The wait is over. It's game week for high school football in Ocala and around the Florida High School Athletic Association.
With last weekend's preseason scrimmages completed, teams in Marion County are ready for games that count in the standings for the 2026 season. Week 1 sees the nine local spreading out around the area.
While Forest-North Marion is the only intracounty matchup, there are several matchups with teams from Gainesville. The highlight of the night likely is Buchholz at Vanguard, and South Marion makes its inaugural kickoff up at Trenton.
Here's a list of all the games scheduled for Marion County in 2026. We're still finding out how South Marion's schedule will shake out after ground conditions under the field forced the school to tear out the turf, fix the ground and rebuild.
Week 1 — Aug. 20-22
Aug. 21 Belleview at Gainesville HighAug. 21 Tavares at DunnellonAug. 21 Forest at North MarionAug. 21 Lake Weir at P.K. YongeAug. 21 South Marion at TrentonAug. 21 Springstead at Trinity CatholicAug. 21 Buchholz at VanguardAug. 21 Bradford at West Port
Week 2 — Aug. 27-29
Aug. 27 Forest at EastsideAug. 28 Pasco at BelleviewAug. 28 Dunnellon at HernandoAug. 28 North Marion at Trinity CatholicAug. 28 West Port at South MarionAug. 28 Norland at Vanguard
Week 3 — Sept. 3-5
Sept. 4 Belleview at WildwoodSept. 4 West Port at DunnellonSept. 4 Trinity Catholic at ForestSept. 4 Lake Weir at Pine RidgeSept. 4 Middleburg at North MarionSept. 4 South Marion at CitrusSept. 4 Vanguard at Jesuit
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Week 4 — Sept. 10-12
Sept. 11 Eastside at BelleviewSept. 11 North Marion at DunnellonSept. 11 Matanzas at ForestSept. 11 Mount Dora at Lake WeirSept. 11 Hamilton County at South MarionSept. 11 Trinity Catholic at BradfordSept. 11 Vanguard at LeesburgSept. 11 Buchholz at West Port
Week 5 — Sept. 17-19
Sept. 17 Forest at East RidgeSept. 18 Umatilla at BelleviewSept. 18 Dunnellon at Lakewood RanchSept. 18 North Marion at West PortSept. 18 Chiefland at Trinity Catholic
Sept. 18 Lake Weir vs. TBD
Week 6 — Sept. 24-26
Sept. 24 Forest at BuchholzSept. 25 Dunnellon at EastsideSept. 25 Lecanto at Lake WeirSept. 25 Santa Fe at North MarionSept. 25 Dixie County at South MarionSept. 25 Newberry at Trinity CatholicSept. 25 Gainesville High at VanguardSept. 25 West Port at Oakleaf
Week 7 — Oct. 1-3
Oct. 2 Belleview at ForestOct. 2 Lake Weir at InterlachenOct. 2 North Marion at VanguardOct. 2 Central at South MarionOct. 2 Trinity Catholic at WillistonOct. 2 West Port at The Villages Charter
Week 8 — Oct. 8-10
Oct. 9 Belleview at DunnellonOct. 9 Oakleaf at ForestOct. 9 Gainesville High at Lake WeirOct. 9 South Marion at BellOct. 9 Vanguard at Mount Dora
Week 9 — Oct. 15-17
Oct. 16 North Marion at BelleviewOct. 16 Dunnellon at Santa FeOct. 16 Forest at West PortOct. 16 Trenton at South MarionOct. 16 The Villages Charter at Trinity CatholicOct. 16 Vanguard at Lecanto
Oct. 16 Lake Weir vs. TBD
Week 10 — Oct. 22-24
Oct. 23 Belleview at Santa FeOct. 23 Niceville at DunnellonOct. 23 Lake Weir at VanguardOct. 23 Eastside at North MarionOct. 23 P.K. Yonge at South MarionOct. 23 Trinity Catholic at WildwoodOct. 23 West Port at Matanzas
Week 11 — Oct. 29-31
Oct. 30 South Marion at BelleviewOct. 30 Dunnellon at HawthorneOct. 30 Vanguard at ForestOct. 30 Trinity Catholic at Lake WeirOct. 30 Williston at North MarionOct. 30 Baker County at West Port
Off Dates: Belleview on Sept. 25, Dunnellon on Oct. 2, Lake Weir on Aug. 28, North Marion on Oct. 9, South Marion and Vanguard on Sept. 18, Trinity Catholic and West Port on Oct. 9, and Forest on Oct. 23
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Week-by-week Ocala, Marion County 2026 high school football schedules