Iowa high school football is back in a big way, with a full slate of games Friday across the state.

KCCI crews will fan out across central Iowa to cover the biggest Week 1 matchups following a limited Week 0 schedule.

Here’s what you need to know.

Iowa high school football: Week 1 score updates, highlights, stats and more

We’ll have score updates rolling in throughout the night. Follow along here with our live updates, and scroll down to see highlights and more coverage.

Iowa high school football highlights from Week 1

Check out highlights here:

Roland-Story scores early

Centennial takes early lead over Southeast Polk

Watch Iowa high school football games

Can’t make it to the stadium tonight? A few select games are available to stream here.

Friday night forecast

Expect a high of 86 degrees in Des Moines on Friday with mostly sunny skies. Temps will dip into the low-80s around 7 p.m. when most games are kicking off.

KCCI’s latest weather forecast.

Game of the week

Why not open the season with one of the area’s biggest rivalries? Our game of the week Friday is the Battle for West Des Moines — Valley vs. Dowling at Valley Stadium.

Dowling has won five of the last eight matchups over the past five seasons, including a Class 5A semifinal last year on their way to the school’s first title since 2019 and 11th overall.

Valley opened last season with a 20-19 win against the Maroons, who didn’t lose again. Dowling (12-1) beat Iowa City Liberty (11-2) in the 5A championship game, 27-10. Valley finished the year 9-3.

Recent West Des Moines rivalry games:

• 2025: Valley 20, Dowling 19 on Aug. 29; Dowling 14, Valley 10 on Nov. 14
• 2024: Dowling 26, Valley 23 on Sept. 6; Valley 28, Dowling 21 on Nov. 15
• 2023: Dowling 14, Valley 0 on Sept. 1
• 2022: Dowling 35, Valley 3 on Oct. 14; Valley 22, Dowling 21 on Nov. 11
• 2021: Dowling 31, Valley 27 on Oct. 15

Wild Card game

Clarke at Colfax-Mingo is our Week 1 Wild Card game winner, selected by voters on the KCCI Facebook page. In Colfax, the Indians open their season against the host Tigerhawks (1-0), with highlights featured in our Friday Night Hype coverage.

Colfax-Mingo opened its season last Friday with a 32-0 shutout against Saydel. That snapped an 11-game losing streak for the Tigerhawks, whose last win came during homecoming in September 2024.

Junior Camden Cunningham completed six of his 17 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown in the win against Saydel, and added 53 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground. He had seven tackles on defense, including two tackles for loss, and an interception that he returned for a touchdown.

Clarke finished 3-6 last season, which included a season-opening win against Colfax-Mingo.

Thursday night games

• Des Moines East 49, Des Moines North 12
• Cedar Rapids Kennedy 49, Dubuque Hempstead 13

Defending state champions

• Eight-player: Bishop Garrigan
• Class A: MMCRU
• Class 1A: West Lyon
• Class 2A: Kuemper Catholic
• Class 3A: Nevada
• Class 4A: Xavier
• Class 5A: Dowling Catholic

Friday night’s games in our area

These are the games we’ll be tracking. If you don’t see your team listed, check our live updates above this to see if we already have a score listed:

• Baxter at Collins-Maxwell
• North Mahaska at EBF
• Twin Cedars at Coon Rapids-Bayard
• Murray at Southeast Warren
• Columbus at BGM
• Centerville at Knoxville
• Calamus-Wheatland at GMG
• Des Moines Roosevelt at Des Moines Lincoln
• Springville at Montezuma
• Ottumwa at Oskaloosa
• Woodward-Granger at Madrid
• Grand View Christian at Interstate 35
• Sioux Central at Pocahontas
• Audubon at Remsen St. Mary’s
• Manson Northwest Webster at Southeast Valley
• AGWSR at Nashua-Plainfield
• East Marshall at BCLUW
• South Hamilton at St. Ansgar
• Lenox at Woodbine
• North Union at Newell-Fonda
• Kuemper Catholic at Cherokee Washington
• AC/GC at Panorama
• Highland at Martensdale-St. Mary’s
• South Tama at Vinton-Shellsburg
• West Fork at North Butler
• West Bend-Mallard at GTRA
• Bishop Garrigan at Kingsley-Pierson
• South Hardin at West Marshall
• Ankeny at Waukee Northwest
• Dowling Catholic at West Des Moines Valley
• CAM at Fremont-Mills
• Melcher-Dallas at Lamoni
• Johnston at Waukee
• Lewis Central at North Polk
• South Central Calhoun at Earlham
• Grinnell at Nevada
• Creston at Clarinda
• Meskwaki Settlement at HLV
• Urbandale at Dallas Center-Grimes
• Seymour at Moravia
• Nodaway Valley at West Central Valley
• Wayne at East Union
• Indianola at Norwalk
• Belle Plaine at Colo-NESCO
• Waverly-Shell Rock at Bondurant-Farrar
• Mount Ayr at Shenandoah
• North Iowa at Harris-Lake Park
• Spirit Lake at Algona
• Lake Mills at Eagle Grove
• Sidney at Bedford
• Humboldt at Spencer
• Lynnville-Sully at Pleasantville
• Des Moines Christian at Van Meter
• Pella at Ballard
• Ogden at Perry
• Albia at Chariton
• Glidden-Ralston at St. Edmond
• Boone at Greene County
• Fort Dodge at Mason City
• Webster City at Iowa Falls-Alden

Eight Iowa high schools cancel varsity football seasons

Eight Iowa high schools have canceled their varsity football seasons this fall due to safety concerns and low participation numbers.

According to the Iowa High School Athletic Association, that includes Davis County in Class 2A, Central Decatur and New London in Class A, and Exira-EHK, Lone Tree, Mormon Trail, Rockford and Siouxland Christian in the eight-player division.

Waukee football coach charged with OWI suspended for 2 games

Waukee Community School District officials have suspended head football coach Gabe Bakker for two games after he was arrested last week for operating while intoxicated.

The Warriors host Johnston on Friday and go to Ankeny on Sept. 4, with assistant coach Matt Jeter leading the team in Bakker’s absence, according to a spokesperson from the district. Jeter is Bakker’s special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Waukee Northwest football hungry for more after UNI-Dome trip last season

Waukee Northwest returns to the football field this season after an 8-1 regular season a year ago and a trip to the UNI-Dome for the playoffs.

The Wolves have six college commits, including future Western Illinois quarterback Mack Heitland and Iowa State tight end Joe Vinyard. Waukee Northwest led all of Class 5A in touchdowns a year ago.

But Northwest’s defense was strong, too. It had the most interceptions and second-most forced fumbles in the class.

This year, the 15 rostered defensive backs are all upperclassman. KCCI’s Shannon Ehrhardt has the story on the group that calls themselves the squids.

Centennial, Ankeny set lofty goals for high school football season

Two crosstown rivals, Ankeny High and Ankeny Centennial, are gearing up for their first games of the 2026 high school season, with the Jaguars hosting Southeast Polk and the Hawks heading to Waukee Northwest.

At Ankeny High, the Hawks return zero starters on offense. Still, coaches and players say they could surprise some opponents. On defense, Ankeny has plenty of varsity experience and no shortage of confidence.

Centennial is also looking to replace some graduated seniors, but has a familiar face at quarterback in junior Brekken Miller. As a sophomore, Miller threw for 1,195 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.

KCCI’s Cullen Holt has more on the Ankeny teams.

New crop of Cubs begins title defense in Nevada

Nevada begins its state title defense at home Friday night against Grinnell.

Andy Kleeman enters his 11th year, fresh off the school’s first title, with a team full of new faces. He said two starters are back on defense and four on offense. This group remains confident that new playmakers will emerge and the winning tradition will continue.

See more on Nevada from KCCI’s Scott Reister.

Dallas Center-Grimes looks to make waves in second season in 5A

Dallas Center-Grimes is gearing up for a breakout season after finishing 7-3 in its first year in Class 5A.

The team has many skill players returning, including leading rusher Ozzie Grimm, 3-year starting quarterback Chase Engel, and his top target, Chase Heitland. In all, the Mustangs return 15 starters — 10 on offense and five on defense.

Watch Shannon Ehrhardt’s full preview on the Mustangs.

Eight-player teams, beware the Rhinos in Audubon

After making the eight-player state semifinals last season, Audubon enters this year as one of the division’s favorites. Those high expectations are built up front on the offensive line where the Wheelers’ starters average 6-foot-3, 240 pounds and call themselves the Rhinos.

Shannon Ehrhardt went to Audubon to talk to the Rhinos.

Stream KCCI’s ‘Big College Kickoff’ football show every Saturday morning on Very Local

KCCI’s “Big College Kickoff” is back for a third season, and you can watch it live on at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday this fall.

KCCI Sports’ Cullen Holt will host, with Scott Reister and Shannon Ehrhardt live from the biggest games each week.

Very Local is a streaming channel that offers 24/7 access to KCCI news, weather, original series and more. Download the Very Local App for free on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or smartphone.

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