Week 9 football preview: Phil Campbell, Russellville host games with major playoff implications
Belgreen (5-1) vs. Victory Christian (3-4)
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Sparks Stadium
Last time out: The Bulldogs grabbed a 34-12 home win against Class 1A Pickens Academy back on October 10.
Series history: Belgreen lost to Victory Christian 57-0 last season.
What to expect: BHS was blown out in this contest last season, but this isn’t the same Belgreen football team. The Bulldogs are coming off another bye week, so they should be relatively healthy heading into this one. I don’t know what the outcome will be, but I know BHS will play it closer and score more points than last season than it did in this game last campaign.
Next week: Belgreen will finish up its season at Vina on Thursday, October 30.
Phil Campbell (4-4, 3-3) vs. Hanceville (0-8, 0-6)
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Parrish Stadium
Last time out: Phil Campbell lost to No. 7 Gordo 43-22.
Series history: PCHS is 1-0 against Hanceville after beating the Bulldogs 57-22 last season.
What to expect: This is a “win and you’re in” game for Phil Campbell.
The playoff picture is pretty simple. There’s one playoff spot left in Class 3A Region 5 and Phil Campbell controls its own destiny: a win over Hanceville will clinch the fourth spot and final playoff spot for the Bobcats no matter what happens anywhere else. The only team that can potentially dislodge PCHS from the fourth spot is Oakman, whom the Bobcats beat back in week four and therefore have the tiebreaker over. If PCHS loses and Oakman beats Midfield then Oakman will finish in the fourth spot over the Bobcats.
No reason for Phil Campbell to take any chances on losing, though. I don’t see the Bobcats doing that against a winless and, frankly, a very bad Hanceville team which allows an average of 64 points per game.
Next week: The Bobcats close out the regular season by hosting rival Red Bay.
Red Bay (7-1, 4-0) at Tanner (3-5, 2-2)
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Rip Swanner Stadium (Tanner, Ala.)
Last time out: Red Bay clinched the Class 2A Region 8 title with a big 50-9 win over Decatur Heritage.
Series history: Coming into the game, Tanner holds a 12-11-1 series advantage over Red Bay, so the Tigers can get back to .500 against the Rattlers with a win. Last season, RBHS won the contest 46-6.
What to expect: All the momentum belongs to Red Bay after RBHS clinched the region title and a home playoff game last week against Decatur Heritage. While the Tigers are on fire right now, Tanner is having a down year. The Rattlers are at home and are coming off a bye week so should be a bit fresher than the visitors; however, I expect the good times to keep rolling for Red Bay with another win this week.
Next week: The Tigers travel to the Tanner Rattlers for their final region contest of the campaign.
Russellville (5-3, 4-1) vs. Priceville (6-2, 4-1)
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Golden Tiger Stadium
Last time out: Russellville won on its Homecoming night, beating the West Point Warriors 42-14.
Series history: The Golden Tigers are 1-0 against Priceville after beating the Bulldogs 28-12 last season.
What to expect: This week’s game between Russellville and Priceville should be a good, competitive one, and it comes with big playoff implications. The winner of this game will claim second place in Class 5A Region 7 and clinch a home playoff game on November 7.
Priceville has had quite the turnaround under second-year head coach Seth Parker, going from 2-8 last season to 6-2 this year. The Golden Tigers had to grind out a win on the road at Priceville last season, and I don’t expect it to be any easier for them this time around, even though it’s at home. The Bulldogs are allowing just 10.8 points per game and average 33.5 on offense compared to Russellville’s 19.6 average points allowed per game and 29.3 points scored per game. Priceville also just barely outrank Russellville in the AHSFHS.org Class 5A Power Ratings heading into this game.
That’s what the contest looks like on paper, but anyone who has watched Russellville play this year knows that this team doesn’t go in for expectations and doesn’t quit when things are stacked against them. A young group overall, the Golden Tigers have grown over the course of the year into an offense that can put up a lot of points both on the ground and through the air, and a determined defense that will allow points but has tended to come up with big plays in crucial moments.
There is no trophy for finishing runner-up in the region, but there is a prize: home-field advantage to start the postseason. It’s not the be-all and end-all for either team, but no doubt both would prefer to spend round one at home. It’s a bit cliche, I know, but this one really could just come down to who wants it more.
Next week: The Golden Tigers end the regular season with a road game at Class 6A Athens on Thursday, October 30.
Tharptown (1-7, 0-4) vs. Lexington (5-3, 3-1)
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Tharptown Stadium
Last time out: Tharptown lost to region foe Winston County 77-6.
Series history: THS is 0-5 against Lexington having faced the Golden Bears in region play every year since 2020. Last season, the Wildcats lost this contest 68-0.
What to expect: Tharptown will have to work immensely hard to keep Lexington, which averages over 36 points per game, out of the endzone. We’ll also need to see more from the Wildcats offense, which has scored just 12 points over the last three weeks.
While Coach Brian White, his staff, and the players continue to work hard to improve as the season nears its conclusion, the Golden Bears may be just too much for the Wildcats at this time.
Next week: The Wildcats finish their season at home against Phillips.
Vina (0-8, 0-6) at Meek (5-3, 4-2)
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Meek Field (Arley, Ala.)
Last time out: Vina was forced to forfeit to Addison due to injuries.
Series history: The Red Devils are 8-15-2 all-time vs. the Meek Tigers in a series that dates back to 1951. Last season, Vina lost to Meek 54-14. VHS has lost the last 11 matchups with Vina’s last victory over Meek back in 1985.
What to expect: We don’t want to see another forfeit for Vina this week, so hopefully the student-athletes at Vina are able to get healthy in time for this matchup. If the Red Devils are able to take the field at Meek, it will be another very tough game against a squad that has averaged 51 points over their last 5 games.
Next week: The Red Devils wrap their season at home against Belgreen on Thursday, October 30.