Robbinsville Kicks Off 2025 Season At Big Oaks

High school football is back in Graham County, and there’s no better stage to kick off the season than The Big Oaks Stadium in Robbinsville. On Friday night, the defending Smoky Mountain Conference powerhouse Robbinsville Black Knights welcome the Tuscola Mountaineers in a non-conference showdown that promises plenty of early-season fireworks.

Robbinsville enters the new campaign with the same tradition that has defined the program for decades: physical football, a relentless ground game, and a defense built on discipline and toughness. They will have two big bruisers lining up behind Senior quarterback Luke Lovin in the backfield, as Seniors Isiac Collins and Kyzik Teesateskie (both eclipsing the 6-foot, 200-pound mark) will tote the rock for Robbinsville. The Black Knights will be looking to defend their home turf in front of one of the most passionate fan bases in western North Carolina, where Friday nights at The Big Oaks carry a special kind of electricity.

Tuscola, coming in from Waynesville, brings size, speed, and depth to the matchup. Competing at a higher classification, the Mountaineers will look to lean on their air-raid attack and stout defensive front to slow down Robbinsville’s signature running game. It’s a test Tuscola embraces as they try to leave Robbinsville with a statement win to open the year.

For Robbinsville, the game is a chance to showcase that the Black Knights aren’t rebuilding but reloading. For Tuscola, it’s an opportunity to prove they can handle the intensity of The Big Oaks and set their season off on the right foot.

As if this matchup needed anymore storylines, it will also be Lucas Ford’s first game as Head football Coach of the Black Knights as he takes the reigns from longtime Coach Dee Walsh.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday night in Robbinsville, where the mountain air, proud traditions, and packed stands will set the scene for a season-opening clash between two proud programs.