Friday Night Lights Are Back On In Polk County for Varsity High School Football
Polk County football opens the 2026 regular season tonight with 14 games involving local teams.
Tonight is the first Friday that counts. The FHSAA Kickoff Classics were played Aug. 14, and those exhibition results do not carry into the standings, so every team on the field tonight starts fresh.
Here is the full slate. All times are Eastern.
- McLaughlin Academy at Davenport, 7 p.m., Davenport
- Hilliard at All Saints’ Academy, 7 p.m., Winter Haven
- DeLand at Lake Wales, 7 p.m., Lake Wales
- LaBelle at Frostproof, 7 p.m., Frostproof
- Victory Christian at Melbourne Central Catholic, 7 p.m., Melbourne
- Cocoa Beach at Discovery High School (non-district), 7 p.m., Lake Alfred
- George Jenkins at Mulberry, 7:15 p.m., Mulberry
- Lakeland at Kathleen, 7:30 p.m., Lakeland
- Santa Fe Catholic at Lakeland Christian, 7:30 p.m., Lakeland
- Tampa Bay Tech at Lake Gibson, 7:30 p.m., Lakeland
- Hardee at Fort Meade, 7:30 p.m., Fort Meade
- Sebring at Ridge Community, 7:30 p.m., Davenport
- Lake Region at Winter Haven, 7:30 p.m., Winter Haven
- Bartow at Nature Coast Tech, 7:30 p.m., Brooksville
- Tenoroc at Anclote, 7:30 p.m., Holiday
- Haines City @Indian Rocks Christian, 7:30 p.m., Largo
- Auburndale is on a bye week.
Several of tonight’s games are streaming on the NFHS Network. Don’t see your school? Send us a message at [email protected] or Contact Us.
Your community. Your news. Your right to know. The Citrus Tea News.
Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe at thecitrustea.com for breaking news and weekly updates from The Citrus Tea News.
Sources: Florida High School Football, NFHS Network, nfhsnetwork.com, August 21, 2026; Florida High School Football Scores, On3, on3.com, August 21, 2026
