EDWARDSVILLE — Edwardsville High School’s football season began Wednesday morning, Aug. 5, 2026, with sunshine, a breeze and the first step toward the Tigers’ Aug. 21, 2026, opener against Kankakee at Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers opened their 2026 preseason workouts in Edwardsville as football teams throughout the state began practice. The start comes as teams prepare for a season that begins earlier than in the past because of changes to the IHSA playoff format.
Edwardsville worked through noncontact drills in sunny, slightly warm and breezy conditions. Head coach Kelsey Pickering said the first day brought energy after a short break from summer work.
“Oh, first day, so it’s always fun to get the guys back out after getting away for, basically, a week,” Pickering said. “So, getting back out, and it changes. Summer’s always good, but I think everybody realizes now the season’s starting, so it’s just a little bit different, a little bit more excitement. It was a good day, though, for the first day.”
Edwardsville is coming off a 4-6 season in 2025. The Tigers made the playoffs and were eliminated in the first round by Oak Lawn Richards, 39-14.
Pickering said his focus is on steady improvement.
“I just want to see us grow as a team, and get better each week,” Pickering said. “I know that’s probably cliché-ish, but as a coach, we’ve got to continue to improve each week. Our summer was good; I think we had a lot of improvement, we have room to grow, and so, really, it’s just about can we be the best team we can be each week.”
The 2026 season includes several changes for IHSA football and for the Southwestern Conference. The playoffs have expanded to 40 teams in each of the eight classes, adding an extra week of playoff games in October and moving the start of the season up by a week.
Locally, the Southwestern Conference has expanded. Collinsville has returned to football, Granite City has returned in all sports, and Triad and Mascoutah have joined the league for the first time.
The conference has split into two divisions. Edwardsville will play in the Gold Division with Belleville East, Belleville West, East St. Louis and O’Fallon. The Black Division includes Alton, Triad, Mascoutah, Collinsville and Granite City.
“Just a lot of changes in one year, right?” Pickering said. “You get the playoff change, you get the new conference. So, a lot of changes. For us, it’s just still football. We’ll adapt as we go; not much really has to change for us, so that’s a positive. The schedule, we’re still going to play nine games, whoever it is. It’s nice that there’s change; the positives for us. It just doesn’t impact us a whole lot.”
