Games and nights to watch during the 2026 football season:

AUG. 28 — OPENING NIGHT

There’s nothing quite like the first Friday night of the season, and the Times News area will jump right into 2026 with seven games. Two are head-to-head area matchups, with Tamaqua visiting Lehighton and Palmerton traveling to Marian. Jim Thorpe heads to Blue Mountain, Northern Lehigh hosts Executive Education, Northwestern opens at Valley View, Panther Valley welcomes Mahanoy Area and Pleasant Valley hosts Saucon Valley. Five of the area’s nine teams will begin the season at home.

SEPT. 3 — NORTHERN LEHIGH AT NORTHWESTERN

The first Thursday night of September brings together two of the area’s most accomplished programs. Northwestern enters the season after three consecutive trips to the PIAA Class 3A championship game, while Northern Lehigh brings back an experienced group led by four-year starting quarterback Garrett Smoyer. It also provides an early-season showcase for two teams with plenty of veteran talent. The Sept. 3 matchup is also listed on Northern Lehigh’s published schedule.

SEPT. 11 — MARIAN AT TAMAQUA

Two neighboring programs meet in an early-season matchup at Tamaqua. The Raiders return plenty of experience around a powerful running game, while Marian brings back quarterback Greg Tirpak and an experienced group along the line of scrimmage. It’s also one of a handful of regular-season opportunities to see these two area programs on the same field.

OCT. 2 — NORTHWESTERN AT JIM THORPE

Northwestern heads to Jim Thorpe for the first of three consecutive games against Times News area opponents. The Olympians believe their experienced offensive and defensive fronts can be strengths, providing an intriguing matchup in the trenches against a Northwestern team that also considers its lines a major asset. The Colonial League schedule lists the matchup for Oct. 2.

OCT. 9 — AREA TEAMS COLLIDE

Two games put Times News teams directly across the field from one another, with Jim Thorpe visiting Northern Lehigh and Northwestern traveling to Lehighton. Palmerton hosts Notre Dame, Panther Valley welcomes Pottsville, Pleasant Valley entertains East Stroudsburg North and Tamaqua travels to North Schuylkill. For Northwestern, it’s the middle game of a three-week stretch against area opponents; for Lehighton, it begins a closing stretch filled with familiar foes. The two head-to-head area matchups are also on the Colonial League schedule.

OCT. 16 — RIVALRY NIGHT

If there’s one Friday to circle across the entire Times News coverage area, this might be it. Six of the nine area teams square off against each other: Lehighton at Jim Thorpe, Northern Lehigh at Palmerton and Panther Valley at Tamaqua. Three games, six local teams and plenty of familiar faces on opposite sidelines. Marian travels to Williams Valley, Northwestern hosts Wilson and Pleasant Valley visits Pocono Mountain East to complete the night’s area schedule. The Colonial League also lists Lehighton-Jim Thorpe and Northern Lehigh-Palmerton for Oct. 16.

OCT. 23 — THE STRETCH RUN

With the regular season nearing its conclusion, Week 9 brings another area matchup when Palmerton visits Lehighton. Northwestern travels to Southern Lehigh, Northern Lehigh hosts Notre Dame, Marian welcomes Mahanoy Area, Panther Valley hosts Pine Grove, Pleasant Valley welcomes Pocono Mountain West and Tamaqua heads to Selinsgrove. By this point, teams will be turning their attention toward finishing the regular season strong and building momentum for the postseason.

OCT. 30 — ONE LAST FRIDAY

The regular season closes with two more all-area matchups: Jim Thorpe at Palmerton and Northern Lehigh at Lehighton. Marian travels to Schuylkill Haven, Northwestern hosts Catasauqua, Panther Valley visits North Schuylkill, Pleasant Valley heads to Stroudsburg and Tamaqua travels to Pine Grove. It’s one final Friday under the lights before the calendar turns toward postseason football. The Colonial League schedule confirms both area matchups on the final Friday.