The 2026 Georgia high school football season will open with several high-profile matchups in Week 1, including a battle between the Alabama Class 6A and Georgia Class 4A state champions from last season.
Clay-Chalkville at Creekside is our top-ranked must-see season-opening game, which will take place in Fairburn, Georgia, on Aug. 22. Both Clay-Chalkville and Creekside finished the 2025 season with identical 15-0 records. Each team won its state championship.
Other top matchups include Colquitt County at Thomas County Central in the season opener for both teams. This game will mark the first meeting of the two South Georgia blue-blood programs since 2012, when Colquitt County defeated TCC 35-33.
Here are ITG Next’s top 10 Week 1 Georgia high school football matchups.
1. Creekside vs. Clay-Chalkville (Alabama) | August 22, 2026
One of the most attractive season openers will take place at The Swamp as the defending GHSA Class 4A state champion Creekside Seminoles host the AHSAA Class 6A state champion Clay-Chalkville Cougars.
Both teams finished 15-0 last year, and it was Clay-Chalkville’s third state title in the past five years.
2. Thomas County Central vs. Colquitt County | August 21, 2026
These two teams have combined for seven state championship game appearances since 2000. Thomas County Central has won two titles in the past three years, including last season’s Class 5A title to cap off an undefeated season. Colquitt County last won state championships in 2014 and 2015.
This game is a monster to start the season.
3. Buford vs. Gainesville | August 22, 2026
This will mark the debut of Santavious Bryant as the Gainesville Red Elephants’ new head coach. Bryant replaces Josh Niblett.
Both teams are coming off state championship appearances. Buford captured the Class 6A state title as well as a national championship. Gainesville fell to Thomas County Central in the Class 5A title game.
4. Rome vs. Carrollton | August 21, 2026
This is the first season opener for Rome without head coach John Reid leading the Wolves onto the field in 11 seasons. Reid announced his retirement from coaching after last season.
His replacement is former North Gwinnett head coach Bill Stewart, whose first game as the Wolves’ new head coach will be against the Carrollton Trojans led by head coach Joey King.
Carrollton lost to Buford in last year’s Class 6A state championship game, which also served as a national championship battle.
5. Parkview vs. Coffee (Georgia State University) | August 21, 2026
This promises to be one of the best regular-season North Georgia versus South Georgia matchups, and the fact that it’s the first-ever matchup between these two historically rich programs makes it that much better.
For Parkview and second-year head coach Adam Clack, this is an opportunity to show that the Panthers are back and ready to once again compete with the best in the state.
Coffee and head coach Mike Coe are also trying to return to the dominance they displayed in 2023 and 2024, finishing as the state champion in 2023 and a semifinalist in 2024 before falling back to a 4-7 season last year.
6. Grayson vs. North Gwinnett (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) | August 12, 2026
The Greg Carswell era begins at Grayson with a matchup against North Gwinnett, led by head coach Eric Godfree, as part of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Classic.
Carswell will make his debut as Grayson’s new head coach after being elevated from defensive coordinator to replace Santavious Bryant.
7. Brunswick vs. Camden County | August 21, 2026
Both of these coastal Southeast Georgia programs will open the season with new head coaches as Tucker Pruitt takes over at Camden County and Byron Slack takes over at Brunswick.
This game marks the fifth straight season that the two programs have faced each other, with the last three meetings coming in Week 1 for both teams. Camden County has defeated Brunswick in the last two season openers.
8. Lee County vs. Hapeville Charter | August 21, 2026
Lee County and Hapeville Charter will each have perhaps their most talented team in recent years as they meet for the fifth straight season.
Hapeville Charter advanced to the GHSA Class 2A state finals last year after starting the season 1-4, and the Hornets return a ton of talent this season.
This year’s Lee County Trojans of head coach Dean Fabrizio will feature one of their deepest teams over the past few seasons, with a deep rushing attack, a deep linebacker corps, and one of the state’s top receivers in senior Jaden Upshaw.
Hapeville Charter returns top rusher Ray Damond Stiggers and quarterback Keylan Pope.
9. Benedictine vs. Toombs County | August 21, 2026
This game is a battle of two state finalists from 2025 who each finished as runners-up in their championship matchups.
Toombs, who finished 13-2 after falling to Worth County in the Class 1A-Division II finals, moves up to Class 3A this season.
Benedictine is coming off its state finals loss to Creekside after an 11-3 season. Benedictine moves up to Class 5A with reclassification in 2026.
10. Worth County vs. Brooks County | August 21, 2026
Worth County is coming off a perfect 15-0 season while winning the Class 1A-Division I state championship in 2025. Rams head coach Jeff Hammond’s team moves to Class 3A and will start the season against the Brooks County Trojans, who have also moved out of Class 1A. Trojans head coach Josh McFather’s team joins Class 2A this season.
This matchup will feature two of the top quarterbacks in South Georgia as Lyndon Worthy leads the Rams and Junior Burrus runs the Brooks County offense.
