Fayetteville’s top 5 high school football conference games to watch in 2024 season

The start of the NCHSAA 2024 high school football season is around the corner.

The Cumberland County Football Jamboree is scheduled for Aug. 16 at Gray's Creek and Pine Forest with the regular season set to kick off on Aug. 23.

2024 JAMBOREE SCHEDULE: 2024 football jamboree games are set. Who is your Fayetteville high school facing?

Each of Cumberland County’s 10 public schools are scheduled to play three nonconference games before wrapping up the regular season with seven conference games.

BEST NONCONFERENCE GAMES: Fayetteville’s top 5 high school football nonconference games to watch in 2024 season

Pine Forest and Seventy-First have taken over their leagues each in the last three seasons as three-peat champions. The Trojans top the All American Conference and the Falcons have been soaring past the United 8, and the rest of the 3A East.

As the weeks dwindle down, the Fayetteville Observer take a look at all conference schedules and ranks the top five games for teams in the first half of the season before getting into league play.

2024 FULL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE: Complete Fayetteville-area high school football schedule for 2024 season

Terry Sanford vs. Pine Forest

Last season, the Trojans of Pine Forest and Bulldogs matchup went wire to wire when a Nyzir Bostick's prayer-of-a-pass into the end zone with 20 seconds left in the game fell into the arms of a diving Nathan Seaberry to give Pine Forest the edge in a duel against its longtime rival, and a spotless league record to close in on a third straight conference crown.

Date: Sept. 29

Seventy-First at Cape Fear

The two best teams in the United 8 conference put on a stonewall defensive performance last season in a 12-7 decision for the Falcons at home. Both squads finished the season with 9-plus wins, but the Falcons went on to become 3A east champions before falling in the 3A championship game. As Cape Fear looks to gain a victory over Seventy-First for the first time since 2017, when they were in separate conferences, this should be one of the best matchups Fayetteville has to look for.

Date: Oct. 4

Terry Sanford at Harnett Central

The Bulldogs and the Trojans put on two great performances last season — one in conference play where Harnett Central took home the 45-28 win, and the second in the second round of the NCHSAA 3A East playoffs, where Terry Sanford sought revenge to send the Trojans home with a stout defense. This season's bout is expected to be another big contest for both squads.

Date: Oct. 11

Gray's Creek at Jack Britt

The Bears' and Bucs head-to-head's have always been anticipated matchup, and Jack Britt has won its last four games against Gray's Creek with the Bears' last win in the series coming in 2018. Last season, Jack Britt fought back from a two-touchdown deficit to beat Gray's Creek 30-28.

Date: Oct. 25

South View at Jack Britt

A season ago, in a matchup to determine the United 8 Conference's top 4A seed in state playoffs, South View battled back to score with less than a minute remaining in a game that appeared to be headed for overtime. Ultimately, Jack Britt came up with the stop, blocking the extra-point attempt to preserve a 21-20 win to go on for a seventh-straight NCHSAA playoff bid.

Date: Nov. 1

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville’s top 5 high school football conference games to watch in 2024 season