The splintering of GHSA regions that will begin after this spring means there will be some intriguing match-ups in 2016 for area football teams.
The full slate of fall schedules has been released, and there are some mouth-watering encounters on the slate -- though there will also be some contests fans and players will surely miss after the move to seven classifications restructred the competitive landscape.
Below we present the schedules for 30 northeast Georgia programs -- a listing that includes plenty of early season match-ups and plenty of new and old rivalries.
There are 151 days left until the next season kicks off. Spring ball will begin much sooner -- there's nothing wrong with getting ready now...
2016 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULES FOR AREA TEAMS
(Teams listed by largest regions to smallest, alphabetical order within regions)
Region 5-AAAAAAA
North Forsyth
Aug. 19 vs. Sequoyah
Aug. 26 at Johns Creek
Sept. 2 at Loganville
Sept. 16 vs. Pickens
Sept. 23 at Woodstock
Oct. 7 vs. Forsyth Central
Oct. 14 vs. Lambert
Oct. 21 at South Forsyth
Oct. 28 at West Forsyth
Nov. 4 vs. Milton
Region 6-AAAAAAA
Mill Creek
Aug. 20 vs. Colquitt County (Georgia Dome)
Aug. 26 vs. Stephenson
Sept. 2 vs. Dacula
Sept. 9 at Archer
Sept. 23 at Collins Hill
Sept. 30 vs. North Gwinnett
Oct. 7 vs. Discovery
Oct. 14 vs. Peachtree Ridge
Oct. 21 vs. Mountain View
Nov. 4 at Duluth
North Gwinnett
Aug. 20 at Brookwood (Georgia Dome)
Aug. 26 vs. Milton
Sept. 2 at Hillgrove
Sept. 9 vs. Norcross
Sept. 23 vs. Mountain View
Sept. 30 at Mill Creek
Oct. 14 at Duluth
Oct. 21 at Peachtree Ridge
Oct. 28 vs. Collins Hill
Nov. 4 vs. Discovery
Region 8-AAAAAA
Apalachee
Aug. 26 vs. River Ridge
Sept. 2 at Union Grove
Sept. 9 at Discovery
Sept. 16 vs. Walnut Grove
Sept. 23 vs. Monroe Area
Sept. 30 vs. Winder-Barrow
Oct. 7 at Dacula
Oct. 21 at Lanier
Oct. 28 vs. Gainesville
Nov. 4 at Habersham Central
Gainesville
Aug. 19 at West Hall
Aug. 26 vs. Alpharetta
Sept. 2 vs. Clarke Central
Sept. 23 at Jefferson
Sept. 30 vs. Marist
Oct. 7 at Habersham Central
Oct. 14 vs. Dacula
Oct. 21 vs. Winder-Barrow
Oct. 28 at Apalachee
Nov. 4 at Lanier
Habersham Central
Aug. 19 vs. East Hall
Sept. 2 at White County
Sept. 9 vs. Franklin County
Sept. 16 at Stephens County
Sept. 23 at Chestatee
Oct. 7 vs. Gainesville
Oct. 14 at Lanier
Oct. 21 vs. Dacula
Oct. 28 at Winder-Barrow
Nov. 4 vs. Apalachee
Lanier
Aug. 19 vs. Northview
Aug. 26 at South Gwinnett
Sept. 9 at Northside, Warner Robins (McConnell Talbott Stadium)
Sept. 16 vs. Lambert
Sept. 23 at St. Pius X
Oct. 7 at Winder-Barrow
Oct. 14 vs. Habersham Central
Oct. 21 vs. Apalachee
Oct. 28 at Dacula
Nov. 4 vs. Gainesville
Winder-Barrow
Aug. 19 at Clarke Central
Aug. 26 vs. Walnut Grove
Sept. 2 at Northview
Sept. 16 vs. Loganville
Sept. 23 vs. North Oconee
Sept. 30 at Apalachee
Oct. 7 vs. Lanier
Oct. 21 at Gainesville
Oct. 28 vs. Habersham Central
Nov. 4 at Dacula
Region 8-AAAAA
Buford
Aug. 19 vs. Roswell (McEachern)
Sept. 2 vs. Bishop Timmons, Buffalo N.Y.
Sept. 23 vs. International School of Broward, Hollywood, Fla.
Sept. 30 at Clarke Central
Oct. 7 vs. Johnson
Oct. 14 at Cedar Shoals
Oct. 21 at Walnut Grove
Oct. 28 vs. Loganville
Nov. 4 vs. Flowery Branch
Flowery Branch
Aug. 26 vs. North Hall
Sept. 2 at Chestatee
Sept. 9 at Stephens County
Sept. 16 vs. Jefferson
Sept. 23 vs. Johnson
Sept. 30 vs. Cedar Shoals
Oct. 7 at Walnut Grove
Oct. 14 vs. Loganville
Oct. 21 at Clarke Central
Nov. 4 at Buford
Johnson
Aug. 19 at Social Circle
Aug. 26 vs. West Hall
Sept. 2 vs. Banks County
Sept. 9 at East Hall
Sept. 23 at Flowery Branch
Sept. 30 vs. Walnut Grove
Oct. 7 at Buford
Oct. 14 vs. Clarke Central
Oct. 28 at Cedar Shoals
Nov. 4 vs. Loganville
Region 7-AAAA
Chestatee
Aug. 19 at North Hall
Aug. 26 at East Hall
Sept. 2 vs. Flowery Branch
Sept. 9 at Fannin County
Sept. 16 at Lumpkin County
Sept. 23 vs. Habersham Central
Oct. 7 vs. West Hall
Oct. 14 at Blessed Trinity
Oct. 21 at White County
Oct. 28 vs. Marist
West Hall
Aug. 19 vs. Gainesville
Aug. 26 at Johnson
Sept. 2 at Washington-Wilkes
Sept. 9 at Jackson County
Sept. 16 vs. Dawson County
Sept. 23 vs. Rabun County
Oct. 7 at Chestatee
Oct. 14 vs. Marist
Oct. 28 vs. White County
Nov. 4 at Blessed Trinity
White County
Aug. 19 at Franklin County
Aug. 26 at Lumpkin County
Sept. 2 vs. Habersham Central
Sept. 9 at Rabun County
Sept. 16 vs. North Hall
Sept. 23 at Dawson County
Oct. 7 vs. Blessed Trinity
Oct. 21 vs. Chestatee
Oct. 28 at West Hall
Nov. 4 at Marist
Region 8-AAAA
Jefferson
Aug. 19 at Discovery
Aug. 26 vs. Riverwood
Sept. 2 vs. Thomson
Sept. 16 at Flowery Branch
Sept. 23 vs. Gainesville
Sept. 30 at Madison County
Oct. 14 at North Oconee
Oct. 21 vs. St. Pius X
Oct. 28 vs. Stephens County
Nov. 4 at Oconee County
Stephens County
Aug. 26 at Franklin County
Sept. 2 at Rabun County
Sept. 9 vs. Flowery Branch
Sept. 16 vs. Habersham Central
Sept. 23 at Hart County
Oct. 7 at St. Pius X
Oct. 14 vs. Madison County
Oct. 21 vs. Oconee County
Oct. 28 at Jefferson
Nov. 4 vs. North Oconee
Region 7-AAA
Dawson County
Aug. 26 vs. Forsyth Central
Sept. 2 at Chattooga
Sept. 16 at West Hall
Sept. 23 vs. White County
Sept. 30 at North Hall
Oct. 7 vs. Union County
Oct. 14 at Fannin County
Oct. 21 at East Hall
Oct. 28 vs. Lumpkin County
Nov. 4 vs. Greater Atlanta Christian
East Hall
Aug. 19 at Habersham Central
Aug. 26 vs. Chestatee
Sept. 9 vs. Johnson
Sept. 16 vs. Jackson County
Sept. 23 at Lumpkin County
Sept. 30 at Union County
Oct. 7 vs. Greater Atlanta Christian
Oct. 21 vs. Dawson County
Oct. 28 at North Hall
Nov. 4 vs. Fannin County
Fannin County
Aug. 19 at Gilmer
Sept. 2 vs. Ringgold
Sept. 9 vs. Chestatee
Sept. 16 at Andrews, N.C.
Sept. 23 vs. North Hall
Sept. 30 at Greater Atlanta Christian
Oct. 14 vs. Dawson County
Oct. 21 at Lumpkin County
Oct. 28 vs. Union County
Nov. 4 at East Hall
Lumpkin County
Aug. 26 vs. White County
Sept. 2 vs. Jackson County
Sept. 9 at Madison County
Sept. 16 vs. Chestatee
Sept. 23 vs. East Hall
Oct. 7 vs. North Hall
Oct. 14 at Greater Atlanta Christian
Oct. 21 vs. Fannin County
Oct. 28 at Dawson County
Nov. 4 at Union County
North Hall
Aug. 19 vs. Chestatee
Aug. 26 at Flowery Branch
Sept. 9 vs. Pickens
Sept. 16 at White County
Sept. 23 at Fannin County
Sept. 30 vs. Dawson County
Oct. 7 at Lumpkin County
Oct. 14 at Union County
Oct. 21 vs. Greater Atlanta Christian
Oct. 28 vs. East Hall
Union County
Aug. 26 vs. Gilmer
Sept. 2 vs. Hayesville, N.C.
Sept. 9 at Andrews, N.C.
Sept. 16 at Banks County
Sept. 23 at Greater Atlanta Christian
Sept. 30 vs. East Hall
Oct. 7 at Dawson County
Oct. 14 vs. North Hall
Oct. 28 at Fannin County
Nov. 4 vs. Lumpkin County
Region 8-AAA
East Jackson
Aug. 19 at Hebron Christian Academy
Aug. 26 vs. Lakeview Academy
Sept. 9 at Oglethorpe County
Sept. 16 at Glynn Academy (Glynn County Stadium)
Sept. 30 at Morgan County
Oct. 7 at Monroe Area
Oct. 14 at Franklin County
Oct. 21 vs. Haralson County
Oct. 28 vs. Jackson County
Nov. 4 vs. Hart County
Jackson County
Aug. 19 at Banks County
Aug. 26 vs. Madison County
Sept. 2 at Lumpkin County
Sept. 9 vs. West Hall
Sept. 16 at East Hall
Sept. 30 vs. Monroe Area
Oct. 7 vs. Franklin County
Oct. 14 vs. Hart County
Oct. 28 at East Jackson
Nov. 4 at Morgan County
Region 8-AA
Banks County
Aug. 19 vs. Jackson County
Aug. 26 at Commerce
Sept. 2 at Johnson
Sept. 16 vs. Union County
Sept. 23 vs. Monticello
Sept. 30 at Rabun County
Oct. 14 vs. Oglethorpe County
Oct. 21 vs. Social Circle
Oct. 28 at Putnam County
Nov. 4 at Elbert County
Rabun County
Aug. 26 at Mt. Pisgah Christian
Sept. 2 vs. Stephens County
Sept. 9 vs. White County
Sept. 23 at West Hall
Sept. 30 vs. Banks County
Oct. 7 at Putnam County
Oct. 14 vs. Social Circle
Oct. 21 at Elbert County
Oct. 28 vs. Oglethorpe County
Nov. 4 at Monticello
Region 8-A
Commerce
Aug. 26 vs. Banks County
Sept. 2 vs. Hebron Christian Academy
Sept. 9 at Lakeview Academy
Sept. 23 at Athens Christian
Sept. 30 at Prince Avenue Christian
Oct. 7 vs. Providence Christian
Oct. 14 at Riverside Military
Oct. 21 vs. Towns County
Oct. 28 at Athens Academy
Nov. 4 vs. George Walton Academy
Lakeview Academy
Aug. 26 at East Jackson
Sept. 2 vs. Athens Academy
Sept. 9 vs. Commerce
Sept. 23 at Providence Christian
Sept. 30 vs. Athens Christian
Oct. 7 at Prince Avenue Christian
Oct. 14 at George Walton Academy
Oct. 21 at Hebron Christian Academy
Oct. 28 vs. Towns County
Nov. 4 vs. Riverside Military
Riverside Military Academy
Aug. 26 vs. Prince Avenue Christian
Sept. 2 vs. Providence Christian
Sept. 9 at George Walton Academy
Sept. 16 at Towns County
Sept. 23 vs. Hebron Christian Academy
Sept. 30 vs. Athens Academy
Oct. 14 vs. Commerce
Oct. 21 at Georgia Military College
Oct. 28 vs. Athens Christian
Nov. 4 at Lakeview Academy
Towns County
Aug. 19 at Hayesville, N.C.
Sept. 2 vs. George Walton Academy
Sept. 9 vs. Prince Avenue Christian
Sept. 16 vs. Riverside Military
Sept. 23 at Athens Academy
Sept. 30 vs. Hebron Christian Academy
Oct. 14 at Athens Christian
Oct. 21 at Commerce
Oct. 28 at Lakeview Academy
Nov. 4 vs. Providence Christian