The Hilliard Darby Panthers hit the road Aug. 21, for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Lancaster in the 2026 football season opener, a rematch of last year's one-point heartbreaker that the Golden Gales won 21-20.

It's the lone Hilliard football game away from home on opening night. Hilliard Davidson hosts Mansfield Senior at the same time across town.

Darby finished 3-7 overall and 1-4 in Ohio Capital Conference Cardinal Division play in 2025. The Panthers are looking to flip the script against a Lancaster program that also enters 2026 under new leadership. First-year Golden Gales head coach Jeremy McKinney held a midnight practice on Aug. 1 as part of what the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette described as building a "fresh culture" in Lancaster.

Darby's preseason has been branded "Brick by Brick." The Panthers held a public scrimmage Aug. 6, with freshmen at 8 a.m. and varsity at 9 a.m., then showcased all fall programs at Panther Preview '26 on Aug. 12 at the Hilliard Darby Athletic Complex.

The Darby girls volleyball program posted a message to Panther Nation on Aug. 18, calling on fans to support the 2026 Panthers as fall sports open across the school.

What's at stake

All three Hilliard schools compete in OHSAA Division I football, and the playoff format that debuted in 2025 reduced the field to 12 qualifiers per region, according to The Sporting News. The top four seeds earn first-round byes. Every regular-season result carries weight in the seeding race from Week 1.

Darby won't have to wait long for intra-city matchups. The Panthers host Hilliard Bradley on Aug. 28 in Week 2, then welcome Hilliard Davidson on Sept. 11 in Week 4. Last season, Darby beat Bradley 21-7 but fell to Davidson 35-14.

How to watch

Tickets are available through GoFan, and the game can be streamed on the NFHS Network.

Next up after Lancaster: the Panthers return home Aug. 28 to face Hilliard Bradley at 7 p.m.