Houston County football participated in preseason drills and 7v7 at Camden. HOUSTON COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB

With Week 1 of the high school football season just under a month away, let’s take a look at Houston County’s opponents through the first four weeks. 

Coming off a 4-7 campaign in 2025, the Fighting Irish kick off the season with a road trip to Stewart County on Aug. 21. Head coach Orman Meadow’s squad decimated the Rebels 43-6 last season behind a 214-yard, two-touchdown game from running back Preston Mitchell. 

Mitchell rushed for 1,565 yards and 12 TDs last season as a senior. Quarterback Hayden Burgess also rushed for 120 yards and a score in the win. 

Stewart County finished last season with a 2-8 record and recorded its two wins against Innovation Academy and Gibson County. The Rebels scored 17 points per game while surrendering 34 on average. 

Houston County hosts Lewis County for its home opener on Aug. 28. It fell 40-21 to the Panthers last season despite 176 rushing yards and two TDs from Mitchell and a touchdown pass from Burgess. 

Lewis County began the season on a seven-game winning streak before dropping a 37-28 decision to Lexington. The Panthers finished their season 10-2 after a 49-22 loss to eventual Class 2A state champion Huntingdon in the second round of the playoffs. 

In Week 3, the Fighting Irish travel to Waverly to face the Tigers on Sept. 4. Waverly beat Houston County 42-6 last year and only allowed 151 yards of total offense in the win. 

Since taking over at Waverly in 2019, head coach Randall Boldin has only had one losing season with the Tigers. He has led the program to a 51-29 record, three region championships and six playoff appearances. 

Boldin won the Class 1A state championship at Whitwell in 2018 after guiding the program to an undefeated season in his second and final season there. Waverly finished 9-2 a season ago before bowing out in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs with a 24-6 loss to Maplewood. 

It began the regular season 9-0 and suffered consecutive losses to Fairview in the regular-season finale and Maplewood in the postseason. 

Wayne County travels to Erin on Sept. 11 for a rematch with Houston County after taking a 39-14 loss to the Fighting Irish last fall. It allowed 369 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground to the Houston County offense.

Mitchell cruised to 229 yards and two scores to help lead the way in the win. Burgess also threw a touchdown against Wayne County who finished 4-7 with wins over Richland, Hollow Rock-Bruceton, Perry County and Collinwood. 

Wayne County has not won more than six games in a single season since 2018 under former Wildcats and McEwen coach Rick Rice.