The Princeton Vikings will kick off their 2026 football season inside an NFL stadium.
Princeton plays Archbishop Moeller at Paycor Stadium on Aug. 20, at 7:07 p.m., a marquee opener for a program ranked No. 3 in the OHSAA Division I preseason poll by cleveland.com after going 9-3 and winning the Greater Miami Conference title last fall.
The game was originally scheduled for Aug. 21, at Princeton's Pat Mancuso Field at Jake Sweeney Automotive Stadium, but summer renovations forced the move downtown. Athletic director Joe Roberts told WCPO on July 29 that the construction timeline made a Week 1 home game impossible.
"The stadium renovations continue to progress. Obviously that was a big factor in where we are now because we're just not going to be ready for Week 1 here which led us to an opportunity to play down there," Roberts said.
The renovation is part of a larger facilities overhaul that includes a three-story fieldhouse with locker rooms, training rooms, coaches' offices, a press box and a new practice field. Megen Construction is building the project, which is scheduled for completion this fall.
Roberts said the Vikings plan to return to Pat Mancuso Field for their Week 3 home game against Colerain, though he called that timeline tentative. Week 2 takes them to Middletown.
What the Vikings have
Princeton returns senior defensive tackle Jaylen Mercer, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound Kentucky commit who anchors the defensive front. His brother Kam Mercer, a sophomore basketball star committed to Cincinnati, told WCPO on July 29 that this football season is pivotal.
"I think this is the year I honestly say make or break," Kam said. "They have a really good senior class."
The Vikings also added three transfers from Cincinnati Taft: Monsanna Torbert Jr., who scored 30 touchdowns as a quarterback last season and is being recruited at cornerback; junior receiver Lorenzo McMullen, who holds more than 20 scholarship offers; and Sean Torbert.
The Moeller matchup
Moeller owns a 41-7 all-time series record against Princeton dating to 1965 and has won 19 straight in the rivalry. Princeton's last win came in 1991. This is the third consecutive year the two programs open against each other, with the winner taking home the "King of Block" trophy.
The last high school football game at Paycor Stadium drew 22,374 fans for the Division I, Region 4 final on Nov. 21, 2025, when St. Xavier beat Elder 42-34.
Tickets and logistics
According to Princeton City Schools, general admission is $12 plus a processing fee. The week of Aug. 17, students from both schools can buy advance tickets at $5 plus fees, with 1,000 tickets allotted per school. Parking is $10. Paycor Stadium is cashless for concessions. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and the clear bag policy applies.
The game will air live on Spectrum Sports Channel 1, with audio on vikenation.org.
Princeton's early schedule: Aug. 20 vs. Moeller at Paycor Stadium; Week 2 at Middletown; Week 3 home vs. Colerain (tentative).
