These are the top high school football games in Acadiana for 2023 season

High school football teams across Acadiana officially opened up preseason practice Monday in shoulder pads and helmets.

It was the first of a span of three weeks of practice before game week arrives for local squads. The 2023 football season kicks off Sept. 1.

St. Thomas More was the lone team from the area to win a state championship in 2022. Will there be more this season?

To get fans ready for the season, let’s look at the top matchups featuring Acadiana squads in 2023.

Opelousas Catholic at Oak Grove (Sept. 1)

Among the small schools in the area, this is likely one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. The Vikings, who went 9-4 in 2022 and are coming off their first quarterfinal appearance in 17 years, open the year on the road at the Class 1A defending champs, Oak Grove. Mark Collins, the senior quarterback, will help the Cullen Matherne era kick off as smooth as possible.

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St. Martinville at Notre Dame (Sept. 8)

The Pios defeated the Tigers, handily, last season, 35-14. But this season’s meeting could very much go a different way as St. Martinville has two of the area’s top players in running back Steven Blanco, who is a Louisiana commit, and receiver Cullen Charles, an Arizona State commit. Meanwhile, Notre Dame is replacing nearly all 22 starters from last season’s semifinal team. The matchup will be key for both teams early in 2023.

Opelousas at Natchitoches-Central (Sept. 8)

Opelousas’ early-season road trip to Natchitoches-Central is far and away the most intriguing game this season in the Acadiana area. Jess Curtis, who led Many to the three state championships — two in the last three seasons — has taken over at Natchitoches-Central, coaching for the first time at the state’s highest level. The Tigers boast two of the state’s best junior prospects in running back D’Shaun Ford and linebacker Corey Amos. As far as non-district games, this one may take the cake in the area.

St. Thomas More vs. Brother Martin (Sept. 15)

STM beat Brother Martin, 30-16, last season. But it can be argued that Brother Martin didn’t start playing its best football until late in the regular season, which led to it making it all the way to the Division I Select state championship game. The Cougars welcome back quarterback Sam Altmann but lost a couple of big offensive pieces. This game could be a state title game-caliber contest early in the 2023 season.

Lafayette Christian Academy at Ruston (Sept. 22)

This game will have one of the largest collections of talent of any game in the state. The two met last season with Ruston winning, 35-20, at LCA. The Bearcats advanced to the Non-select Division I state championship game last season for the first time since the early 90s while LCA, led by all-star Ju’Juan Johnson at quarterback, played rival STM for the Select Division II state title. The Knights also have defensive linemen Melvin Hills, a Texas commit, and Sandy Lewis, a McNeese State commit. Ruston will be led by middle linebacker Jadon Mayfield, who’s committed to Louisiana Tech.

Carencro at Acadiana (Oct. 27)

Because of when it happens on the schedule, the matchup between Carencro and Acadiana could very well decide the District 3-5A regular season championship. And there’ll be plenty of star power on the field, led by the Bears’ new quarterback, sophomore Chantz Babineaux, who already was a big-time playmaker last year. Five-star defensive lineman Dominick McKinley is the state’s top 2024 recruit and is Acadiana’s headliner who’s expected to have a monster season. The McKinley-Babineaux battle will be fun to watch.

St. Thomas More at Lafayette Christian Academy (Nov. 3)

As it should be but it’s possible that STM and LCA could square off with the District 4-4A title on the line again to close out the regular season. The Knights and Cougs met twice last season, and both games were instant classics. Johnson nearly led LCA on a comeback to knock off St. Thomas More for the state championship but then some magic happened on a heave from Altmann to Connor Stelly. There’s no question this game will have all the fireworks for football fans.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Top high school football games in Acadiana for 2023 season