Warren Central’s philosophy of scheduling difficult opponents early in the season has served it well in recent years. So when it came time to put the 2025 schedule together, head coach Josh Morgan subscribed to another philosophy of if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Warren Central’s 2025 schedule, finalized last week, will include eight opponents — including all five outside of Region 2-6A — who were on the schedule the past two years.

The only new opponents are Greenville and Canton, who are both new additions to Region 2-6A under the MHSAA’s latest realignment plan.

“I don’t know if I’d call it a comfort level,” Morgan said with a laugh. “But, yes, it’s like we always talk about — a really good schedule, really good venues, really good competition. And some old rivals in there, too. I’m very glad we were able to put it together again.”

Warren Central will play a preseason scrimmage at home against Brandon — another team it played the past two years — on Aug. 22, and then begin the regular season on Aug. 29 with a road game at Clinton.

Clinton was the Week 1 opponent in 2023 and 2024 as well, but both times it was in the Red Carpet Bowl. For 2025, the Red Carpet Bowl has been switched to the Vicksburg vs. Warren Central rivalry game in Week 4 on Sept. 19.

Morgan said the beginning of the season will have a different vibe without the hoopla of the Red Carpet Bowl to kick things off.

“That’s all we’ve known for a long time. That’s what it is, the Red Carpet Bowl. It’ll definitely have a different feel to it in Week 1,” Morgan said. “But it’s like everything else, adapting and getting used to different things. We’ll still play Clinton, it just won’t be that Red Carpet Bowl atmosphere. A lot of familiarity there, but different tweaks to them. That’s not always a bad thing.”

Warren Central will also be on the road in Week 2, at longtime rival Pearl, and play its home opener on Sept. 12 vs. Germantown.

After playing Vicksburg, the Vikings wrap up their non-region schedule with a road game at Madison Central on Sept. 26.

Warren Central is only 5-5 in non-region games the past two seasons, but the idea of using them to toughen up for the region schedule has been sound. The Vikings have won 15 consecutive region games since 2022, and back-to-back Region 2-6A championships.

Other than Vicksburg, all of Warren Central’s non-region games in 2025 and ‘26 — as well as those it played in 2023 and ‘24 — are against Class 7A teams. Vicksburg was in Class 6A the past two years, and is dropping to 5A for the next two.

“We want to put our kids in the very best places they can play, against the best competition they can play. When we’re able to do that, that’s what we’re looking for,” Morgan said. “We were really glad we were able to make it work. We want to play in big games and get used to that.”

Warren Central’s bye week is on Oct. 3, and then the Region 2-6A schedule begins with back-to-back home games against Ridgeland and Greenville on Oct. 10 and 17.

Road games at Neshoba Central and Callaway follow, and the regular season ends Nov. 6 at home against Canton. Warren Central and Canton have not faced each other since 1981.

Canton finished 8-4 last season and reached the second round of the Class 5A playoffs. It is moving up to Class 6A for the next two-year realignment cycle.

Morgan said he was happy with the way the region schedule is laid out, especially since it no longer includes the long road trip to Columbus that had been part of it the past two years. Columbus dropped to Class 5A in the MHSAA’s realignment plan.

“The thing that’s a plus for us is we don’t have that trip to Columbus,” Morgan said. “Greenville, we have some familiarity with them even though it’s been several years since we’ve played them. Canton had a really good year last year and is growing. We’ll figure that out as we go.”

2025 WARREN CENTRAL SCHEDULE
p-Aug. 22 — at Brandon
Aug. 29 — at Clinton
Sept. 5 — at Pearl
Sept. 12 — Germantown
r-Sept. 19 — Vicksburg
Sept. 26 — at Madison Central
Oct. 3 — Open date
Oct. 10 — *Ridgeland
Oct. 17 — *Greenville
Oct. 24 — *at Neshoba Central
Oct. 31 — *at Callaway
Nov. 6 — *Canton
p-Preseason scrimmage
r-Red Carpet Bowl
*-MHSAA Region 2-6A games