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 2A schools, follow this link and click your school.
We decided to highlight some of the 2A matchups that stood out to us on first glance.
North Star Charter at Cascade
Friday, August 21 at 4:30 p.m.
Idaho’s first game of the 2026 season will feature North Star Charter playing its first football game in school history against a Cascade squad looking to turn it around after a tough 1-8 mark a year ago. The Huskies will be a relative unknown early in the season, while Cascade has a favorable schedule that could help the Ramblers trend in the right direction.
Prairie vs. Valley (at Payette HS)
Friday, September 4 at 6 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
It’s always fun when these two meet up. In 2025, Prairie came out on top 38-30 in New Plymouth during the regular season neutral site contest and then topped the Vikings 50-44 in Cottonwood to open the playoffs. With plenty of familiarity on both sides, expect another tight matchup. In a new wrinkle this year, the experienced Jim Rife steps in as the head coach for Valley.
Oakley at Garden Valley
Friday, September 4 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
Oakley started trending in the right direction late in the 2025 campaign, rattling off three straight wins over Murtaugh, Glenns Ferry and Garden Valley to end the regular season before dropping the playoff opener at Logos on Halloween. On the opposite side, the Wolverines will be looking to avenge a 44-40 loss at Oakley last October. When teams are willing to travel, some quality matchups like this can happen. This one seems like a prime candidate for some fireworks.
Genesee at Wallace
Friday, September 4 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
While Wallace moves up to 2A this season, the Miners still made sure to schedule a 1A quarterfinal rematch against Genesee. In an epic thriller last year, Wallace squeaked out a 68-66 overtime win on the road to advance to the state semifinals. Both teams are well-coached and return several key pieces. The quarterback matchup between Jackson Banks and Cooper Miller is elite. You won’t want to miss this game.
Idaho City at Tri-Valley
Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m.
We should learn a lot about these teams in their league opener. After advancing to the 1A state championship game, Tri-Valley moves up to 2A as an instant challenger in the Western Idaho Conference. Idaho City went 6-2 overall last season and 3-1 in the WIC, with the Wildcats hoping for a playoff run this time around.
Butte County at Hagerman
Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
Fresh off an appearance in the state quarterfinals, Hagerman will once again be explosive offensively led by junior running back Casen Knight. Four-year starting quarterback Wyatt Mavencamp had a standout career for the Pirates and has graduated. He’ll now hand the keys over to his brother Will. For Butte County, this game represents an opportunity to open some eyes around the state while proving that last year’s 1-8 mark was an aberration for a program that had played in the state championship game the season prior.
Kamiah at Prairie
Thursday, September 24 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
Who doesn’t love Thursday night football? Kamiah came out on top by a 22-12 tally in the last season’s meeting on the way to finishing second in the league standings. With Kendrick’s move to 1A, these squads appear to be the 2A Whitepine League favorites on paper entering the new year.
Raft River at Valley
Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m.
WATCH ON IDAHOSPORTS.COM
Valley has taken three straight in this rivalry series, with Raft River hoping to flip the script this season. The Trojans finished tied for first in the conference last year, with Valley just a game back in third. Each side lost some key pieces, including the Vikings graduating 12 seniors.
Grace at Butte County
Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m.
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This matchup is consistently for the conference title across all sports, and with Challis being the only other team in the league this season, that tale could very well repeat itself this football campaign. Grace posted an impressive 9-2 record and is looking to reload with a younger core that has the task of replacing the outstanding production of last year’s eight-man senior class.
Tri-Valley at Garden Valley
Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m.
Along with Notus and Idaho City, these two schools that moved up from the 1A Long Pin Conference are expected to reside toward the top of the 2A Western Idaho Conference standings. Major playoff implications could be on the line in this one for a pair of long-time rivals.
Hagerman at Raft River
Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m.
After tying for first in the 2A Snake River Conference in 2025, it would be no surprise if this game once again decided the league title. Last time around, Raft River won 42-20 in Hagerman. Both teams have playoff aspirations and could make long runs in November if they stay healthy.