We are just six weeks from the first date high school football teams across New Jersey can practice in advance of the 2026 season, but many programs have been busy.
Individuals are going to camps, teams and have been participating in 7-on-7s, trying to get an early glimpse of their situations before hitting the practice field in earnest, with Week Zero of the season – generally, an optional start time, but now, seemingly, the default, so can we call it Week One already? – set for the weekend of August 27 through the 30th.
Some teams will play longtime rivals, others will be participating in showcases from Allendale to Ocean City.
And while they’re getting ready, we are too! For the past two weeks, we’ve been publishing our “early looks” at the Big Central Conference, division by division, with schedules and some thoughts on each team. Below, you’ll find links to each division, and further down, a look at some of our other recent football stories.
- St. Joseph still team to beat in American Gold Division, but has a lot to replace
- American Silver is one team smaller, but no easier for those who remain
- Old Bridge, Piscataway will try to hold off South Brunswick, East Brunswick, Monroe in National Gold
- Sayreville, St. Thomas Aquinas to duke it out in National Silver, while Edison, Franklin, North Brunswick hope to make strides
- Woodbridge, Colonia will need to fill some holes to compete for Liberty Gold supremacy, but don’t count out Linden, Plainfield or newcomer Rahway
- Three-way co-champ Somerville seeks third Liberty Silver title; What will Montgomery, Watchung Hills, North Hunterdon have to say as Hunterdon Central joins the fray?
- Slimmer United Gold Division still packs a punch with defending champ Summit, Cranford, Carteret and Scotch Plains-Fanwood
- Bernards takes 32-game league win streak into United Silver, joining solid Governor Livingston, South Plainfield and JFK
- With a new look, new teams, Patriot Gold could be wide open
- Anything could happen in expanded Patriot Silver, with new head coaches for all six squads
- With Spotswood moving out, Brearley, Dayton Roselle Park will battle it out, as Highland Park, JP Stevens, South River look to make strides
- Big graduation losses for Manville could level playing field in Freedom Silver Division
More Football Coverage…
- Earlier than usual, here are the estimated starting Strength Index numbers for the 2026 H.S. Football season
- Carrying the torch: NJSIAA football playoff brackets coming to Central Jersey Sports Radio in wake of Gridiron closure
- JFK’s Grant Lorentzen proves you can do it all, and be very good at it, too
- Plainfield takes championship at Jets Nike “11-On” 7-on-7 Tournament in Florham Park; Bridgewater-Raritan, Union also shine at two-day competition
- Mini coaching carousel that sent Riggi to Metuchen elevates Sofilkanich to defensive coordinator at St. Joseph
- After more than two decades as a source for coaches, fans – and journalists – Gridiron New Jersey shuts down
- Big Central Conference coaching updates: What’s left to fill with less than two months before camp opens?
- Steven Brown approved by North Plainfield Board of Ed as next Canuck football coach
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