The Tennessee high school football season has arrived. Games begin on Thursday, Aug. 20 and proceed into the weekend with games among key Middle Tennessee programs.
Here's a look at the top 10 games of Week 1 of the TSSAA season in the Nashville area.
Game of the week
Brentwood Academy at Baylor
Time: 8 p.m. (ET) | When: Thursday, Aug. 20
TV: ESPN2
Is this the biggest game in Tennessee for Week 1? Alcoa-Maryville would argue for that distinction. Nonetheless, this Division II-AAA state championship rematch will be huge. It's so big the World Wide Leader of sports designated it as a game to televise. There will be plenty of Power 4 commits on the field, including key Tennessee football Class of 2027 standouts like Baylor running back David Gabriel Georges and Brentwood Academy's Kenneth Simon
II (LB) and Kesean Bowman (WR). Most expect these two teams to meet again in Chattanooga in four months.
Tom Kreager's prediction: Baylor 38, Brentwood Academy 21
Tyler Palmateer's prediction: Baylor 31, Brentwood Academy 28
George Robinson's prediction: Baylor 35, Brentwood Academy 24
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Nolensville at Lebanon
Time: 7 p.m. | When: Thursday, Aug. 20
Lebanon could be in a for a big year, led by Tennessee and Memphis target Gavin Gregory, who is among the top seniors in the state this season. The Blue Devils won eight games last year and double-digit wins by the end of this season wouldn't be a reach. Nolensville was 8-4 last year, which included a second-round 5A playoff appearance.
Kreager's prediction: Lebanon 21, Nolensville 14
Palmateer's prediction: Lebanon 28, Nolensville 27
Robinson's prediction: Lebanon 35, Nolensville 17
Green Hill at Beech
Time: 7 p.m. | When: Friday, Aug. 21
Beech must adjust to life without quarterback Kaden Powell, who is playing baseball at Kentucky. But having receiver Jeramy Laster should cushion Powell's departure. Laster is the No. 10-ranked recruit in the state from the 2028 class, with offers that include Tennessee, Notre Dame, Indiana and Texas A&M. Green Hill has won 27 games in the past three seasons, including consecutive 10-win seasons. But the Hawks lost much of that talent to graduation.
Kreager's prediction: Beech 20, Green Hill 17
Palmateer's prediction: Beech 21, Green Hill 20
Robinson's prediction: Beech 24, Green Hill 20
Whitehaven at Ensworth
Time: 7 p.m. | When: Friday, Aug. 21
Ensworth running back EJ Gibson may have a big chip on his shoulder. While he will deflect attention from himself, he'll admit his Mr. Football nomination snub bothered him. He returns to a talented Tigers team after running for over 1,400 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2025. Whitehaven received an influx of Germantown transfers and is led by linebacker Shelvy Clark.
Kreager's prediction: Ensworth 24, Whitehaven 13
Palmateer's prediction: Ensworth 28, Whitehaven 21
Robinson's prediction: Ensworth 27, Whitehaven 24
MBA at Pearl-Cohn
Time: 7 p.m. | When: Friday, Aug. 21
The Firebirds trio of quarterback LJ Funk, wideout Stephen Saulter and all-purpose star Landan Left, host MBA for the first time since 2013. Pearl-Cohn hasn't beaten MBA since 2021 and the teams have a recent history of fireworks. Defensive-minded MBA coach Chris Chauvin welcomes the challenge of slowing down a team most feel could return to the Class 4A state championship game.
Kreager's prediction: Pearl-Cohn 27, MBA 13
Palmateer's prediction: Pearl-Cohn 21, MBA 17
Robinson's prediction: Pearl-Cohn 28, MBA 21
Riverdale at Knoxville Catholic
Time: 7 p.m. ET | When: Saturday, Aug. 22
Like Baylor-Brentwood Academy, this will be one of the top games in the state. Catholic has a ton of talented athletes, including four players ranked among The Tennessean's top 50 juniors and three among the top 25 sophomores. Catholic, however, is ineligible to play in the 2026 playoffs because of TSSAA violations. Riverdale features Dandy Dozen stars Hudson Fuqua (Mississippi State commit) and Brylan Oduor (Auburn commit) as well as another Mississippi State commit in quarterback Gavin Hampton.
Kreager's prediction: Knoxville Catholic 28, Riverdale 21
Palmateer's prediction: Riverdale 42, Knoxville Catholic 21
Robinson's prediction: Riverdale 35, Knoxville Catholic 24
Clarksville at Blackman
Time: 7 p.m. | When: Friday, Aug. 21
Blackman coach Will Hester returns to TSSAA football in Middle Tennessee against one of the more consistent regular season teams over the past four years. But what Clarksville needs is a playoff win, something that hasn't happened since 2022. Wildcats coach Isaac Shelby is smart enough not to put the cart before the horse, though. He'll have to contend with Blackman, which has Kentucky transfer QB Chase Bell but who lost Oduor and James Stewart to Riverdale.
Kreager's prediction: Blackman 24, Clarksville 14
Palmateer's prediction: Blackman 31, Clarksville 21
Robinson's prediction: Blackman 30, Clarksville 20
Madison Ridgeland Academy (MS) at Ravenwood
Time: 7 p.m. | When: Friday, Aug. 21
Ravenwood losing 40-plus seniors to graduation seems alarming. And maybe that will be an issue down the road. But the Raptors are used to winning. Ravenwood made a 6A state title game run last year and welcomed the arrival of BGA transfer and four-star DL, Ayden Woodruff. MRA is among the better private school teams in Mississippi and is preseason ranked No. 21.
Kreager's prediction: MRA 28, Ravenwood 27
Palmateer's prediction: MRA 24, Ravenwood 21
Robinson's prediction: Ravenwood 32, MRA 28
Oakland at CPA
Time: 7 p.m. | When: Saturday, Aug. 22
Not many schools have owned their classification like Oakland in Class 6A. The Patriots have won two straight 6A titles, five of the last six and six total during Kevin Creasy's 11 seasons. Despite losing some key players, nothing changes in terms of expectations. CPA's move to DII-AAA last year ended its dominance in DII-AA where it played in seven straight state title games.
Kreager's prediction: Oakland 24, CPA 21
Palmateer's prediction: Oakland 21, CPA 14
Robinson's prediction: Oakland 24, CPA 17
BGA at St. Michael Catholic (AL)
Time: 12:30 p.m. | When: Saturday, Aug. 22
Bobby Bentley takes his varied and fluid offense, led by a pair of Tennessee's best wideouts in Maximus Curry and Maddox Porter, into Alabama to face St. Michael's Catholic, led by its coach, former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers. This should be a high-scoring game between two teams whose coaches love to throw the ball.
Kreager's prediction: BGA 42, St. Michael Catholic 35
Palmateer's prediction: St. Michael Catholic 48, BGA 44
Robinson's prediction: BGA 38, St. Michael Catholic 31
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Reach The Tennessean's high school sports editor, George Robinson, at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA football predictions for top Week 1 games include Brentwood Academy vs Baylor
