TSSAA football scores are not available yet, but the Week 1 predictions have already set the tone for Thursday night. The biggest game on the slate is Baylor against Brentwood Academy, a Division II-AAA state championship rematch scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. ET.
The Tennessee high school football season begins on Thursday, Aug. 20, with games starting that night and continuing into the weekend. In Middle Tennessee, the Baylor-Brentwood Academy matchup stands out because it is being treated as a game with real early-season weight, and many expect the two teams to meet again in Chattanooga in four months.
Baylor is the clear focus of the Week 1 predictions
Tom Kreager backed Baylor to win 38-21. Tyler Palmateer saw a closer game, but still leaned Baylor, 31-28. George Robinson also picked Baylor, 35-24. Across the board, the message is the same: Baylor enters Week 1 as the side expected to have the edge, even with Brentwood Academy able to make it competitive.
That is what makes this matchup such an important early marker. It is not just about one scoreline. It is about what the first big test of the TSSAA season says about two teams that expect to be around the conversation at the sharp end again.
What the opening weekend is really about
The predictions piece also highlights how quickly the season opens with meaningful games. Week 1 is always a chance to reset expectations, and in this case the Baylor-Brentwood Academy rematch sits at the centre of the discussion.
For readers tracking TSSAA football scores, the immediate takeaway is simple: the season begins on Thursday, Aug. 20, but the scoreboard conversation starts before a snap is played. Baylor is the pick in the headline game, while the rest of the opening weekend will help shape the first reading of the season across Tennessee.
