium, Huntsville

Hazel Green at Buckhorn

Huntsville at James Clemens, Madison City Schools Stadium

Ider at North Sand Mountain

Lee-Huntsville vs. Mae Jemison, Louis Crews Stadium, Huntsville

Madison County at New Hope

Mars Hill at Clements

Pisgah at Collinsville

Priceville at DAR

Randolph at North Jackson

St. John Paul II at Westminster Christian

Sardis at Arab

Sparkman at Albertville

Susan Moore at Asbury

Tanner at Falkville

Section at Sand Rock

West Limestone at Brooks

Whitesburg Christian at Fyffe

Woodville at Appalachian

Open week: Boaz, Madison Academy, Scottsboro