Football season kicks off tonight Bangor on the road; Old Town at Orono

The leaves haven’t even started to change color, the mercury hasn’t taken much of a dip on the thermometers, and the shorts and swimsuits haven’t been packed away for the winter yet, but there’s still an unmistakable feeling of fall.

It’s football time in Maine.

Maybe not for the University of Maine and the small-college teams, but after an abbreviated, two-week preseason, area high school teams are ready to go … for real.

Bangor at Skowhegan, 7 p.m., Clark Memorial Field: The Mark Hackett coaching era officially begins as the heralded Rams take the first step toward what they hope will be a return trip to the Class A state title game.

The Rams expect to be more diverse offensively with Chris Bombardier at quarterback, but defense will be their guiding force again. The Indians feature senior quarterback B.J. Dunlap, who passed for 1,159 yards last year.

Brewer at Mattanawcook Academy, 7 p.m., Alumni Field, Lincoln: Brewer’s Witches have been talking about the importance of their first three games all preseason. Despite starting out with two straight Class C teams, the road isn’t easy as MA is only two years removed from a state championship season. Quarterbacks could be key as Jon Carney moves from tight end to QB for MA and junior Sean Collins is back behind center for Brewer.

Old Town at Orono, 7 p.m.: The 39th meeting between these two storied rivals may not shape up as a classic, but could be a tussle as both teams feature veteran lineups. Orono holds a 23-15 edge in the lifetime series. Neither team features much depth, but the first-stringers are solid and this game always takes on added importance as a backyard brawl for bragging rights on the Stillwater block.

Winslow at Stearns, 7 p.m., Alumni Field, Millinocket: It’s impossible to script this one any better. Having the defending state Class B champs in town to take on perennial Class C power Stearns is matchup enough, but throw in off-field intrigue surrounding former Stearns head coach Tom Bertrand’s decision to resign and take an assistant coaching job at Winslow just days before the preseason began and you have a major exclamation point next to this game.

“I know where the visitor’s locker room is. But it’ll feel strange. I’ll be spending most of my time in the tower. Hopefully it’s high enough for people not to throw anything at me,” joked Bertrand, who guided Stearns to an unbeaten state title season in 1998.

Belfast at Bucksport, 7 p.m., Carmichael Field: One of the preseason favorites in Class B visits a solid contender in Class C. The visiting Lions feature one of the most deep, talented backfields in the state while the Golden Bucks have plenty of motivation after injuries helped foil playoff runs the last two seasons. The Bucks are faster and deeper than they’ve been in years, but Belfast may have some of the best sheer speed in the state.

Dexter at Maine Central Institute, 7 p.m., Pittsfield: The MCI Huskies have lost a lot of size, especially on the lines, to graduation, but still shape up as a preseason favorite with plenty of speed and talent. The experienced Tigers appear poised to pounce on a playoff spot, but a solid start is paramount to a postseason run.

Hampden at Foxcroft Academy, 7 p.m., Oakes Field, Dover-Foxcroft: New head coach Mike Corneil leads the Broncos onto the refurbished Oakes Field turf, which will get an early test as Hampden has the backs to grind up the ground yardage. The Ponies feature talented, veteran interior lines and plenty of skill players.

Rockland at Livermore Falls, 7 p.m.: The Tigers enter a new era with a rookie head coach (Daryle Weiss) and a revamped schedule, jumping from the LTC Class C ranks to the Campbell Conference and a heavy dose of Western Maine opponents. These two non-playoff teams were a combined 4-13 with two wins apiece last year, but should be greatly improved this season.

Mount Desert Island at John Bapst, 7 p.m. Saturday, Cameron Stadium, Bangor: The much-improved MDI Trojans get a chance to celebrate their return to the Class B fold with a win on the road, but the youthful Crusaders are hungry, tired of being an LTC C punching bag, and eager to end a 10-game losing streak. The Trojans have injury concerns as wingback-linebacker David Zabala was injured in a recent car accident.