By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

The Oak Mountain Eagles released their 2020 football schedule on Dec. 20, 2019, and it’s an exciting schedule that features four other county opponents, a new region opponent and a trip to Florida.

The Eagles will open the new season in August with two consecutive home games against county foes, as Chelsea comes to town to kick off the season on Friday, Aug. 21, followed by a home game against Pelham a week later on Friday, Aug. 28.

Oak Mountain and Chelsea have met eight times with the Eagles winning seven of those eight games, including three wins in the last three years.

The Eagles hadn’t beaten Pelham since 2005 until last year, but in 2019, they were able to pick up a 21-7 victory and will now hope to start a win streak against the Panthers, who they are 3-11 against all-time.

Following those two difficult 6A opponents, the Eagles will hit the road for the first time against a new region opponent when they take on Gadsden City on Friday, Sept. 4.

Oak Mountain has faced off against the Titans one other time in school history back on Nov. 14 of 2014—a playoff game Gadsden City went on to win 45-28.

The Titans replace Mountain Brook as the newest member of Class 7A, Region 3.

Following that, the Eagles will square off against several familiar opponents in a row, starting on Friday, Sept. 11, with a home game against Vestavia Hills.

That will be the first of a three-game home stand for Oak Mountain, who will then square off against powerhouse Hoover on Friday, Sept. 18, before a bye week.

Following their bye week, the Eagles will host region-rival Spain Park on Friday, Oct. 2.

After the home stand, Oak Mountain will play three of its final four games on the road, starting with a road trip to Tuscaloosa on Friday, Oct. 9, to take on the Tuscaloosa County Wildcats in another region matchup.

That will lead into a matchup against defending state champion Thompson on Friday, Oct. 16, who the Eagles have lost three consecutive games against after winning seven in a row from 2010 until 2016. This year, that matchup will mark the final home game of the season for the Eagles.

Oak Mountain’s region schedule will come to an end on Friday, Oct. 23, with a trip to Hewitt-Trussville, before the Eagles travel down to Pace Florida to take on the Pace Patriots on Friday, Oct. 30.

The Eagles finished the 2019 season with an overall record of 4-6, which they’ll look to build on with a slightly more favorable schedule in 2020.