The 2026 Arkansas high school football season is underway, and the state’s undisputed number one team faces such a brutal schedule that, theoretically, they could start the year 0-3 and still maintain their top seed.
Bryant’s Tough Start to the Season
Bryant begins the season unanimously ranked number one, seeking his third consecutive Class 7A state title after winning seven of the last eight. But the Hornets’ opening schedule is among the toughest in the nation: they debut against rival Benton in the Salt Bowl, travel to Louisiana to face Alexandria, and then take on Maryland’s powerhouse St. Frances Academy. Senior quarterback Kyler Shelby is the player who must step up if Bryant hopes to navigate this stretch without a hitch.
Tough Competition
Bentonville and Conway are tied for second place behind Bryant in the preseason polls, with Bentonville edging out Conway by a single point (102 to 101) in the Arkansas Sports Media statewide poll. Bentonville is the clear favorite in Class 6A after receiving 11 of the 12 first-place votes in that class, while Class 5A could deliver one of the most closely contested championship races in the state, with Greenwood narrowly edging out Joe T. Robinson for the top spot in the preseason standings.
Class Races to Watch
Stuttgart starts the year atop Class 4A, Fordyce leads Class 3A, and Junction City holds the top spot in the Class 2A preseason standings, closely followed by Mount Ida and a rapidly rising Magnet Cove team. In 8-a-side football, Cedar Ridge begins the season as the top-ranked program, though the competition is particularly open heading into the season.
Where to find the schedules
The Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) governs state rankings from Class 2A through Class 7A, as well as the MAIS 3A division. Complete team schedules are available in the Arkansas football section of MaxPreps, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette publishes its own weekly standings, updated every Monday through Thanksgiving week, for fans who follow the qualifying competitions throughout the season.
Following the season
We will be keeping a close eye on Arkansas results and standings as the 2026 season unfolds, especially as Bryant overcomes its rough start and the other state qualifying competitions begin to take shape.
Check our Scores page for weekly Arkansas results, and our Rankings page for how the state’s classifications shake out as 2026 unfolds.
Leave a Reply