CAN’T MISS GAMES in Class 6A this season.

Benton vs. Bryant (Saturday)

There may be no series in Arkansas like the Salt Bowl, an annual tradition dating back to 1974. The 2018 edition drew more than 38,000 fans to War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. But it hasn’t been a real rivalry lately, with Bryant going 14-0-1 since 2006. The game won’t have any postseason implications — it’s a Week 1 nonconference matchup — but Benton will need all the confidence it can get before competing in a brutal 6A-West again.

El Dorado at Jonesboro (Sept. 24)

It’s early in the regular season, but this could be a conference decider between the two top dogs in the 6A-East. The Hurricane finished second in the conference a year ago, yet didn’t have to play the Wildcats after the matchup was canceled due to covid-19 concerns at El Dorado.

Little Rock Parkview at Benton, (Oct. 8)

The 6A-West features last year’s two state finalists, and there’s a very good chance Greenwood and Lake Hamilton will lead the way in the conference again. If there’s going to be a team to chase those sides down, this matchup could settle it. The Patriots have an impressive crop of senior talent, but they failed to score in their playoff game against Sylvan Hills a year ago.

El Dorado at Sylvan Hills, (Oct. 22)

The Wildcats seem to be the narrow favorite in the 6A-East with the QB-WR tandem of senior Sharmon Rester and junior DeAndra Burns, respectively. If they can get past Jonesboro in September, they’ll likely be in the driver’s seat for a conference title. But a much stronger Bears team beat them 33-7 in late October last season. Sylvan Hills may not be as impressive, but the Bears have the pedigree to mount a fight.

Lake Hamilton at Greenwood, (Nov. 5)

The Class 6A game of the season won’t happen until the first Friday of November. The Wolves and Bulldogs met in the state final in 2020, and everything points to them being on a collision course again, this time for a 6A-West Conference title. The Bulldogs still have lots of defensive weapons — Colin Daggett and Parker Gill among them — and the Wolves will boast another loaded running attack led by seniors Owen Miller and Tevin Hughes.