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GAYLORD ― Don't fear, Otsego County football fans. It may still be a few weeks before we see Gaylord, St. Mary and Johannesburg-Lewiston in action, but we've got you covered with all the football-related content you could want from now until the Aug. 27 opening day.
We've broken down the early players to watch, and we got our first impressions on GHS and GSM after last week's 7-on-7 competition at Gaylord. Now, it's time to break down each team's 2026 schedule, starting with the Gaylord Blue Devils.
GHS went 9-0 in last year's regular season in head coach Matt Silsbury's first season. With many new faces in the starting lineup this year, what will 2026 bring for the reigning Big North Champions?
Aug. 27 at North Branch
Last matchup: Gaylord 21, North Branch 14 (Aug. 28, 2025)
After having strong expectations entering last season, an opening week loss to Gaylord set up North Branch for what was a disappointing 2025, going 2-7 overall and finishing sixth in the Blue Water Area Conference. This early road test should help the Blue Devils get ready for conference play in Week 2.
Sept. 3 at Gaylord
Last matchup: Gaylord 34, Escanaba 30 (Oct. 10, 2025)
The top two finishers in last year's Big North Conference Standings meet early this year, kicking off BNC play for both the Blue Devils and Eskymos in 2026. Gaylord survived the nearly four-hour road trip to the Western Upper Peninsula in 2025 to clinch the BNC title; now, the Eskymos will have to do the reverse while feeling out a new-look GHS roster.
Sept. 11 at Gaylord
Last matchup: Gaylord 37, Cadillac 9 (Sept. 26, 2025)
While Cadillac had a few close losses during a tough 207 season, the loss to GHS wasn't one of them: the Blue Devils flexed their muscles on the road last season, but this might be a measuring stick game for both teams in Week 3.
Sept. 18 at Alpena
Last matchup: Gaylord 41, Alpena 0 (Oct. 2, 2025)
The matchup with Alpena has more meaning now with former Blue Devils head coach DJ Szymoniak leading the Wildcats, but Gaylord has dominated this matchup in the last four seasons, outscoring Alpena 117-6 in four straight victories.
Sept. 25 at Gaylord
Last matchup: Gaylord 35, Sault 0 (Oct. 24, 2025)
The past two seasons have been rough for Sault Area football, amassing just one win in the last eighteen games, but this could be the season things change in the Eastern U.P.
Jaycees Trophy Game
Oct. 2 at Petoskey
Last matchup: Gaylord 19, Petoskey 13 (Sept. 19, 2025)
The winner of this game for the past three seasons has gone on to win the Big North, finish the regular season undefeated and win a district title. Petoskey likely has more returning experience, but nothing about this game is really known until the Blue Devils and Northmen hit the field.
Oct. 9 at Marquette
Last matchup: Gaylord 38, Marquette 34 (Division 3 district semifinals, Oct. 31, 2025)
Gaylord and Marquette played two of the most exciting games of the 2025 season, with GHS winning by a combined five points in their regular-season overtime win and their first-round playoff battle. Marquette's passing attack tested GHS's defense both times, something to keep an eye on with new Blue Devils in the secondary.
Oct. 16 at St. Johns
Last matchup: Gaylord 32, St. Johns 28 (Oct. 17, 2025)
St. Johns was one of the victims of Gaylord's late-game heroics in 2025, initially leading by 21 points before falling 32-28 on a late rushing TD. Gaylord will wrap up its conference schedule at this point, but this matchup could have major playoff implications.
Oct. 23 at Gaylord
First matchup
Croswell-Lexington will start the season with a BNC opponent (Petoskey) and finish with another (Gaylord) while serving as the second Blue Water Area Conference opponent for the Blue Devils. The Pioneers missed the playoffs in 2025 but made appearances every year from 2020-24.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord High School football schedule breakdown, 2026
Continue reading...
We've broken down the early players to watch, and we got our first impressions on GHS and GSM after last week's 7-on-7 competition at Gaylord. Now, it's time to break down each team's 2026 schedule, starting with the Gaylord Blue Devils.
GHS went 9-0 in last year's regular season in head coach Matt Silsbury's first season. With many new faces in the starting lineup this year, what will 2026 bring for the reigning Big North Champions?
North Branch
Aug. 27 at North Branch
Last matchup: Gaylord 21, North Branch 14 (Aug. 28, 2025)
After having strong expectations entering last season, an opening week loss to Gaylord set up North Branch for what was a disappointing 2025, going 2-7 overall and finishing sixth in the Blue Water Area Conference. This early road test should help the Blue Devils get ready for conference play in Week 2.
Escanaba
Sept. 3 at Gaylord
Last matchup: Gaylord 34, Escanaba 30 (Oct. 10, 2025)
The top two finishers in last year's Big North Conference Standings meet early this year, kicking off BNC play for both the Blue Devils and Eskymos in 2026. Gaylord survived the nearly four-hour road trip to the Western Upper Peninsula in 2025 to clinch the BNC title; now, the Eskymos will have to do the reverse while feeling out a new-look GHS roster.
Cadillac
Sept. 11 at Gaylord
Last matchup: Gaylord 37, Cadillac 9 (Sept. 26, 2025)
While Cadillac had a few close losses during a tough 207 season, the loss to GHS wasn't one of them: the Blue Devils flexed their muscles on the road last season, but this might be a measuring stick game for both teams in Week 3.
Alpena
Sept. 18 at Alpena
Last matchup: Gaylord 41, Alpena 0 (Oct. 2, 2025)
The matchup with Alpena has more meaning now with former Blue Devils head coach DJ Szymoniak leading the Wildcats, but Gaylord has dominated this matchup in the last four seasons, outscoring Alpena 117-6 in four straight victories.
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Sault Ste. Marie
Sept. 25 at Gaylord
Last matchup: Gaylord 35, Sault 0 (Oct. 24, 2025)
The past two seasons have been rough for Sault Area football, amassing just one win in the last eighteen games, but this could be the season things change in the Eastern U.P.
Petoskey
Jaycees Trophy Game
Oct. 2 at Petoskey
Last matchup: Gaylord 19, Petoskey 13 (Sept. 19, 2025)
The winner of this game for the past three seasons has gone on to win the Big North, finish the regular season undefeated and win a district title. Petoskey likely has more returning experience, but nothing about this game is really known until the Blue Devils and Northmen hit the field.
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Marquette
Oct. 9 at Marquette
Last matchup: Gaylord 38, Marquette 34 (Division 3 district semifinals, Oct. 31, 2025)
Gaylord and Marquette played two of the most exciting games of the 2025 season, with GHS winning by a combined five points in their regular-season overtime win and their first-round playoff battle. Marquette's passing attack tested GHS's defense both times, something to keep an eye on with new Blue Devils in the secondary.
St. Johns
Oct. 16 at St. Johns
Last matchup: Gaylord 32, St. Johns 28 (Oct. 17, 2025)
St. Johns was one of the victims of Gaylord's late-game heroics in 2025, initially leading by 21 points before falling 32-28 on a late rushing TD. Gaylord will wrap up its conference schedule at this point, but this matchup could have major playoff implications.
Croswell-Lexington
Oct. 23 at Gaylord
First matchup
Croswell-Lexington will start the season with a BNC opponent (Petoskey) and finish with another (Gaylord) while serving as the second Blue Water Area Conference opponent for the Blue Devils. The Pioneers missed the playoffs in 2025 but made appearances every year from 2020-24.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord High School football schedule breakdown, 2026
Continue reading...
