Indianapolis Cathedral kicks off the school’s 108th football season Friday at Ben Davis. The Fighting Irish begin 2026 with 792 all-time wins and could become the first Indiana school to eclipse the 800-victory plateau this year. However, like most seasons, Cathedral faces a difficult regular season schedule despite three Indiana Class 6A opponents not returning from 2025. Reigning two-time Indiana 6A state champion Brownsburg and Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference schools Center Grove and Warren Central are not on the schedule this year. This season’s Fighting Irish slate includes five out-of-state schools – two of which are new opponents. Cathedral will host Loyola Academy from Wilmette, Illinois and Akron Ohio’s Archbishop Hoban for the first time in school history. High School Football America ranks week-three opponent Cincinnati St. Xavier 59th in the nation in its Preseason Top 300 poll, while Archbishop Hoban is 124th. Cathedral starts the season ranked 229th in the country by HSFA. For the postseason, the Fighting Irish, which compiled a 7-4 record a year ago, will compete in Class 5A Sectional 13 for a second consecutive season with defending state champion New Palestine and three schools new to the group, all of which moved up to 5A due to increased enrollments – Greenfield-Central, Mount Vernon (Fortville), and Pendleton Heights. 2026 Cathedral Football Schedule August 21 at Ben Davis 7:00 pm August 28 Loyola Academy (Illinois) (at Butler University) 7:30 pm September 4 at Cincinnati St. Xavier (Ohio) 7:00 pm September 11 at Bishop Chatard 7:00 pm September 18 at Southport 7:00 pm September 25 at Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) 7:00 pm October 2 OPEN WEEK October 9 Covington Catholic (Kentucky) (at Butler University) 7:30 pm October 16 Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) (at University of Indianapolis)7:00 pm 2026 Opponent Overviews Ben Davis – Just two years removed from their Class 6A state championship season in 2023, the Giants finished 2025 with a 3-7 record, which followed a 5-6 mark in 2024. It’s the first time Ben Davis had consecutive losing records since finishing 3-7 in the 1982 and 1983 seasons. Brett Cooper is the new coach of the Giants who are ranked 13th in the Class 6-A Indiana Football Coaches Association Preseason poll. The Irish defeated the Ben Davis last season 8-0. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Illinois) – The Ramblers posted a 4-5 record in 2025 after winning the Illinois 8A (largest class) state championship the previous three seasons. Following a three-year absence, John Holecek returns this season to lead Loyola Academy where he won a school-record 185 games, three state titles, and nine Chicago Catholic League (CCL) championships during his previous 17-year stint. Loyola begins the season ranked second in the Illinois Class 8A MaxPreps Preseason poll. St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) – St. X returned to the Ohio Division I (largest class) state finals last year for the first time since winning the championship in 2020. The Bombers lost to Lewis Center Olentangy Orange, 28-14, and finished the campaign with an 11-3 record. St. Xavier graduated seven Greater Catholic League South first-team all-conference players but is still ranked 11th in the USA Today Network Super 25 Ohio Preseason poll across all classes. The Bombers defeated the Irish 24-6 in 2025. Bishop Chatard – The Trojans were 9-3 in 2025 including a 23-20 loss to the Fighting Irish, a regular season ending defeat to Ohio power Cincinnati Elder, and a sectional championship loss to Roncalli. Chatard begins the season tied for third in the Class 4A Indiana Football Coaches Association Preseason poll. The Trojans will be led by running back Danny Adams who was the Indianapolis City Offensive Player of the Year last season when he rushed for 1,821 yards and 33 touchdowns. Southport – The Cardinals snapped a 17-game losing streak in 2025 with a week seven victory over Terre Haute North and then won a sectional game to finish with a 2-9 mark. The Fighting Irish defeated Southport a year ago 54-0. Trotwood-Madison (Dayton, Ohio) – The Irish defeated the Rams last season, 32-28, in a wild finish at the University of Indianapolis. Trotwood-Madison finished the year with an 8-4 record after losing to eventual Division II runner-up Cincinnati Anderson in the fourth round of the Ohio state tourney. Convington Catholic (Kentucky) – The Colonels were 9-4 last season – losing in the third round of the Kentucky Class 4A state tournament to eventual state champion Boyle County. In 2025, Covington Catholic jumped out to a 17-0 third quarter lead over the Irish then held on to win 17-10. The Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper’s Class 4A Preseason Top 10 poll ranks the Colonels fourth in the state. Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) – The Knights posted a 10-2 record in 2025, losing in the third round of the Ohio Division II state tournament. Hoban is an historic Ohio football power having won five state titles in a six-year span from 2015 to 2020 and more recently finishing as a state runner-up in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Hoban is ranked tenth across all classes in the USA Today Network Super 25 Ohio Preseason poll.