Football Preview | First weekend of football is finally here

High school football is almost here, and we have a fantastic opening Friday of games to kick off the season.

Four teams are home — two are hosting powerhouse programs — and we have one county showdown as the featured game of the week.

Let's dive in to the Week 1 slate of games.

Crestline at Buckeye Central

7 p.m. at Buckeye Field

The game of the week in Crawford County features two area teams going at it hoping to start off the season strong.

Last year it was the visiting Bucks getting the best of the Bulldogs by utilizing an aerial attack to snap a five-game skid in season openers and four-game losing streak to Crestline. Now back at home, Buckeye Central is looking for its first back-to-back season-opening wins since 2014-15.

Derex Dean is the X-factor Friday night for Buckeye Central as the junior quarterback returns for year two under center having thrown for 818 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions — with 174 of those yards and four touchdowns coming in the opener against Crestline. The multi-talented Manny Mullins had a big game against the Bulldogs, too, totaling 165 yards of offense and four touchdowns. He kinished the season with 516 total yards and seven scores.

Crestline will lean on quarterback Trevor Shade to make plays in the new-look triple option offense with arguably the best athlete on the field, Jake Bruce, lining up a fullback after making the move from the offensive line. Shade will have some returners on the line — likely where this game will be won — and some new players who'll need to grow quickly.

If Buckeye Central's offense gets going early and Dean is able to connect with wideouts Tyler Sanderson and Stephen Sostakowski, along with Mullins, Crestline could have difficulties keeping pace. But if coach Mike Winland's new triple option offense works the way he hopes, it might be enough to keep the Bucks on their toes and force the defense into mistakes the Bulldogs can capitalize on.

With 16 teams now qualifying for the playoffs, each and every win becomes more important.

Otsego at Wynford

7 p.m. at Royal Stadium

It's two new-look programs in Week 1 as Wynford and Otsego both boast new coaches, quarterbacks and various skill players.

But these are two programs that live and breathe football, and they'll both be ready to start new chapters. For the Royals, Ashton Warren slots in under center after operating as backup last season behind Cobey Allen. But backs Kaiden Blair and Kohan Keith should make his transition a little easier. New players out wide — Sam Collene, Corey Moone, James Rindfruss — will look to break through a typically staunch Knights defense.

In front of the home crowd eager to snap a three-game losing streak to Otsego in the past two seasons, Wynford will look to start the Cyle Skidmore era off with a W.

Colonel Crawford at Riverdale

7 p.m. at D. Ray Baum Field

Another team entering a new era, Colonel Crawford heads out on the road in Week 1 to face the Falcons of Riverdale.

Last season the Eagles won 55-7 at home behind a dominant rushing performance that opened up the passing game for QB Kam Lohr. Back under center, Lohr will be familiar with the Falcons defense and boasts some talented rushers in Matt Clinard, Tanner Dyer and Micah Thomas, who should help establish the ground game early on.

There will undoubtedly be something of a learning curve under new coach Jake Bruner, though he has been in the program for just shy of a decade, so the athletes know him well. But one thing remains the same — the Wing-T offense.

Colonel Crawford's line will look to control the game early and allow the rushers and Lohr to essentially have their way with the Riverdale defense, again. For their own defense, the Eagles will be a tough one to break all season, and we should see them on full display Friday night.

McComb at Galion

7 p.m. at Unckrich Stadium

Arguably the toughest season opener in the area is Galion's. Never mind the three-division difference between the Tigers and McComb — this is a Division VII powerhouse coming to Unckrich Stadium. The Panthers are a program that plays Marion Local in nonleague by choice and just went to the regional championship before falling to eventual state runner-up Hopewell-Loudon.

But this is a Galion team with high expectations this season, and that's apparent by its scheduling a program like McComb in the opening weeks while also keeping D-VI defending state champion Carey in Week 2. Quarterbacks Cooper Kent and Braxton Prosser give the Tigers options under center, with a number of talented skill players such as Gabe Ivy, Linkon Tyrrell, Logan Shifley and Elijah Chafin looking to make big plays against a big opponent.

Galion possesses the talent to control the offensive and defensive lines, and feeding off the home crowd should be all the added motivation the Tigers need to start the season with a statement win. The biggest thing is making sure they ignore the name on the other team's jersey and just look at McComb as another football team.

Mississinawa Valley at Bucyrus

7 p.m. at Bucyrus Field

Rounding out Week 1 is hometown Bucyrus hosting Mississinawa Valley after making the long trek west last season. The drive was worth it for Bucyrus, which picked up the program's first season-opening win since beating Elgin in 2013.

Quarterback Malachi Bayless had a great performance against the Blackhawks as a sophomore and will look to replicate that in front of the home crowd as a junior. Look for him to spread the ball to Mason Gebhardt, Randy Banks and Kam Lewis, with Blayne Barto getting plenty of carries.

This is an offense that can really get clicking under the right circumstances and make life a little easier on the defense. The Blackhawks could struggle with Bayless like they did last season and, if that's the case, Bucyrus could go back-to-back in season openers for the first time since 2012-13.

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Week 1 football preview for Crawford County