Wait, high school football is back already? The top 5 games to watch in Week 0
It’s time for a sanity check, Idaho.
The never-ending push to start the high school football season earlier each year created a 35-game schedule around Idaho this weekend. At the current pace, practices could start in July before long.
The theft of another summer week started four years ago as a necessary compromise. The 6A Southern Idaho Conference fielded 13 teams at the time, making it impossible to create a league schedule without bye weeks. It needed that extra week to balance everyone’s schedule.
The league returned to an even 12 teams last fall, erasing that concern. Yet the temporary compromise turned into a permanent fixture as schools jumped at the chance to kick off early for the alleged benefit of a midseason bye week.
“Who would want to play a game with only 10 days of practice?” schools assured the Idaho High School Activities Association four years ago.
Plenty, it turns out.
Labor Day long stood as the traditional start of the football season. Yet the season was already three weeks old before the holiday in 2023 and ‘24. Only a quirk in the calendar prevents a repeat this season. It will return to three weeks next season.
Thankfully, no 6A SIC team starts this weekend. But at least one team in every other Treasure Valley league calls Friday or Saturday their season opener.
Credit the Idaho High School Activities Association for holding the line and refusing to grant those schools an extra week of practice. If teams want to play this weekend, they get to strap it up the same day as everyone else — Aug. 11. Since the insurance-mandated minimum amount of practice is hardly a recipe for success, expect plenty of rust, broken plays and puzzled looks on players’ faces during this opening slate.
But as schools push the first day of classes earlier each year, it’s only a matter of time before the sports schedule follows. An advanced calendar shows the IHSAA plans to start fall practices Aug. 6 for the 2029-30 school year. If schools succeed in pushing the season another week earlier, get ready to strap on helmets in July.
Let’s hope sanity prevails before then.
Now with that old-man rant out of the way, here are the top five games to watch this opening weekend.
LEWISTON AT COLUMBIA
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: Fan.Hudl.com
Columbia enters as a popular dark horse candidate in the 5A SIC with 14 returning starters. That list includes a two-way, first-team all-conference pick in Brenten Thueson, as well as Columbia’s quarterback and top running back. The Wildcats have made the playoffs only twice in program history. But they have a chance to make an early statement with the 5A IEL’s preseason favorite coming to town.
Prediction: Lewiston 30, Columbia 20
MINICO AT SKYVIEW
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: Fan.Hudl.com
Once one of the 5A SIC’s traditional powers, Skyview found itself ranked seventh out of seven teams in the 5A SIC preseason coaches’ poll. A young squad with just six returning starters looks to restore the Hawks to power. But Skyview draws a tough opening night matchup with Minico, a state semifinalist last year. The Spartans bring back just six starters, too. Perhaps that evens the scales.
Prediction: Minico 35, Skyview 13
EMMETT AT CANYON RIDGE
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
The Huskies expected a breakout year from quarterback Jax Banuelos, only to lose him for the season to a broken leg at the team’s summer camp. But Emmett coach Rich Hargitt brushed off the doom-and-gloom and embraced the school’s perennial underdog role. Meanwhile, Canyon Ridge enters with plenty of bulletin board material. After losing 34-6 in Emmett last year, former Emmett lineman Sam Buck told the Statesman, “They clearly do not have a weight room, because we steamrolled them all.” The Riverhawks surely haven’t forgotten that statement.
Prediction: Emmett 27, Canyon Ridge 20
HOMEDALE AT SNAKE RIVER
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Friday
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com
Homedale earned its spot as one of Idaho’s premier programs by playing in five of the past seven state championship games. But the Trojans’ grip on the 4A SRV slipped last year, and now they start the season picked to finish second in their own league again. Seventeen starters return looking to prove those predictions wrong. They can send a message with a season-opening road trip to Snake River, the three-time defending league champ in the Southeast Idaho Conference.
Prediction: Homedale 27, Snake River 15
FRUITLAND AT KIMBERLY
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Saturday
Watch: IdahoSports.com
The marquee local matchup of the weekend must wait until Saturday. No. 2-ranked Fruitland and No. 4-ranked Kimberly both enter as the favorite in their league. They field two of the state’s top quarterbacks, as Fruitland’s Titus Vidlak was a first-team All-Idaho selection last fall, beating out Kimberly’s MaCraye Bruning, who made the second team. And each features an FBS prospect: Fruitland lineman Kelvin Obot committed to Utah in July, and Kimberly junior tight end/linebacker Titus Osterman holds an offer from Washington.
Prediction: Fruitland 34, Kimberly 30
This story was originally published August 21, 2025 at 11:52 AM.
