In the sixth and final part of our 2025 high school football survey preview, the AL.com experts were asked to name one game they didn’t want to miss this fall.
One of those games happens on the first Friday of the season.
Here are their answers:
Thomas Ashworth, AL.com
Muscle Shoals at Hartselle, Oct. 24: This is sure to be another huge game in Class 6A. Last season’s game was decided by just 1 point with the Trojans winning the game and Region 7 with the win. With talent coming back for both teams, stakes will surely be high in late October.
Simone Eli, WKRG-TV
St. Michael at Jackson, Oct. 3: These two teams met twice in 2024 with the Aggies winning in the regular season and in the 4A state semifinals. This might well be the first of two meetings once again.
Randy Kennedy, AL.com and IHeart Radio
Saraland at Jackson, Aug. 22: This is not just a game. It’s a cultural event in Jackson. The Aggies are the reigning 4A champs. The Spartans have played in the last three Class 6A title games. This game also includes the three finalists for last year’s 4A Back of the Year – Jackson QB Landon Duckworth (winner), Jackson RB and Alabama commit EJ Crowell and St. Michael QB Gunner Rivers.
Gerhard Mathangani, WKRG-TV
Saraland at Jackson, Aug. 22: Eyes from around the state will be on this opener. The Aggies are 25-2 in the last two seasons. One of those losses came at Saraland in the 2024 season opener. Saraland is 41-3 in the last three years. Spartans coach Jeff Kelly is a former Jackson head coach.
Ben Thomas, AL.com
Thompson at Clay-Chalkville, Sept. 26: Thompson has lost six games to Alabama teams in the last five years. Two of those came against Clay-Chalkville, and both were classics. The Cougars beat Thompson 14-13 in overtime in 2024 and 36-33 in 2023 in a game televised by ESPN2. The Warriors won a tight game, 17-14, in 2022. In other words, Meeting No. 4 should be a star-filled classic.
John Vella, AL.com
St. Michael at Jackson, Oct 3: The first Friday of October is already circled on the calendar. The Aggies and Cardinals clash at Legion Field. In their last meeting, Jackson won 49-28 in the 4A semifinals a year ago on the way to a dominating state title win. There will be plenty of future college standouts on the field for both teams along with former NFL QB turned St. Michael coach Philip Rivers.
Dennis Victory, AL.com
Thompson at Hoover, Oct. 17: This game has decided the Class 7A, Region 3 winner in seven of the last eight seasons. One of the two has either won or played for the state championship for nine years straight.
Editor’s note: The p2icks panel will return on Aug. 21 with the first predictions for the new season.
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