The 2023 high school football season is upon us, and this offseason felt like it flew by even faster than the last. With how quickly it feels like time flies with everyone’s busy schedule, you may not have had the chance to check out the high school football schedule in Middle Tennessee. If that’s the case, no worries. We have you covered with our top matchups of 2023.
(# indicates rank. State rankings referenced are from the final top 50 of MaxPreps computer-generated algorithmic rating system for Tennessee schools at the end of the 2022 season. National rankings are MaxPreps preseason 2023 rankings. Recruiting rankings are from the 2024 24/7 Sports recruiting rankings.)
10. #2 Oakland at #26 Haywood 9/1/23
Oakland is coming off not only a 6A State Championship, but a state record third in a row. They will be looking to make it four, but can they keep at the pace they’ve been running after graduating so much talent? What will the offense look like with a new QB at the helm? Haywood was a force last season winning 13 straight games before falling to Pearl-Cohn in a shootout in the TSSAA semifinal. This early season matchup will be a great measuring stick for both these programs to correct course moving forward in a season where they both have lofty goals.
9. #60 Riverdale at #2 Oakland 10/27/23
Oakland better answer those questions before we get to this game, or the Patriots may be in for a very uncharacteristic season. Riverdale would love for that to be the case as they go into Oakland on October 27th looking to dethrone the Pats having not won The Battle of the ‘Boro since 2012
8. #29 Blackman at #60 Riverdale 10/13/23
While this game would always be a good Rutherford Country rivalry, this offseason things ramped up when Blackman hired Matt Kriesky as their new head coach following Chandler Tygard resigning to take the head coaching job at Cleveland. If that last name sounds familiar it’s because Matt’s twin brother Will is the head coach at Riverdale. The Kriesky Bowl will take place at Riverdale as Matt comes into 6A Region 3 looking to beat his twin and Blackman looks to beat its division rival with playoff implications on the line.
7. #40 Ravenwood at #41 Brentwood 10/27/23
The Battle of the Woods is always a hard-fought and heated rivalry. This year will be no exception with Brentwood hosting while trying to keep Ravenwood from extending a winning streak in the rivalry to three games. A home game with Ravenwood reloading after losing Chris Parson is a perfect opportunity to strike, but by the last week how much will Ravenwood have figured out? This game could very well decide 6A Region 6.
6. #97 Green Hill at #56 Mount Juliet 10/27/23
One of the newest rivalries in the Midstate is really coming into its own and becoming not only one of the newest but one of the most impactful. Last season The Mayor’s Cup, as this game is now called, decided 5A Region 5. Mount Juliet Mayor James Maness handed the Bears of Mount Juliet the trophy, and by extension the district, on Green Hill’s field. There’s no doubt the Hawks want revenge as they get set to travel to MJ’s home turf this October. Both teams, now in 6A, have this one circled and we’ll see who’s holding up The Mayors Cup when the dust settles.
5. #7 McCallie at #1 Lipscomb Academy (#19 National Rank) 10/27/23
While everyone is anticipating Brentwood Academy vs Baylor, and rightfully so, this game could sneak up on you. If the cards fall right in the ultra-talented and competitive AAA East round robin, this game on the final weekend could have huge implications. This matchup will feature the second-ranked QBs in this year and next year’s classes respectfully as well as a plethora of talent around them. The AAA East should be a blast to watch this season and this game is just one of the many reasons why.
4. #28 Henry County at #9 Beech 10/6/23
Beech, coming off a trip to the 6A championship game, is now in 5A, and on October 6th the Henry County Patriots will roll into Shackle Island for a district game that could decide 5A Region 7. Henry County is coming off an impressive season of their own having made it to the 5A semifinal last year. This should be a good one in Hendersonville with a great atmosphere at Beech with what should be perfect football weather in early October.
3. #4 (National Rank) IMG Academy at #19 (National Rank) Lipscomb Academy 8/18/23
This is a big one. The #4 team in the nation, IMG Academy, is traveling 700 miles to Nashville to take on the #19 Lipscomb Academy Mustangs. College football and even future NFL talent will be all over the field going head-to-head as Lipscomb and new head coach Kevin Mawae (Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Tennessee Titan) are put to the test against one of the best high school programs in the entire country in week one of the season. This game will feature 15 of the top 200 recruits for this year and next year’s recruiting cycles according to 247 Sports’ rankings. Lipscomb will be trying to send a message to the rest of their new AAA East opponents that they’re ready for the big time.
2. #1 Lipscomb Academy (#19 National Rank) at #6 Brentwood Academy
Eleven of the top 26 recruits in next year’s cycle will be playing in this game. Two of them are Quarterbacks that are both ranked in the top five in the 247 composite rankings. These two Middle Tennessee members of AAA East have an opportunity to have an incredible rivalry moving forward and this first edition of the game is a heck of a way to kick it off.
1. #6 Brentwood Academy at #3 Baylor (#89 National Rank) 9/22/23
This game features everything you could want from a high school football matchup. Two high profile schools with high profile Quarterbacks in BA’s George MacIntyre and Baylor’s Whit Muschamp. MacIntyre is the grandson of the former Vanderbilt head coach with whom he shares his name and is the number one prospect in Tennessee in next year’s class, leading one of the most talented rosters in the state. Across the field will be senior QB, Whit Muschamp, who is a Vanderbilt commit and son of former Florida and South Carolina head coach, Will Muschamp. More importantly though, this game has drama. Last year, BA’s season ended in the TSSAA semifinals against Baylor on a controversial call on the last play of the game after a high scoring affair between these two offenses. All of that is yet just a backdrop to this potentially being the deciding game in the loaded AAA East.
Adam, what a great article. I am so amped up for these games, Howard Cossel would be proud! Are there any possibilities of these games being televised in any capacity?