2026 Week 11 (Alabama)

I had such high hopes going into this weekend. I had three potential days of games planned. And at least two of them were set. Or so I thought.

On Friday, I had planned a game in Waynesboro, Mississippi. A smaller city on the eastern edge of the state. Home of the Wayne County War Eagles. I saw it on the schedule, and I had seen their field before and I didn’t think of much else after that.

Thursday, though, was the question. There were a ton of Thursday games in Alabama and Mississippi. And I was planning to be around Florence in northwest Alabama and could go most anywhere. But only two real games were available on Thursday in the area. If you’re unfamiliar with the area, Florence and Muscle Shoals sit across the river from one another. One a long time home of the NCAA Division II National Championship Game. Another town in the metro area is Tuscumbia. Home to Deschler who had a Thursday game. And Muscle Shoals.

And though it wasn’t IN Florence, north of town there is a small community called “Green Hill” that is home to T.M. Rogers High School. With a Florence mailing address. I settled on that being my game as it was a rivalry matchup to close the season between the Lexington Golden Bears and the Rogers Pirates.

On Thursday evening, I drove down US43 into ‘Green Hill’, which is more a small collection of rural based businesses along a divided four-lane stretch of highway. The school sits behind Curtis’ Restaurant.

I got there about an hour before kickoff. Located just south of the state line with Tennessee. Where I got the Alabama welcome sign. The crowd was filling in fast, and the visitor side was already packed.

Lexington was 8-1 on the season, while Rogers was just 5-3. Still, it was a marquee matchup, a rivalry, and senior night all in one. I hadn’t eaten yet, and figured I’d get something at the game. For $6 I got a cheeseburger. And another $3 for a sprite. The cheeseburger was… well, lacking.

It was cool, despite wrapped in foil, and very small. For a $6 burger, I was expecting more. They did have a full toppings bar on a table next to the concession stand. Including giant onion slices. Which dwarfed the burger when I added a couple rings from one.

It was disappointing, to say the least.

As for the stadium, they had a nice entry arch proclaiming the school’s name. The name of the stadium itself was above the scoreboard and on the home pressbox. The stadium featured a well maintained grass field. Not unusual for the Southeast. No track, either. So the chain link fences were kept close to the sidelines. I had to rely on online rosters as the ticket takers at the gate, and those selling souvenirs didn’t have programs or rosters.

Luckily, they both seemed to match the announced player names as the two teams were introduced. It was senior night. And while I ate my sad burger, the seniors and their families had walked onto the field. Spanning endzone to endzone at one point.

#49 – Rogers v. Lexington

I setup on the visitor sideline. And prepped for the player run-throughs. Both went off at nearly the same time, and I mostly was able to capture the visitor entrance as I was closer. The Rogers Pirates had a similar setup, running out onto the field along the home sideline toward the 50. But I was dodging Lexington players to get a good shot of them.

It was a matchup of Penn State and LSU. The only real difference was despite the LHS arch over the school logo on the helmet a la LSU, the helmets were purple and not vibrant yellow. A variant I know that has probably been used, but not their usual attire. Rogers, meanwhile, were white helmets, navy stripes, navy jerseys, and white pants. With navy numbers.

The field was at least bright. One of the brightest natural grass fields I had ever been to for a game. The grass was vibrant, though washed out at time due to the brightness. The sideline on the visitor side was narrow, and passing behind the team bench was difficult, at best. That and there were large ground coverings to protect the grass in bad weather. Though that just hid insanely lumpy terrain. That was also near invisible and meant you couldn’t walk quickly. As the next step could be nearly a foot lower than your last step. The remnants of a game played with mud and then solidified rock solid.

Though Lexington was the favorite, it was startling just how easily they jumped out to a comfortable lead. The first drive netting points, before a redzone stop squelched the Rogers attempt to match it. And quickly a length of the field drive to score their next possession.

But then things started to stall. Rogers found the endzone on an 11 yard pass. Cutting the deficit in half. At this point, I took a spot on the bench against the fence, and watched halftime. A near 20 minute halftime ensued. With a great game, and still close, the crowd stuck with it after halftime. No plethora of band parents here tonight.

Rogers just couldn’t get over the hump. After a Lexington touchdown opened the half, Rogers answered that. But still trailed by 7. Only 38 seconds later, Lexington extended the lead on a 19 yard pass after getting setup with a turnover. One more touchdown just rubbed salt in the wound for Rogers. A 34-14 lead had taken the game from close and entertaining to just entertaining.

The two teams were still trading blows, but it was becoming apparent that this one was going to go to the visitors.

Rogers punched in a short run to make it 34-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter. But just as quickly, Lexington answered with another touchdown of their own. By this point, I had setup a position in the north endzone. I was tired of walking through the lumpy, haphazard channel behind the players and benches. And I had twisted my ankle once.

I also figured, if a great photographable play was going to happen, it would be in the North endzone where Rogers was attacking. But it didn’t happen. After another Rogers possession, Lexington added one final touchdown on the night, to a player I didn’t have on any roster I could find. Giving Lexington a 47-21 lead. And they’d hold on to it for the final 7:47, to win.

Alabama Spotlight: Lexington Upends Rogers, 47-22 on Senior Night (PHOTO GALLERY

After the game, I headed to Corinth, Mississippi, for the night. I stopped in Tuscumbia at the RaceTrac to get a suasage and pepperoni pizza made late at night. As well as something to drink. Driving the final hour or so to Corinth where I stayed.

I was set on going to Wayne County. I hadn’t even considered any other possible option. For where I would be, it was the game I had planned. Until I called the school around 3pm. I wouldn’t be free to go to the game until about 5 or 6. But I wanted to know exactly where to go to get in.

And I was told the game was on the road. I went and looked it up, and sure enough they were listed as the road team. And I wasn’t sure HOW I saw they were the home team. What site of either school I had initially looked at to confirm the game had them playing at home. I may have simply mismarked the game at one point when I was figuring where I would go for a game.

The problem was, I had very little time to decide where else to go. Wayne County covered Wayne County. The only other school was Wayne Academy, and they weren’t at home and not really interesting in their game even if it had been.

The problem was the more I looked, the less I found of anything, anywhere nearby that was hosting a game. It was also getting later, and my ability to call schools for media was hindered. I could just show up and pay, obviously, but I would want to photograph it. If at all possible.

I passed on Southern Choctaw back in Alabama. Just an hour or so east of Wayne County. The other option was an hour west in Laurel. And that would be cutting it close. It wasn’t until I headed out, that I realized I was not going to make it in time. And I had, again, not contacted the school. Being in a fairly decent sized city, I would then run the risk on whether my camera would be allowed in, whether I was media or not. I wouldn’t take a bag with me, as I normally don’t. just loading the batteries and anything else needed into my pockets.

But the longer it was taking me to get to Laurel, the more the decision was made that I was just going to pass on a game for the night. I listened to the game on the internet while also watching college football. Laurel opened with a 14-0 lead, before letting Sumrall tie it. And then immediately returning the kickoff for a score. That opened up a scoring run, and Laurel won, 49-21.

Saturday, was a slightly different issue. There wasn’t any Saturday games. The closest was two games in Louisiana. Not too far away. But not close. The big one, the one I wanted to see, was St. Augustine hosting Ednar Karr at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans.

Both teams were 8-0 and playing a cross town rematch of the 2025 state championship game. I had seen Edna Karr before. I called about media. But, due to the insane demand and sole game on Saturday, they had limited the amount of media for the game and calling the day before was not going to do it. I knew it was a long shot. But, I had to try.

The second issue, though, was whether I would be able to get my camera in as just a fan. Something I had considered doing. But driving to New Orleans for the 7pm kickoff was not going to be cheap. And lastly, was the weather.

Heavy rains expected through the evening. Crossing right over New Orleans. It was going to be hot. Humid. Rainy. And I’d be in the stands, either way.

With all those combined, and my disdain for missing a game on Friday, I decided to just call it a weekend. Watch some college football. And at 7pm stream the St. Augustine-Edna Karr and Ohio State-USC game.

Of which, the Ohio State game became nauseating, while the game in New Orleans was delayed due to weather about 45 minutes. And then was laughably one-sided by St. Augustine. At least making my decision to give up my Saturday night plans more palatable.

ECONOMICS

For the weekend, I saw just one game with two new teams. And a new stadium. Alabama was my 12th state for the 2026 season. And that was just my third game ever in Alabama. After two games from the 2017 season. Part of a return trip from Disney World where my wife and I first stopped at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl on a Thursday before heading to Guntersville at the southern end of Lake Guntersville for a game between them and Etowah.

I had hoped to see two more states this weekend. Possibly. Or at the very least one Friday game. But I had put myself in a spot that had no alternatives when I had discovered my scheduling mistake.

For the weekend, then, I only drove 130 total miles for football. And spent just $20 for food. $9 at the stadium for the sadburger, and $11 at RaceTrac for a made to order pizza, no photos.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

2026 Statistics (after Week 11):

49 Games
95 Teams
38 Stadiums
12 States

41 New Teams
27 New Stadiums

1781 different teams
593 different stadiums

1693 total games

NEXT WEEK

I’m hoping to be home. And if so, I have a lineup of three games in mind. But, there’s also the slim chance I will once again be away from home. And with that, I don’t know yet. Will be much closer to kickoff if and when I get another game planned.