Jackson football's Week 1 home game canceled, Tribe to open in Indiana

Jackson defenders pursue Carthage's Tyler Mueller (22) during the Indians' 27-21 overtime loss to Carthage in the MSHSAA Class 5 state championship Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri.

Southeast Missourian file

Jackson High School will not begin its fall football season in The Pit nor anywhere in Missouri.

The Tribe, runner-up in Class 5 in 2019, will kickoff the new campaign with a rare Saturday contest three hours away in the Hoosier State.

Thank COVID-19 for the change.

Brent Eckley’s Indians will drive 189 miles to Fort Branch, Indiana, on August 29 at 1 p.m. to face the Gibson Southern Titans, who play in Class 3A.

Jackson lost its scheduled August 28 home opener when Roosevelt (St. Louis) canceled and declined to come south for the game.

Gibson Southern, coached by Nick Hart, also had a Week 1 opening due to the scrapping of its opener against Owensboro, Kentucky.

Jackson (13-1 last season) has remaining 2020 home contests slated against Hillsboro, Poplar Bluff, Farmington and Cardinal Ritter.

The Indian away games include Cape Central, Sikeston, Miller Career Academy and Hickman (Columbia).

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 schedule remains subject to change.