The Murphy Panthers open their 2015 football season with a stiff challenge to highlight play in the Alabama High School Athletic Association.

The Class 7A No. 8 team travels to No. 4 Baker in a Region 1 showdown Friday. Each team made the playoffs last season and each will look to get a leg up in the race for the best postseason position.

Here are other top matchups on high school football fields this week. All rankings are from the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s Week 1 Poll. All games are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 28.

Class 6A: The last time Saraland played a regulation football game, it pushed Clay-Chalkville to the wire before falling 36-31 in a thoroughly thrilling state championship game at Auburn. The Spartans, ranked No. 3 this week in Class 6A, launch another bid for a title with a season-opening contest against Daphne. Saraland began the 2014 season by defeating Daphne 35-28.

Class 5A: Helena was a first-year team in 2014 and advanced to the first round of the state playoffs. The Huskies begin this season as they did their maiden voyage, against Shelby County. The Wildcats could be a formidable foe as they garnered a couple of votes in the initial state ranking.

Class 4A: North Jackson begins the 2015 season ranked No. 7. Its first game is at Guntersville, which outlasted North Jackson 46-41 last year.

Class 3A: Walter Wellborn was tabbed the No. 8 team in the initial ranking of the season. The Panthers don’t get a breather in their first game as they match up against Saks, the No. 6 team in Class 4A.

Class 2A: Tanner knocked off West Limestone 28-21 last week in its season opener. The Rattlers step up in their second game, taking on Class 3A No. 5 Colbert County.

Class 1A: No. 1 Maplesville was one game shy of finishing with an undefeated championship last year. Pickens County provided the lone blemish, a 38-18 win in the championship tilt. Friday, the Red Devils square off against No. 7 Billingsley.

AISA: Bessemer Academy finished just shy of a championship in 2014. Its undefeated season came to an end as it fell 35-28 to Escambia Academy in the Alabama Independent School Association Class AAA title game. The Rebels will try to get their 2015 season off to a strong start as No. 2-ranked Bessemer Academy hosts No. 5 Marengo Academy.

Photos courtesy of AHSAA.