Key Early Matchups
As the summer heat settles over the Volunteer State, high school football programs are gearing up for the first padded practices mandated by the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association, slated to begin on July 27.
The Tennessean has assembled a preliminary slate of August scrimmages, pulling together dates, opponents and venues that coaches have reported so far. The list will grow as more submissions arrive, ensuring a comprehensive view of the preseason landscape.
Among the early contests, East Robertson will travel to Gordonsville, Forrest will head to Moore County, and Hillsboro will meet Stratford on July 30, while Blackman takes on MBA, Brentwood faces Siegel, and Cane Ridge squares off against Northeast on July 31.
The action continues through the first two weeks of August, with additional matchups scheduled for the 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th, 13th and 14th, spread across a variety of sites that reflect the geographic diversity of the state.
Coaches wishing to have their games included can email sports reporter Tyler Palmateer at tpalmateer@tennessean.com, and they can also follow his updates on the X platform under the handle @tpalmateer83. Palmateer also curates The Tennessean’s high school sports newsletter, The Bootleg, which offers deeper analysis and behind‑the‑scenes insights.
The schedule will be refreshed continuously as new details are received, giving teams and fans a dynamic snapshot of what to expect when the regular season finally kicks off.