Despite lingering storms ― that caused numerous delays and even forced two games to be delayed a day ― the 2026 high school football season kicked off around the Rockford area on Friday night, Aug. 21.
With plenty of big games to kick things off ― led by Harlem’s rout of Belvidere North ― we have you covered for Week 1 all around the Rockford area.
Harlem pounded on Belvidere North 55-14 to kickstart the season, and we have all the coverage coming your way.
From preseason analysis to Week 1 kickoff and beyond, look to the Rockford Register Star for complete coverage. Our star reporter Jay Taft has already been all over it and will continue to blanket the Rockford area with football coverage throughout the season.
And for the live scores and updates, we have you covered right here.
First, check out some of the expert preseason analysis by Taft:
Preseason expert analysis
Find out why Harlem, QB Fausett leads off our football power rankings
Top 21 running backs to watch around the Rockford area are right here
Top 5 burning questions headed into Rockford-area football season
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Complete Rockford-area football schedules
Here are the complete 2026 football schedules for all of the Rockford-area teams
Rockford-area Week 1 high school football live scores
Week 1 top football games around the Rockford area
NIC-10: Belvidere North at Harlem, 7 p.m. Friday
Big Northern Conference: Durand/Pecatonica at Oregon
NUIC: Lena-Winslow hosts Lisle Benet Academy, 7 p.m. Friday
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and sign up for the Rockford High School Sports Newsletter here at rrstar.com. Jay has covered a variety of sports, from the Chicago Bears and Blackhawks to local youth sports, since the turn of the century at the Register Star.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Harlem’s rout of Belvidere North kickstarts Rockford-area Week 1 scores
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Reporting by Jay Taft, Rockford Register Star / Rockford Register Star
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By Jay Taft, Rockford Register Star | USA TODAY Network
