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 1A schools, follow this link and click your school.
We decided to highlight some of the 1A matchups that stood out to us on first glance.
Council at Kendrick
Friday, August 21 at 6 p.m.
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It’s hard to beat this matchup to kick off the season. Kendrick has won five straight state titles and had the highest-scoring offense in the state a year ago. On the other side, the Lumberjacks limited opponents to just 14.3 points per game to rank as the best defense in 1A football. Now the Tigers drop down to 1A, which means this game pits two of the top teams in the classification against each other right out of the chutes.
Salmon River at Genesee
Friday, August 21 at 4 p.m.
Salmon River is a trendy pick to jump to the top of the Long Pin standings and gets a chance to show why with a challenging road contest at Genesee in opening week action. The Bulldogs pulled away in a 50-20 victory when the two squads met up in Riggins to open the 2025 season.
Dietrich vs. Rockland (at ICCU Dome, Pocatello)
Saturday, September 5 at 4 p.m.
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There’s not a much better way to spend a Saturday than watching 8-man football in the dome. Week two of the Rocky Mountain Rumble will give us a glimpse into a favorite in the Rocky Mountain Conference and a Dietrich team out of the Sawtooth Conference that is aiming to turn around its fortunes.
Coeur du Christ at Deary
Friday, September 11 at 7 p.m.
Quarterback Grant Clemens and the Coeur du Christ Saints went 7-2 in 2025 while advancing to the state quarterfinals. This year, they hope to make an even deeper run. Deary returns League MVP Jarrett Keen at quarterback and 1A Whitepine Defensive MVP Blake Clark on the defensive front. This was a neutral site matchup last season when the two sides met in Spirit Lake at Timberlake High School. Coeur du Christ came out on top 50-22.
Richfield at Hansen
Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m.
This isn’t a game that would normally be on this list, but things have changed in a positive way for both programs as of late. It’s likely that one of these teams will occupy a top two spot in the 1A Sawtooth Conference when all is said and done. What a story that is. Two years ago, Hansen won just one game. Last season, they turned the corner completely, piling up seven wins and making a playoff appearance. Similarly, a young Richfield team gained a ton of experience a year ago while finishing 5-4 under head coach Matt Kent, who was in his first season. The Tigers had gone 1-6 in 2024.
Coeur du Christ at Salmon River
Saturday, September 26 at 2 p.m.
Two solid programs from different parts of the state are set for a Saturday matinee in late September in Riggins. Both are likely playoff teams, meaning this might not be the last time we see these two square off this season. This is the first ever meeting between Coeur du Christ and Salmon River.
Hansen at Carey
Friday, October 2 at 7 p.m.
Last season it was Carey and Hansen filling out the top two spots in the 1A Sawtooth Conference standings. The Panthers won the head-to-head matchup 44-14 on the road to win the league. Can the Huskies return the favor this time?
Carey at Council
Friday, October 9 at 5 p.m.
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In a memorable thriller, Carey knocked off Council 32-26 in the state semifinals last season. There’s little doubt that both teams could make long runs again, so this is a huge October non-conference tilt that will give each program a good idea of where they stand late in the campaign.
Genesee at Deary
Friday, October 16 at 7 p.m.
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Expect a competitive game as Genesee hopes to get some revenge after Deary claimed the 2025 1A Whitepine League title with a 52-32 win over the Bulldogs. Plenty of talent is back for both teams, so this will have playoff implications once again.
Council at Salmon River
Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m.
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Council and Salmon River are the unquestioned favorites in the 1A Long Pin Conference to start 2026, meaning that this game will likely be for the top spot in the league. That’s as good as it gets for the final week of the regular season.