Week 1 Aug. 28 - River Bluff vs. Gray Collegiate 

For the first time in their history, River Bluff and Gray Collegiate will face off on the gridiron. 

The meeting will be a rare early-season matchup between two local schools and two 5A teams. Gray and River Bluff will be in separate regions, but that doesn’t take away from the fact these schools are less than three miles apart. 

Week 2 Sept. 4 - White Knoll vs. TL Hanna

New White Knoll head coach Victor Floyd will make his home debut against TL Hanna on Sept. 4. This game will be a tough test for the Timberwolves as TL Hanna enters the season ranked inside the top-10 of 4A. 

The teams last played in 2022 when TL Hanna eliminated White Knoll from the playoffs in a 35-34 slugfest. None of those players are on either team anymore. 

Week 3 Sept. 11 - Pelion vs. Swansea

Pelion vs. Swansea was one of the most exciting games from last season, and the two cross-county rivals will go head-to-head again this year. 

Swansea had the edge last time on its own field, winning 28-27 after going ahead on a made two-point conversion in the closing minutes. This year’s game will be at Pelion with a different face on the Panthers sideline. 

While Swansea is heading into year three under Willie Fox, Pelion is under the guidance of new head coach Matthew Bennett. 

Week 4 Sept. 18 - Dutch Fork vs. Sumter

The defending 5A Division I state champions will not play their first home game until Sept. 18 when Sumter comes to town. 

Dutch Fork opens the season with three straight road games against Ridge View, Spartanburg and Lucy Beckham. Sumter is coming off a solid 2025 regular season that saw the team finish (9-1) and go undefeated in conference. However, the team’s postseason run was cut short, losing to James Island in the first round. 

The teams have not met since the 2021 postseason.

Week 5 Sept. 25 - Gilbert vs. Chapin 

Chapin enters the first year of the Cory Helms era, looking to improve from their (0-10) finish from last season. 

The Eagles will spend three of their six nonconference games playing local Lexington County schools, ending with Gilbert. It will be the first meeting between the Eagles and Indians since 2009. 

For Gilbert, this will be their only game against a 5A school this year. The Indians are seeking their 11th straight winning season. 

Week 6 Oct. 2 - Irmo vs. North Augusta 

Irmo is back in 4A this season after the latest classification realignment shifted things around. 

The Yellow Jackets are the only local team in Lexington County that plays in 4A and will be paired with schools from the Aiken area. Irmo will start region play with a test against a North Augusta team that consistently advances deep in the playoffs. 

Week 7 Oct. 9 - Brookland-Cayce vs. Gilbert

Brookland-Cayce and Gilbert have been one of the most exciting rivalries in the area the past few seasons. 

The two schools have stuck by each other through multiple classification shifts, and have had numerous close matchups in the process. The Indians have won three out of the last four, including last year’s game, 30-19, and the 2024 shootout, 50-49. 

Week 8 Oct. 16 - Gray Collegiate vs. Blythewood

Gray Collegiate is expected to be in contention for a region championship this season, but it won’t be easy. 

The War Eagles are ranked inside the top-10 of the media’s 5A preseason rankings, but so are region opponents Ridge View and Sumter. The team will need success against those two and the rest of the conference to truly contend. 

Gray’s game against Blythewood is the team’s final home game this season. It is also sandwiched in between the Sumter and Ridge View games, meaning Gray should be playing their best ball during this stretch. 

Week 9 Oct. 23 - Chapin vs. Lexington 

Chapin and Lexington are both hoping to have better luck this season after being the bottom two finishing teams in region play last season.

The Wildcats defeated the Eagles last season to finish in fifth place instead of sixth. Lexington has had Chapin’s number in recent years and will be aiming for its sixth win in a row in the series. 

This game will serve as the regular season finale for Chapin.

Week 10 Oct. 30 - Dutch Fork vs. White Knoll 

Dutch Fork and White Knoll will meet in the final week of the season in a game that could decide the region championship. 

The Silver Foxes are no strangers to this scenario, having won the region in the final week the past two seasons thanks to their rivalry with Irmo. Now that Irmo is out of the picture, White Knoll has the chance to step in and contend. 

In 2023, White Knoll won the region championship over Dutch Fork after beating the Silver Foxes in the regular season. Dutch Fork got the last laugh, knocking off the Timberwolves in the state championship game. 

Since 2023, White Knoll has only lost to Dutch Fork and Irmo in the postseason.