There will be hundreds of high school football games in Greater Cincinnati during the 2026 season.
What defines a highly anticipated matchup is in the eye of the beholder. Every team has its big rivals, homecoming, and a team they consider a nemesis. Every team considers every game on its schedule to be an important one.
As the 2026 season gets closer, the Enquirer identifies several matchups that catches the attention of the rabid, impartial fans of football in the area as much as the partisan ones for each school.
Aug. 20: Moeller vs. Princeton
This epic battle begins the 2026 season at Paycor Stadium. Moeller has won the last three meetings since they resumed their historic rivalry in 2024. Princeton hopes to reverse that trend after upgrading its offense with Taft transfers Monsanna Torbert and Lorenzo McMullen Jr. Torbert, the QB, has committed to Michigan. Moeller faces a new era without former Mr. Football Matt Ponatoski at quarterback, with highly touted sophomore Hunter McLaughlin taking over. Either way, this is a great test for both teams as they hope to make a long run in the Division I playoffs.
Aug. 21: Louisville Trinity at Anderson
The Raptors welcome Kentucky’s most dominant football program to open the 2026 season, a game featuring two teams in the USA Today national Top 25. Trinity has won the last three state championships in Class 6A, while Anderson is Ohio Division II state runner-up the last two years. Both teams scored more than 42 points per game and were strong on defense. Trinity allowed 10 points per game and will look to challenge Owen Scalf and the Raptors’ high-powered attack, while Anderson’s talented defense will try to slow down the visiting Shamrocks.
Aug. 28: Princeton at Middletown
The top two teams in the Greater Miami Conference in 2025 meet to begin the league season, with the winner getting a big leg up in the title race. Middletown beat the Vikings 14-6 late last year on their run to the state semifinals, but Princeton won the league title with an 8-1 record.
Aug. 28: Indian Hill at Beechwood
It’s always fun when top teams from opposite sides of the Ohio river face each other. In this case, two teams with red uniforms and top Division I quarterback prospects will face off as they pursue state title dreams. It could also be an early Mr. Football showdown. Devlin Daniel, a Mississippi State baseball commit, takes his Braves to Fort Mitchell to meet Wake Forest commit Emmett Queen and the Tigers, who are perennial contenders in Class 2A. The Indian Hill defense will get a challenge from Beechwood receiver Tyler Fryman, a Louisville commit who, like Queen, is a potential Mr. Football contender.
Aug. 28: Lakota East at Lakota West
Unusually, these rivals meet right away to begin the GMC season. The Thunderhawks ran past the Firebirds 42-28 last year, with 290 yards from Ryder Hooks, who has graduated. QB Nile Knutson will look to lead East to a win against West QB Jackson Smith and a talented defense.
Sept. 4: Ryle at Cooper
Both teams in the Union rivalry will look different after key graduation losses but both teams always have high hopes. Ryle was 10-4 last season, reaching the 6A state semifinals, while Cooper went 8-4.
Sept. 18: Lakota West at Princeton
Depending on how their early tests go, this game could be for first place in the GMC or find both teams desperately needing a win to keep their title hopes afloat. West has struggled on offense lately against the Vikings, scoring only 9.5 points per game in the last four meetings.
GCL-South rivalries
St. Xavier had one of the city’s most inspiring turnarounds in 2025. After losing to Moeller and Elder during the season, the Bombers edged both of their archrivals in the Division I playoffs on their way to the state finals.
All three will have brutal non-league schedules per usual. St. Xavier hosts Moeller Sept. 18 and Elder hosts St. X Sept. 25 at The Pit. Then, both Elder and Moeller plus their fans and media will trek north to Dayton’s Welcome Stadium Oct. 2.
No disrespect to La Salle, which went 0-3 against their league rivals but went 9-0 against the rest of its schedule before losing a one-score game to Anderson in the Division II playoffs for the second straight year. The Lancers hope to make another run in DII this season.
Sept. 11: Wyoming at Indian Hill
Indian Hill has won the Cincinnati Hills League two of the last three seasons. The Braves beat the Cowboys in Week 4 last year, 28-7, to win the title as both teams won out the rest of the regular season. This year’s showdown also opens the CHL season.
Oct. 2: Highlands at Covington Catholic
Highlands has won the last two in this ancient and historic battle of Northern Kentucky bluebloods with blue uniforms. The Bluebirds won 31-28, and will battle for district supremacy once again as both teams have designs of contending for the Kentucky 4A state championship.
Oct. 9: Dayton at Bellevue
The longtime river rivals will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of their first matchup, and their 153rd game against each other. Bellevue has won the last two after a four-game winning streak by the Greendevils, including 18-0 last year. That was the first game in the series in Dayton’s new on-campus stadium, and the rivalry returns to Bellevue’s Gilligan Stadium, which opened in 1936 and has artificial turf for the first time in the history of the series after the school installed it in 2025.
Oct. 16: Winton Woods at Anderson
The Raptors have won 24 straight Eastern Cincinnati Conference games since 2023. The Warriors have been their toughest challenger, as Anderson has won three in a row against them, two by seven points, including a 37-30 win last year. Anderson will hope to be rolling on their way to the Division II state final again by this point, while a retooled Warriors squad looks to work their way into top form.
Oct. 16: Cincinnati Country Day at North College Hill
CCD finished 9-2 last year, winning the Miami Valley Conference-Gray Division with a 46-14 win over the Trojans, who finished 8-3. NCH made a splash in the offseason after Tyler Williams came over from Taft to take over the program. He brought some high-profile transfers from Taft, including Jojo Pouncy and Eddie Holloway. Ar’Neil Kahr returns for the Trojans at quarterback after throwing for 2,119 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. The Nighthawks are led by three-star quarterback Levi Guttman, who threw for 1,879 yards, ran for 969 and had 35 total touchdowns last season. Both teams hope to make long playoff runs this season, CCD in Division VII and NCH in Division IV.
Oct. 23: McNicholas at Badin
Badin has won at least a share of a GCL title for eight straight seasons. The Rams shared the GCL-Coed title last season with Alter after losing to McNick 17-10. If their Week 10 matchup has similar stakes, the Rockets hope they win a title this time.
Oct. 24: Withrow at Taft
This game usually decides the Cincinnati Metro Athetic Conference-Red title. Taft won 39-0 last year and went 11-1 with a stifling defense that posted seven straight shutouts. The Senators will have to retool under a new head coach in Rob Rachel, as the team lost several talented players to transfer. Withrow, 9-3 last year, has two of the city’s best offensive stars in receiver Chuck Alexander and running back Z’yohn Gillespie.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Check out the top Cincinnati high school football games to watch in 2026
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
