LIVE OAK, Fla. — Suwannee High’s 2019 football schedule is almost complete and there is plenty of change from a season ago.

After breaking a two-year playoff drought last season and finishing with six wins, the Bulldogs will only face three of the same regular-season opponents. Those teams are local rivals Fort White, Hamilton County and Madison County.

Other non-district opponents include Class 5A Baker County and Class 4A Palatka and Santa Fe. In District 2-Class 5A, Suwannee will face Rickards and Godby at home while traveling to Wakulla.

“Our schedule has been tough and it will be a little tougher this year in the new district,” said Suwannee coach Kyler Hall, who is entering his fourth season as head coach at his alma mater. “We play a lot of teams who are similar to us in school size. There are no games we can look past.”

The most notable change on the schedule is that Suwannee and Columbia will not play for The Old Oaken Bucket. The two teams, who have played 85 times and for 41 straight years, will not meet for the first time since 1977.

The Tigers have won the last 11 games.

“We as coaches have to do what’s best for our team. There’s reasons to play and not to play,” Hall said of playing CHS. “A lot went into the decision. For me a rivalry has to be competitive, back and forth from game to game.

“We have to play better for it to be a rivalry.”

Looking at Suwannee’s all-time records versus upcoming opponents in 2019, the Bulldogs have winning records against seven of the nine teams they will currently face. Historically, Suwannee has faired well against Hamilton County (37-6 since 1965, including wins in the last 20 meetings) and Santa Fe (23-10-1) while struggling against Palatka and in recent years, Madison County.

SHS and Palatka haven’t met since 2000 with the Panthers owning a 15-5 record overall including winning the past nine games. Suwannee, meanwhile has won 27 of 53 meetings all-time against Madison High/Madison County. The Cowboys, though, have won the last 19 games.

The Bulldogs have nine games scheduled and are currently looking for one more game, which could be Week 9 or Week 11.