We are one week away from the start of the 2026 football season in Idaho, with plenty of dates to circle on the calendar.
To see the schedules for each of the 6A schools, follow this link and click your school.
We decided to highlight some of the 6A matchups that stood out to us on first glance.
Eagle at Highland
Friday, August 21 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
Eagle went 8-0 in their first eight contests last season, but suffered back-to-back nail-biting losses (35-33 to Timberline in the Southern Idaho Conference Championship Game and 13-6 to Rocky Mountain in the 6A quarterfinals), and suddenly, their season was over. Highland lost in the first round last year to Mountain View, 45-7, but the Rams were selected as the preseason favorite in the High Country Conference over defending 6A champ Rigby. One individual matchup to keep an eye on in this one: Highland senior running back (and Idaho State commit) Cedric Mitchell versus Eagle senior linebacker Luke Mikita.
Timberline at Eagle
Friday, August 28 at 7 p.m.
A rematch of last year’s SIC Championship Game? Don’t mind if I do! Timberline nipped Eagle 35-33 last year, catapulting the Wolves on a run that went all the way to the 6A state championship game. Timberline was hit hard by graduation, though, so this will be a good early indicator of how ready their reserves are for the bright lights.
Middleton at Madison
Friday, September 4 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
The Bobcats went to Middleton last year and won a defensive grinder, 9-7. The bad news for Madison? Kicker Braysen Stoddard, who scored all nine points on three field goals, graduated. More offense will be required this time around for both teams.
Eagle at Rocky Mountain
Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m.
Pour one out for the SIC Championship Game, which is now extinct in favor of an extra non-conference game for each of the conference’s 11 schools. If the SIC Championship Game was happening this year, you don’t have to squint too hard to see this being the matchup. Rocky Mountain (Foothills Division) and Eagle (River Division) were each picked to win their respective pods by the other SIC coaches in our preseason poll.
Mountain View at Madison
Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
Both of these teams bowed out in last year’s 6A quarterfinals, as Mountain View fell to eventual champ Rigby on the road, while Madison lost at Coeur d’Alene. As these two prepare for conference play, this non-conference game will either establish or halt their momentum.
Highland vs. Lake City (at Montana Tech University, Butte)
Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m.
Who doesn’t love a fun neutral-site game? Highland will travel 255 miles for this contest, while Lake City will traverse 282 miles. Fun fact: Butte, Mont., is the hometown of famed motorcycle stuntman Evil Knievel and former Navy Seal Robert O’Neill (the man responsible for killing Osama Bin Laden).
Skyline at Thunder Ridge
Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m.
It’s the Berger Bowl! Skyline coach Scott Berger (in his 18th season with the Grizz) faces his son, Thunder Ridge coach Michael Berger (about to begin his fifth season with the Titans). So far, dad is 4-0 against son. Can the tides turn in 2025? Skyline will be favored to win again, but Thunder Ridge has a dynamic quarterback in Ryder Portmann and could be feisty.
Bishop Kelly at Middleton
Friday, September 25 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
This used to be a conference matchup, back when Middleton was a 5A school. In fact, based upon social media comments, there are a lot of fans who would like to see this return to being a conference matchup. That, of course, would hinge of Bishop Kelly electing to play up a level at 6A, which doesn’t seem likely. Despite being the smaller school, BK should absolutely be the favorite coming in, thanks to a stacked group of returnees that features three Division I signees (edge rusher Jack Henderson to Utah, quarterback Jaxson Brady to UC Davis and offensive guard Brody Hale to Idaho).
Rigby at Coeur d’Alene
Thursday, October 1 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
This is the fifth year in a row that the Trojans and Vikings will do battle. The first two games, in 2022 and 2023, were played at the University of Montana’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium. Perhaps not coincidentally, both programs have sent players on to the Grizzlies in recent years. Coeur d’Alene hosted Rigby in 2024, while the Trojans returned the favor in 2025. The home-and-home arrangement has been re-upped for 2026 and 2027, though selfishly, as a Missoula native, I’d be cool with this game returning to Montana. In the four previous meetings, it’s been an even split: two wins for Coeur d’Alene, two wins for Rigby and plenty of exciting moments for the fans. Get your popcorn ready for this one.
Mountain View at Capital
Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
I’ll admit that a lot of these SIC matchups become white noise to me during the regular season. Part of that is because I live in North Idaho, which makes it hard to stay plugged in, but also because most of these teams are really good and evenly matched. Who’s going to win this game? Who knows? But I guarantee it’s going to be fun to watch.
Rigby at Highland
Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
You want high stakes? These teams have split their past four matchups and have accounted for the past five 6A state championships (four for Rigby, one for Highland). Highland has a strong running game, but the key to this contest will be whether senior quarterback Jacob Vincent and his receivers can consistently move the chains against a stout Rigby defense.
Madison at Rigby
Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
Highland, Madison and Rigby have put together some fun battles for 6A HCC supremacy in recent years. Any of the three could be this year’s conference champion, which brings homefield advantage through at least the quarterfinal round with it. Add in the fact that these fan bases have a rather frosty relationship with one another, and there’s more than enough motivation to go around in this one.