LIVE OAK, Fla. — A few new opponents enter the mix to play Suwannee in 2017, along with old rivals and some strong non-district opponents.

After playing Columbia in the final game of the regular season in 2016, the Bulldogs battle the Tigers for the Old Oaken Bucket during the second week of the regular season. Suwannee has lost the last nine meetings with Columbia.

“It’s competitive early,” said Suwannee football coach Kyler Hall. “Columbia will get us going early. I like the layout of our schedule. Our off week is in the middle of the season.”

Suwannee will play four games — one of those being a district game against Ribault — before an off week on Sep. 22.

Three of the Bulldogs’ last six games will come against district opponents. Each district game will be especially important with the new playoff system in place for 2017.

Only one team from each district for 5A-8A schools — the district champion — is guaranteed a playoff berth. The other four playoff spots in each region — four districts go into each one of the four regions — will go to the teams who have accumulated the most points during the season.

“We still have districts,” Hall said. “Our No. 1 option is to win district.”

After playing Madison County in the preseason in 2016, the Bulldogs will play the Cowboys in the second to last week in 2017.

The Bulldogs have also scheduled non-district games against 4A Taylor County and 7A Chiles.

“It’s hit and miss with non-district games,” Hall said. “You don’t want to schedule only juggernauts, but you must be competitive. A lot of the teams we play have done well, but you don’t know how this season will turn out.”

Aug. 18	at Eastside (Kickoff Classic)	7:30 p.m.
Aug. 25	at Fort White	7:30 p.m.
Sept. 1	Columbia	7:30 p.m.
Sept. 8	Hamilton County	7:30 p.m.
Sept. 15	Ribault	7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29	at Stanton Prep	7:30 p.m.
Oct. 6	Chiles (Homecoming)	7:30 p.m.
Oct. 13	at Paxon	7:30 p.m.
Oct. 20	Yulee (Senior Night)	7:30 p.m.
Oct. 27	at Madison County	7:30 p.m.
Nov. 3	at Taylor County	7:30 p.m.