The den has been cleared after a long offseason.
This fur coat has been washed, dried and combed.
Blitz is back at it for 2026. Picking games and making fan bases angry.
Feels right.
The hope is that your favorite cartoon bear can get off to a good start in Week 1.
Let’s get to it.
2023 overall record: 200-47 (.809 winning percentage)
2024 overall record: 204-49 (.806 winning percentage)
2025 overall record: 204-49 (.802 winning percentage)
ADAMS CENTRAL AT BISHOP LUERS. For years, we have heard detractors of the Flying Jets say, “Well, you couldn’t do that against Fort Wayne schools.” Now is its chance, Adams Central’s first game against an SAC school ever. You can bet this means something for the folks in Monroe. Bishop Luers has begun its season with a loss in four-straight years. Can the Knights contain Jamison Roach enough? Blitz doesn’t think so. BLITZ SAYS ADAMS CENTRAL BY 14.
NORTH SIDE AT EAST NOBLE. It is so melodramatic to put so much emphasis on the first game of the season, but Blitz feels it is warranted with North Side in this instance. All the preseason hype means nothing now. The Legends have to go on the road against a very good opponent (and now a potential sectional foe) and show that they are for real. If this squad is as talented as it is on paper, it returns from Kendallville with a win. If not, murmurs will already start that this team is all talk, no bite. BLITZ SAYS NORTH SIDE BY 11.
SNIDER AT WARSAW. Is Snider back? Well, we won’t completely find that out in Week 1, but being competitive on the road at Warsaw will go a long way towards showing us it could be. Warsaw gashed the Panthers last year for 38 points and 462 yards rushing without completing a single pass. Yes, the final score was close in 2025, but Blitz wants to see Snider put up a better fight in the trenches on defense. That will go a long way towards better Friday nights for the Panthers this season. BLITZ SAYS WARSAW BY 7.
WAYNE AT LEO. Optimism on both sides here. Wayne should be better than last year’s winless campaign and Leo showed some offensive prowess in last Friday’s scrimmage against Bishop Dwenger. The Generals’ first four games are against Leo, Decatur Central, Bishop Dwenger and Snider. Ouch. Early momentum may be tough to find. BLITZ SAYS LEO BY 16.
HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN AT CARROLL. The Chargers are 0-3 against HSE in Week 1 the last three years, but 1-0 against the Royals when it counts, in the playoffs back in 2022. Last year saw a defensive battle, but this season’s opener should see some more points scored. Collin King is a very good running back, but something about Carroll in this one…BLITZ SAYS CARROLL BY 3.
RONCALLI AT BISHOP DWENGER. A rematch of Week 1 of last year and the 4A state title game. Boy, these two teams are developing quite the familiarity with each other. Roncalli enters the season as the top-ranked team in Class 4A. Bishop Dwenger is out to show that it is ready to be a factor again in Indy over Thanksgiving weekend. Both teams have new starters behind center. Which one can make more plays? The Saints prove a point. BLITZ SAYS BISHOP DWENGER BY 1.
INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA AT CONCORDIA. This is another game that has become a bit of a Week 1 tradition. There are a lot of questions around the Cadets entering the season, but perhaps the biggest one is if the defense can be better after allowing an average of 42 points per game in 2025. Scecina scored 48 in this matchup a year ago. But hey, Concordia hasn’t lost a Week 1 game at home since 2015. It’s true! BLITZ SAYS SCECINA BY 21.
MARION AT SOUTH SIDE. There aren’t “must-win” games in Week 1, but there are games in which you should very much emerge victorious in to set the tone. This is that for the Archers, who have lost to the Giants in heartbreaking fashion in each of the last three years to open the year. We all expect South Side to take the next step, but it needs momentum, and the next three games are all road games at South Bend St. Joseph, Homestead and Bishop Luers. Coach Andre Goodwell’s team needs this dub in the worst way. BLITZ SAYS SOUTH SIDE BY 7.
WESTFIELD AT HOMESTEAD. Last time the Shamrocks were on the field, they dropped a 38-31 decision to Brownsburg in the Class 6A state title game. New year and all, but Westfield is still a power. Homestead is looking to show it can compete against those Indy powers. Last year, the Spartans dropped this game 35-0 on the road. Home cookin’ will make it closer this time around, but by how much? BLITZ SAYS WESTFIELD BY 18.
BELLMONT AT MADISON-GRANT. Blitz may preface a half-dozen Bellmont picks this year with, “Is this the night?” This is the first of those times. 3A teams should beat 1A teams. That’s just the way it is. But Madison-Grant is no slouch and put up nearly 35 points per game last year behind a really good rushing attack. Can Bellmont win at the point of attack on both sides? Blitz wants to believe. No. Not yet. BLITZ SAYS MADISON-GRANT BY 9.
GARRETT AT DEKALB. This has been a fun early-season rivalry for about 15 years now, with the Barons getting their first victory of the Ryan Robertson era in Week 2 over the Railroaders. There is a lot of excitement around DeKalb football entering 2026, and this feels like a game where some of their playmakers will show out to begin the year. Garrett has some dudes, just not enough in this one. BLITZ SAYS DEKALB BY 16.
HUNTINGTON NORTH AT EASTBROOK. The Vikings lost three games by three points or less a year ago, the first one being a one-point loss to the Panthers in Week 1. There is a lot to like about the Huntington North offense with both Lathen Janes and CJ Jemison back. The question is, can the Vikings contain Eastbrook’s traditional running attack? Blitz believes the NE8 could be very deep this year. A win for HN in this one would help that narrative. BLITZ SAYS HUNTINGTON NORTH BY 1.
NEW HAVEN AT HERITAGE. After opening the season against a pair of SAC foes for the last three years, New Haven gets Heritage for Week 1 of 2026. It is a better matchup that should pay off with quarterback Tre McCraney and a host of weapons ready to put forth a Bulldog resurgence. If it is to happen, beating Heritage needs to be a thing. Can the Patriots force enough miscues and turnovers to win their fifth-straight season opener? BLITZ SAYS NEW HAVEN BY 7.
NORTHWOOD AT COLUMBIA CITY. Last year’s three-point victory for the Eagles on the road was one of the more eye-opening results of Week 1. NorthWood will look to return the favor on Friday. Coach Brett Fox’s program hasn’t started 0-1 since 2018, and a lineman corps with plenty of size and depth feels like it could be the difference here. BLITZ SAYS COLUMBIA CITY BY 6.
NORWELL AT MISSISSINEWA. These two teams have opened the season against each other in each of the last four seasons. Ole Miss has won three straight, including the last two by identical 35-0 scores. Norwell won’t get shut out, but the Indians have really developed into a good 3A Central Indiana power in recent years. BLITZ SAYS MISSISSINEWA BY 21.
ELWOOD AT SOUTHERN WELLS. After a well-publicized plea for additional players to, Elwood will head to Southern Wells with a roster of 18 on Friday. While the Raiders aren’t exactly flush with depth, Elwood will be at a considerable disadvantage in this one. Three years ago, Southern Wells earned a three-point win over Elwood to start the season 1-0. It hasn’t happened since. BLITZ SAYS SOUTHERN WELLS BY 8.
JAY COUNTY VS. BLACKFORD (AT DELTA HS). Coach Steve Boozier’s second year at Blackford should be better than the first (0-10), but Jay County is still too deep and talented for the Bruins to have a shot in this one. BLITZ SAYS JAY COUNTY BY 31.
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS AT WOODLAN. The last time the Woodlan Warriors began the year with a victory, Coach Sherwood Haydock was on the sidelines in a season that ended at Lucas Oil Stadium. That was 2017. It’s time. BLITZ SAYS WOODLAN BY 13.
SHENANDOAH AT BLUFFTON. This was a fun Week 1 game last year where Bluffton escaped with a 29-27 victory on the road after freshman Ethan Ribich hit a field goal with 19 seconds left. The Tigers won’t need such dramatics to win this time around, but Shenandoah won’t make things easy. BLITZ SAYS BLUFFTON BY 8.
SOUTH ADAMS AT EASTSIDE. A REALLY good game that not a lot of people are talking about. These two teams haven’t played since South Adams beat the Blazers 67-0 back in 1967. Eastside is loaded with Job Richman and Noah Dove. South Adams is loaded with Wes Summersett and Will Patterson. This could be a first to 50 points type game. Expect the total yards to pile up, but with the Blazers coming out with the win. BLITZ SAYS EASTSIDE BY 3.
ANGOLA AT GOSHEN. A battle of new head coaches at their respective programs, with Coach Seth Wilcox looking to begin his Angola tenure with a victory. Who steps up to do the multitude of things Hawk Hasselman did the last few years for the Hornets? This is a winnable game if those dudes emerge. But Blitz will play it safe with the 5A foe. BLITZ SAYS GOSHEN BY 7.
CENTRAL NOBLE AT CULVER. The Cougars have not won a road game since September of 2023 at Fremont. BLITZ SAYS CULVER BY 22.
CHURUBUSCO AT BREMEN. Churubusco really smacked around Bremen in a 36-7 season-opening victory a year ago. Can the Lions return the favor at home? Feels like a close game here. Home team gets the edge. BLITZ SAYS BREMEN BY 4.
FAIRFIELD AT CALUMET. Calumet will open the season against Fairfield and close the season at Zollner Stadium against Concordia. Fun! BLITZ SAYS CALUMET BY 13.
FREMONT VS. BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN (AT NEW HAVEN HS). Jaret Laughlin is going to command more attention from people this year. He begins that quest against the Braves. BLITZ SAYS FREMONT BY 30.
NORTHRIDGE AT WEST NOBLE. Former East Noble coach Luke Amstutz is working to transform Northridge and hits the road to West Noble for his first game. An intriguing matchup between potential sectional opponents. BLITZ SAYS WEST NOBLE BY 2.
SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH AT LAKELAND. Another Week 1 matchup that has built up some tradition. St. Joseph lost some pieces, but it is still a team coming off a trip to the 4A semistate against Bishop Dwenger. BLITZ SAYS SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH BY 16.
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
Be the first to comment