Sports

Week 1 football schedule and predictions

The 2026 regular season kicks off Thursday and Friday with 10 games across the area.

Travis Espy

The regular season is here. After the kickoff classic weekend gave area teams their first taste of live action, Week 1 begins Thursday with two games and continues Friday with a full eight-game slate.

Here’s the full schedule and my predictions for every game:

Schedule

(All games at 7 p.m. CT unless otherwise noted)

Thursday, Aug. 20

Choctaw at Mosley
Rocky Bayou at Northview

Friday, Aug. 21

Lincoln at Crestview
Prattville (Ala.) at Niceville
Pensacola at Fort Walton Beach
Gulf Breeze at South Walton
West Florida Tech at Walton
Port St. Joe at Destin
Jay at Baker
Freeport at Arnold

Predictions

Choctaw 24, Mosley 14
Rocky Bayou 24, Northview 7
Prattville 24, Niceville 21
Crestview 21, Lincoln 17
Fort Walton Beach 38, Pensacola 10
South Walton 49, Gulf Breeze 7
Walton 14, West Florida Tech 10
Baker 35, Jay 0
Port St. Joe 24, Destin 14
Freeport 17, Arnold 14

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