Reigning Class 6A state champion Saraland will open the 2023 football season against Tennessee power Lipscomb Academy.

Spartans head coach Jeff Kelly announced the move Thursday morning. The game is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 25, the first week of regular-season games in the state of Alabama.

“It’s an opportunity to play a two-time state champion from another state,” Kelly told AL.com. “They’ve had a ton of success. I think the opportunity to play someone out of our state that brings a resume like they have is something our kids will be excited about.”

Saraland was originally scheduled to open the season against Class 7A Daphne for the second straight year. Trojans coach Kenny King said his team is still looking for an opponent for that week to replace the Spartans on his schedule.

In 2022, Saraland went 14-1, routing Mountain Brook 38-17 to win the school’s first state football title. The Spartans return a host of star players, including reigning Mr. Football and Alabama commit Ryan Williams, quarterback KJ Lacey, defensive lineman Antonio Coleman and running back Santae McWilliams.

Lipscomb is coming off a 13-0 season under former coach Trent Dilfer, now the head coach at UAB. That season included a 24-14 victory over four-time 7A state champion Thompson in Alabaster in Week 2. Dilfer was replaced at Lipscomb by NFL Hall of Famer Kevin Mawae.

“It’s a great test for us early in the season to see where we are and measure ourselves against one of the best teams in the country,” Kelly said. “And, to get to play a game of that magnitude at home as well, certainly made it an intriguing possibility to consider.”

Lipscomb’s roster includes the top two rising senior prospects in the state of Tennessee, according to the Top 247 rankings, in defensive back Kaleb Beasley (Tennessee commit) and linebacker Edwin Spillman (uncommitted). It will be the first out-of-state opponent Saraland has played since defeating Heard County, Ga., 17-14 to open the 2017 season.

The Spartans open spring practice May 1 and host former Spanish Fort coach Ben Blackmon and Class 7A Enterprise in a spring game May 18.

“That will be a great test for our guys as well,” Kelly said. “We have a lot of respect for coach Blackmon and also a lot of familiarity from his time at Spanish Fort. They were a very good team last year. It will give us an opportunity to finish the spring on a big note and give us an indication of where we are and what we need to improve on.”

Kelly said, despite the fact that his team returns a lot of starters, there is still work to do in preparation for 2023.

“We do have a lot of guys returning. Some of them are involved in track and baseball, and we hope we don’t see them for a long time this spring,” he said. “But we expect to have a lot of competition in a lot of different spots. There are some guys coming up that were in some young roles that really have a chance to push for competitive playing time. I want to see us grow and continue to develop.”