Football season is heating up and before you know it the regular season will be here and with it come some exciting matchups from Katy ISD teams.

There will be tons of intriguing matchups once district begins but even before then there will be some high quality games between top teams that will show who will be among the contenders early in the schedule and there’s lots to look forward to, including five games we should definitely be keeping our eyes on.

5. Seven Lakes vs. Memorial, 7 p.m. Aug. 30 at Tully Stadium

The Spartans get a shout here in an under the radar game, but one that has become a big rivalry between Seven Lakes and Memorial. The two teams will open the season against each other for the seventh straight year and it has been a very close, with every game over the past six years being decided by one score.

The Spartans won last years game that was a great one that went to overtime, 35-28, and Shaan Patel put together one of the best performances of his young high school career, throwing for 220 yards and three touchdowns, while Ryan Fowler had three receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. It is looking to be another very good one again this year as the Spartans look to improve and get off to a hot start.

4. Mayde Creek vs. Fort Bend Austin, Sept. 7 at Rhodes Stadium

No. 4 on the list, Mayde Creek takes on Fort Bend Austin in the second week of the season in a very intriguing matchup for the Rams. Mayde Creek is looking to continue improving on a season where they showed some strong play and improved from their previous few seasons. As an added fun part of the game, Mayde Creek head coach Mike Arogbonlo was the head coach of Fort Bend Austin until he resigned to become the quarterback coach at Duncanville in the spring of 2023. Austin 5-5 last season and finished fifth in District 20-6A. Mayde Creek went 3-7 last year and finished seventh in district.

3. Cinco Ranch vs. The Woodlands, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31 at Rhodes Stadium

It will be a big one to start off the season between Cinco Ranch and the Woodlands, as the Cougars look to prove they belong among the area and states best and will have that chance against a team that is always one of the powerhouses around Houston. Cinco looks to have a very high-powered offense and it will be exciting to see if they can keep up with the Highlanders and start the season off with a win. The Woodlands come off a 9-4 season where they went three rounds deep and lost to Duncanville in the third round. Cinco went 6-4 and only missed out on the playoffs in a tiebreaker last year.

2. Tompkins vs. Bridgeland, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at Rhodes Stadium

Tompkins plays Bridgeland in non-district play for the third straight season and it is shaping up to be one of the best games in the early season as two teams who are very strong year in and year out battle in their final tune up before district. The two have split the series over the past two years, with Bridgeland taking it by just one score in a very exciting matchup where it wasn’t decided until the final moments and both teams bring back some very strong pieces.

Tompkins comes off a 7-4 year where they finished second in district and lost in the bi-district round while Bridgeland went 9-2, also losing in the bi-district round.

1. Katy vs. Atascocita, 7 p.m. Sept. 6 at Legacy Stadium

This might not be the most anticipated non-district matchup in Houston, but around Texas in week two and it will be a great early show between two of the strongest teams around the state.

Katy leads the all-time series between the two 5-1, but suffered their first ever loss to the Eagles last year 42-35. It was a crazy game where the Tigers had chances, Gunner Nelson threw for 137 yards and two touchdowns, Tremayne Hill ran for 60 yards and two touchdowns and Israel Olotu-Judah had 24 yards receiving in the game, but Cardae Mack dominated the day for Atascocita with 192 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Katy comes off a 10-2 season and an area round appearance while Atascocita went 11-3 and made the fourth round of the playoffs.