Brice Brown, Robert Valdez and their staffs have kept their teams locked in week after week, training to play to standards of excellence rather than to any specific opponent and knowing that any Catholic League opponent represented a threat.
But Saturday — finally — brings a highly anticipated matchup between Edna Karr and St. Augustine that many fans and media have been eying for months and that, with both LSU and the New Orleans Saints on byes, is (maybe not even arguably) the highest-profile football game in Louisiana this weekend at any level.
The Cougars come across the river from Algiers with a 35-game winning that is tied for the eighth-longest in the state’s history and has a case as impressive as any other given the quality of competition along the way.
The Purple Knights are, too, among Louisiana’s final 18 remaining undefeated teams this season and have lost just twice in the past two years: both times to Edna Karr, on the road in district and in the Division-I Select championship in Caesars Superdome two months later.
Both teams are well-coached and loaded with talent — even with uncertainty entering this season whether Edna Karr might see any early growing pains or a stumble or two as new faces succeeded a legendary 2026 class that saw two dozen players sign collegiately.
The top seed in this year’s playoff bracket likely hangs in the balance, along with so much more, including citywide bragging rights… at least until the teams potentially meet again.
MANDEVILLE (8-0, 5-0) at NORTHSHORE (8-0, 5-0) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Northshore
The Saturday showdown on the south shore isn’t the state’s only battle of unbeaten teams in Week 9. A short drive across Lake Pontchartain on Friday, the lead in District 6-5A and a likely first-round bye in the upcoming Division-I Non-Select playoffs will be determined in Slidell. Mandeville is 8-0 for the second time in three years and is chasing its first 9-0 start in decades and the 10-0 regular season in 2000. Northshore secured its best start in program history weeks ago and has continued to extend that uncharted territory from there. Both teams have shown the ability to win games in a number of ways, grinding out low-scoring rock fights and finding the last punches in high-scoring shootouts. Friday could play out any number of a wide range of ways.
ARCHBISHOP RUMMEL (7-1, 4-1) at JESUIT (6-2, 3-2) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Tad Gormley
For all the eyes on Edna Karr and St. Augustine, it isn’t even the Catholic League’s only top-five matchup in the Division-I Select power ratings. Current No. 3 team Archbishop Rummel, whose only loss came two weeks ago to the Cougars, could still claim the No. 1 seed in the bracket and a share of the district title, while current No. 5 Jesuit could climb as high as No. 2. in the playoff picture. The Blue Jays join St. Augustine and Edna Karr as the district’s only teams and three of only seven Class 5A teams statewide to average more than 28 points per game and allow fewer than 16. The Raiders only missed that cut by a small margin offensively, but boast as strong a defense as any in the state with Russ Lewis Jr., Gavin Cooper Jr., Mitchell Harris Jr. and company allowing just 11.3 points per contest, the fewest of any Class 5A team and No. 6 overall in all classes.
KENTWOOD (8-0, 3-0) at EAST FELICIANA (7-1, 2-0) — Friday, 7 p.m., at East Feliciana
The top small-schools matchup in the state this week, which features a particularly solid Class 1A slate, pits a pair of teams vying for potential top-four seeds in their respective playoff groups amid largely dominant seasons. East Feliciana is No. 1 in the Division-I Non-Select power ratings and is working to close out its first-ever top seed. The Tigers, with versatile senior star Ryan “Bug” Moore Jr. among the faces of a talented roster all-around, are averaging 38.5 points per game and allowing just 17.0 — the No. 10 and No. 12 marks, respectively, in Class 1A in those categories. The Kangaroos, Ahmade Bickham Jr. and company meanwhile roll into town at No. 5 in the Division-I Select power ratings and with even more dominant scoring metrics at 46.8 points per game and 8.9 points allowed, the No. 3 and No. 2 averages among Class 1A programs.
LUTCHER (6-2, 3-0) at ST. CHARLES CATHOLIC (7-1, 3-0) — Friday, 7 p.m., at St. Charles Catholic
The perennial River Parish powers will meet Friday in a de facto District 9-3A title game. The winner will clinch at least a share of the league’s crown, if not more likely the sole honor, as well as potentially solidify itself key positioning in the upcoming playoff brackets. Lutcher enters the week at No. 3 in the Division-II Non-Select power ratings, where the top four teams will ultimately earn first-round byes. Winning out should secure the Bulldogs at least the No. 4 seed, if not higher, while North DeSoto and others are waiting to leapfrog over any slip-up. St. Charles Catholic sit at No. 4 in Division-III Select, where the top eight teams earn first-round byes. The Comets likely already have a bye earned, barring a completely disastrous final two weeks, but hope to win out and secure home-field advantage through at least the quarterfinals.
LAFAYETTE RENAISSANCE (6-2, 3-0) at WESTGATE (7-0, 2-0) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Westgate
The dueling Tigers mark the first of a couple first-time meetings on this list that will determine a district championship. The trip to Westgate will mark the final District 4-4A hurdle for Lafayette Renaissance, which grew to Class 4A in the latest reclassification this offseason, before closing the regular season against non-district Thibodaux. Westgate meanwhile hosts Acadiana Renaissance next week to wrap up district and the regular season. Both teams boast future college talent, including a couple of committed defensive standouts in LRCA edge rusher Ansinneo Charles Jr. (Louisiana) and Westgate defensive end Chance Archangel (Texas A&M) and talented 2028 wide receivers Zion Batiste and Cayden Lancelin, respectively. And in addition to the district title, the winner will likely wrap up a first-round bye in its respective playoff bracket, while the loser may open the door for chasing teams to sneak ahead.
LEESVILLE (7-1) at JENA (6-2) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Jena
The first of a couple late-season, non-district matchups on this list most heavily populated with league matchups. The Wampus Cats and Giants may provide the best mascot matchup of the weekend, but also a high-stakes and likely hardnosed battle between the sidelines. Leesville feels more under-the-radar on a statewide level than should be the case with its No. 6 power rating in Division-II Non-Select at the moment, 7-1 record and five-game winning streak with increasingly explosive numbers with senior quarterback Antrel “Trel” Broom and junior running back Grant Braxton leading the charge. Jena sits atop the Division-III Non-Select power ratings, navigating a tough pre-district schedule with a 3-2 mark before now rattling off three straight wins in district with Jonas Jenkins, Daniel Hatcher and Kaeden Kittlin toting the rock.
SOUTHSIDE (5-3, 4-1) at ACADIANA (5-3, 2-3) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Acadiana
The dynamics of this matchup have been somewhat of a rollercoaster from being circled preseason as a particularly notable game to watch among potentially two of the state’s top 10-15 teams, through rough patches on each side that lightened the bandwagons and now ultimately two teams that meet with some momentum regained and potential top-10 playoff seeds still attainable. Southside earned one of the state’s clearest “Statement Wins” in Week 8 with a tough, 17-14 defeat of district leader St. Thomas More, while Acadiana got back on track with a monster, 58-25 rout of Sulphur despite missing its four top ball-carriers and several other key pieces. This week’s matchup will be pivotal not only in continuing some in-season momentum and improving some playoff positioning, but also for local bragging rights as families of younger students in the area make school decisions. Acadiana has controlled the series — and mostly in lopsided fashion — with six wins in seven games against the newer Southside program. But the Sharks have continued their progression overall, including a win in 2022 win and three-point loss in 2025 against the Rams and back-to-back quarterfinal runs.
DESTREHAN (7-1) at ZACHARY (5-3) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Zachary
Another late-season non-district matchup of particular note, the Wildcats and Broncos fit the even rarer distinction of late-season non-district opponents that could meet again in their joint playoff division. Most recently, Zachary took a 2021 semifinal meeting, and Destrehan answered with a 2023 quarterfinal win. Plenty of dust remains to be settled before brackets are finalized, but various viable combinations could align the programs for this year’s second round or quarters as well. Both teams enjoy leaning on their rushing attacks with bellcows Malachi Dabney (Nicholls State) of Destrehan and Jeremy Patton of Zachary, but have talented weapons on the outside as well, including Jaylan Ash (Nicholls State) and Ethan Kimmie, respectively. And while the Broncos have had to navigate a couple more bumps in the road this season than has typically been the case, they remain — right in line with the one-loss, now-rolling Wildcats — among the most notable teams to watch in the Division-I Non-Select bracket.
MADISON PREP (6-2, 5-0) at PLAQUEMINE (5-3, 4-1) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Plaquemine
The first-ever meeting between the Chargers and Green Devils arrives with major stakes and what should be a strong atmosphere. Madison Prep, a perennial contender in Class 3A and Division-III Select, grew into Class 4A and Division-II Select this year for the first time. And after a 1-2 start with both losses coming in close fashion to highly regarded Class 5A opponents, the Chargers have rolled off five straight district wins by a combined margin of 243-23. Now, TCU commit Landon “Manu” Johnson, Nicholls State commit Jamyris Allen and company will cross the river for a battle with Plaquemine, which hasn’t lost a district game in now more than three calendar years. Plaquemine, headlined by Louisiana (Lafayette) commit John Walker V, has similarly started 1-2 against a tough pre-district slate, but found its momentum during league play — though with a 28-27 at St. Michael during that time.
SOUTH PLAQUEMINES (4-3, 1-1) at ASCENSION CATHOLIC (7-1, 2-1) — Friday, 7 p.m., at Floyd Boutte Stadium
Another of the weekend’s great Class 1A games making the cut, the new District 10-1A matchup pits a pair of top-six teams in their respective power ratings with recent Caesars Superdome experience against one another. South Plaquemines, the 2024 Division-IV Non-Select champion, is currently No. 6 in that group and working to solidify valuable home-field advantage for as much of the bracket as possible. Ascension Catholic, the 2025 Division-IV Select runner-up, slipped to No. 2 in the power ratings this past week with its first loss, but would retake the the top spot with a win this weekend. Most importantly, the Bulldogs want to bounce back, play well and regain their rhythm heading into the playoffs.
EDNA KARR (8-0, 5-0) at ST. AUGUSTINE (8-0, 5-0) — Saturday, 7 p.m., at Tad Gormley
As explained above, the stage and stakes are set for arguably Louisiana’s top two teams, talented and well-coached editions of programs with rich traditions. In addition to Edna Karr’s impressive overall streak, the Cougars have also won all five previous meetings against the Purple Knights since joining Class 5A and the Catholic League. St. Augustine last won, 27-26, in a 2020 non-district game. College-bound prospect for each team include St. Augustine wide receivers Miguel Whitley (Ole Miss) and Ray’Quan Williams (Tulane), center Elijah Menville (Southern), junior quarterback Jaelle Noble, junior left tackle Jayden Taylor and junior linebacker Darren Coates Jr. and Edna Karr edge rusher Juelz Batiste (Ole Miss), offensive lineman Zyion Wesley (Mississippi State), defensive tackle Nigel Marshall (Lamar), running back Jermond Macklin, junior defensive back Juan Jasmin and sophomore defensive tackle Edward “Hulk” Dailey — just to name a few, because those lists on each side will be long by the time ink dries.
