Talkin’ Oxford

’26 Oxford football schedule

CLASS 5A, REGION 6
Aug. 21: at Gadsden City
Aug. 28: JACKSONVILLE
Sept. 4: at St. Clair County *
Sept. 11: PELL CITY *
Sept. 18: at Clay-Chalkville *
Sept. 25: at Mountain Brook
Oct. 2: Open
Oct. 9: at Springville *
Oct. 16: SOUTHSIDE *
Oct. 23: PINSON VALLEY *
Oct. 30: Open

Oxford facts

Things to know about Oxford football heading into the 2026 season:

— Sam Adams enters his sixth season as Oxford’s head coach. He’s 39-21 at Oxford with a 2?-7 region record and 5-5 record in playoff games. He guided the 2024 Yellow Jackets to the Class 6A semifinals. Adams is 95-50 overall in 13 seasons as a head coach, 55-17 in region play and 14-11 in playoff games.

— The AHSAA’s latest round of reclassifications brought major changes, with public and private schools separating for championship play and the elimination of Class 7A. Several schools moved down in classification, including Oxford, who will be Class 5A after 20 seasons in 6A.

— While Oxford’s classification changed, its region alignment did not change much. Class 5A, Region 6 will include Clay-Chalkville, Pell City, Pinson Valley, Southside, Springville and St. Clair County. An adjustment to reclassification removed Douglas from Oxford’s region too late in the game to find a replacement opponent, leaving Oxford with a nine-game schedule and only four home games.

— Oxford graduated the following 2025 All-Calhoun County players: wide receiver Jay’lin Taylor, the Class 4A-6A county player of the year; linebacker Keenan Britt, running back Caleb Wynn and defensive back Marcus Lawler.

— Key returnees include the following 2025 All-Calhoun County players: senior wide receiver Andre Ford, senior offensive lineman Bryson Sanderson, senior linebacker Ayden Noyola, junior defensive back Kamari English, senior offensive lineman Jaxon Elston, senior defensive lineman Josh Stack, senior linebacker Jiyez Fleming, junior quarterback Maddox Mims and sophomore running back Dre Williams.

— Newcomers to watch include senior DB/WR/QB/KR Malik Smith (Talladega), senior DL Zakailem Leonard (Munford) and senior LB Chase Moten (Talladega).

— Oxford’s non-region schedule includes the Aug. 21 season-opener Gadsden City, Calhoun County rival Jacksonville at home on Aug. 28 and Mountain Brook on the road on Sept. 25.

—Joe Medley

A video interview with Oxford coach Sam Adams and Joe Medley’s take on the Yellow Jackets’ 2026 season await EA+ subscribers.