Louisiana’s high school football schedule features great matchups every single week, but rarely as high-profile and highly anticipated as the showdown looming Saturday afternoon.
Edna Karr and Ruston will kick off a doubleheader in Caesars Superdome of four undefeated teams with St. Augustine and East Ascension to follow.
Few teams have been more consistent and more familiar with the big stage in recent years than the Cougars, back-to-back Division-I Select champions and winners of 29 straight games, and the Bearcats, the standard-bearer in Division-I Non-Select with four straight title games.
Both are again among the top contenders in their respective classifications this fall.
[ LSWA WEEK 3 POLLS: NO. 1 RUSTON, NO. 2 EDNA KARR TOP CLASS 5A RANKINGS ]
Ruston entered the season atop the Louisiana vs. All Y’all Preseason Top 50 for all classifications with as strong a combination of talent, experience, depth and coaching as any program in the state and looks to be the clear favorite in D-I Non-Select.
Edna Karr was the No. 2 team on the LVAY preseason list, one of a deep top tier of a half dozen leading D-I Select contenders, and remains one of the state’s most capable and dangerous teams even despite having such big shoes to fill after graduating its legendary 2026 class.
The Bearcats’ loaded roster includes committed seniors such as tight end Ahmad Hudson (LSU), safety Jayden Anding (LSU), wide receiver Josiah Morgan (Baylor) and quarterback Sam Hartwell (Louisiana Tech); highly ranked seniors such as running back Dalen Powell and linebackers Shamar Evans and Aidan Adams; and budding underclassman stars such as cornerback Jayden Mendenhall.
The Cougars meanwhile still return a strong senior core that includes edge rusher Juelz Batiste (Ole Miss), defensive tackle Nigel Marshall (Lamar), offensive lineman Zyion Wesley (Mississippi State), running back Jermond Macklin, linebackers Ian Gray and Anthony White Jr. and cornerback Eldric Cambrice Jr., as well as a wealth of talented young prospects — such as sophomore defensive lineman Edward “Hulk” Dailey — coming in their own this fall and likely to be among the most well-known names in their class in the coming years.
UNIVERSITY LAB (0-2) at PLAQUEMINE (1-1) — Thursday, 7 p.m.
A rare matchup between two programs located less than 20 miles apart just across the Mississippi River will help kick off this weekend’s slate of seven ranked matchups between opponents in their respective top 10’s of the LSWA polls. Both the Cubs and Green Devils are aiming to rebound in the pivotal early-season battle after having exclusively faced higher-classification competition. U-High, considered one of the top Division-III Select contenders, is still seeking its first win with its mix of program veterans and high-profile new faces. Plaquemine opened with a statement win against Zachary, but had its record evened by a lopsided road loss to a West Monroe team emphatically rebounding in its own right.
ARCHBISHOP RUMMEL (2-0) at ARCHBISHOP SHAW (2-0) — Friday, 7 p.m.
The “Battle for the Megaphone” is one of the more passionate rivalries around the state. But, even with Archbishop Shaw’s resurgence the past few years, the Eagles have only notched one victory in the past 14 meetings. This year’s matchup should be a good one given the amount of experience and talent each team returned and the title aspirations they each entered the season and have thus far backed up with 2-0 starts. Each squad hangs its hat on a stout, disciplined and hard-hitting defense with playmakers all over the field and complementary run game on the other side, while also boasting some notable weapons in their receiving corps and quarterbacks that can come up with back-breaking plays with their legs with other options aren’t available.
ACADIANA (2-0) at CARENCRO (1-1) — Friday, 7 p.m.
One of our favorite rivalries around the state returns to being an early-season affair after recent district and playoff battles. The Wreckin’ Rams have won seven of the eight meetings the past five years and are the favorite again. But six of those eight meetings have been decided by a single score, including two decided by a single point, so the showdowns can typically hinge on just a few pivotal plays. Acadiana has been off to a strong start to the season even with a new starting quarterback and a pair of its top weapons still recovering from injury. Carencro meanwhile bounced back from a tough opener to win in dominant fashion this past week against Northside.
JENA (2-0) at WESTGATE (2-0) — Friday, 7 p.m.
This game might not pop off the page to as many fans around the state as a Ruston-Karr, Rummel-Shaw, STM-Catholic or LCA-Alexandria, but may damn well be as good a Week 3 matchup as anywhere in the state. The Giants and Tigers are top-tier title contenders in their respective divisions this season and enter with matching 2-0 after big comeback victories on the road at Sterlington and Southside, respectively. The teams are hard-nosed and physical with swarming, hard-hitting defenses and multiple options in the run game. Westgate’s ability to attack through the air is a potentially differentiating factor that pops out. So how well Jena covers and limits explosive plays on defense and, on the other side, stays in positive downs and distances and potentially even keeps the Tigers’ offense off the field will be two areas to watch.
LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN (2-0) at ALEXANDRIA (2-0) — Friday, 7 p.m.
The Knights have been one of the steadiest programs in the state for several years and have been making the strong case early this season that that status may not have changed despite some big graduations this past spring and some outside question marks heading into this fall. But a trip to Alexandria will be the biggest challenge to date. The Trojans have been one of Louisiana’s most ascendent programs the past several years and have as talented a team as maybe ever in their history and the title aspirations to fit. Alexandria is one of the top-ranked and most complete teams in the state. LCA’s defense is a strong suit early this season as an offense loaded with new faces gains some steam, so how well the Knights can contain and slow down the Trojans’ balanced and explosive attack would be critical enable a potential road upset.
MADISON PREP (1-1) at ZACHARY (0-2) — Friday, 7 p.m.
Friday will provide another pre-district matchup in the Baton Rouge area that is interesting as a measuring stick not only this season, but in the bigger landscape for the area. Madison Prep will head back to Zachary for the first time since 2017 and 2018 losses by a combined 86-0 margin. The Chargers have come a long way since then, but Friday’s trip will provide another interesting program-barometer opportunity of how far. Coach Landry Williams’ squad has had a strong start to a tough schedule thus far with a down-to-the-wire battle at Jesuit and a big win against University Lab, but success against Zachary would mark another big statement. The Broncos have struggled out the gate against Plaquemine and Acadiana, but are still a physical and dangerous team that wouldn’t be surprising to see get things going and go on to a six- or seven-win regular season. That turnaround or ramp-up has to start promptly, though.
OUACHITA PARISH (2-0) at NEVILLE (1-1) — Friday, 7 p.m.
The first of three straight north-Louisiana rivalries to wrap this list, the Lions will take the short drive back up the street to visit the Tigers on the same field for the third time in less than 11 months. Neville escaped, 38-37, in district play last October, but Ouachita returned to stun its host, 14-7, in last year’s Division-I Non-Select semifinals on its way to its first state title since 1988. The Lions are replacing a legendary 2026 senior class and head coach, but have been off to a strong start in the debut campaign for new coach Leonard Ceaser and a slew of talented players eager to carve their own legacy. The Tigers, dropping from Class 5A back to their traditional Class 4A, meanwhile have looked like as strong a contender in Division-II Non-Select this year as any program. Each team is probably as eager as ever for another shot at the other, and their wait for that opportunity is now over.
OAK GROVE (1-1) at MANGHAM (1-1) — Friday, 7 p.m.
Two of the top contenders in the Division-IV Non-Select picture this season will square up Friday in an early-season rubber-match for both their records and a potentially pivotal game in the the power-rating pecking order later in the fall. Both teams like to lean on their run games on offense, but have shown the abilities to be explosive and balanced with some weapons on the outside and quarterbacks that can get the ball downfield or hurt opponents with their legs. The Tigers and Dragons have evenly split six meetings the past five years with half of those being decided by six or fewer points. Mangham got the best of last year’s installment, 49-28, on the road and returns much of its lineup from last year’s state runner-up squad.
HOMER (0-2) at HAYNESVILLE (1-1) — Friday, 7 p.m.
The oldest and longest-standing rivalry continues Friday. And with Homer and Haynesville playing tough early competition, don’t let the combined 1-3 record skew your perspective on the two northwest Louisiana foes as once again being two of the state’s notable Division-IV Non-Select teams to watch. The Golden Tornado, the reigning champion at the level, has won the past three years during their run of three straight title-game appearances, but are replacing several key leaders from the 2026 graduation class. The Pelicans have battled Class 5A Haughton and Class 4A Minden the first two weeks and would love nothing more than to get their first win of the season with a first win against their rival since 2022.
