​With practice kicking off Monday, fans’ appetites for Texas high school football are growing.In need of a guide to the best games featuring Lubbock-area teams in 2026? Here’s your roadmap to hit the top matchups of the regular season, week by week.Best high school football games for Lubbock, South Plains in 2026Week 1: Frenship at Lubbock-CooperThe most competitive big-school rivalry in Lubbock gets the opening-night spotlight this season. The teams both replaced accomplished senior classes, but there’s little question it will be another intense atmosphere as they look to get off on the right foot.Six-man game of the week: Klondike vs. Strawn (at Jayton)Best of the rest: New Home at Slaton; Sweetwater at Idalou; Bushland at Seminole; Coronado at Monterey; Lubbock-Cooper Liberty at Frenship MemorialWeek 2: Ropes at New HomeRopes has to wait until September for its first game, but it should be a doozy. The Eagles open as the No. 3 team in Class 2A Division II, so expectations will be high. New Home has hopes of a deep playoff run as well. The Leopards are prepping with one of the area’s toughest non-district schedules, this included.Six-man game of the week: Turkey Valley at WhitefaceBest of the rest: Seminole at Shallowater; Abilene Wylie at Monterey; Lubbock-Cooper Liberty at Frenship; Midland Greenwood at Lubbock-Cooper; Estacado at SweetwaterWeek 3: Midland Greenwood at Lubbock-Cooper LibertyThis has a better-than-average chance to be the area’s best non-district game. Greenwood took down Liberty 34-14 last year after both teams entered 5-0. They finished with a combined three losses. The Patriots are aiming for a deeper playoff push in their third season, and that could include a second matchup against the Rangers.Six-man game of the week: Paducah at JaytonBest of the rest: Shallowater at Canadian; Seminole at Canyon West Plains; Plainview at Hereford; Lubbock-Cooper at Stephenville; San Angelo Lake View at Lubbock HighWeek 4: Post at SlatonPost has some of the highest outside expectations in the area. This will be another stern test to measure itself. The War on 84 has been quite tight the past couple of years, with the Antelopes winning 28-27 in overtime last season. Post came back for a 27-20 victory in 2024.Six-man game of the week: Borden County at RankinBest of the rest: Panhandle at Ropes; Wink at New Home; Abernathy at Coahoma; Muleshoe at Farwell; Lubbock Christian at BushlandWeek 5: Idalou at ShallowaterIdalou resoundingly ended a three-game losing skid to Shallowater with a 45-20 victory last season. As usual, both squads are expected to be regional contenders. This rivalry is always a good tuneup before the playoff push begins. Six-man game of the week: Whiteface at Borden CountyBest of the rest: Hawley at Post; Frenship at Amarillo Tascosa; Levelland at Littlefield; Abernathy at Spearman; Snyder at SweetwaterWeek 6: Lubbock Christian at Trinity ChristianLubbock’s two 11-man football programs are back in the same district. It’s onl