Birmingham Groves will open its 2026 football season on one of Michigan's biggest high school stages, facing North Farmington in the Amazon Prep Kickoff Classic on Aug. 28, at 4 p.m. at Tom Adams Field on the Wayne State University campus in Detroit.

The showcase event is entering its 21st season and annually serves as the official start to MHSAA football across the state, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Groves head coach Brendan Flaherty told The Oakland Press on July 27, that he views each year as a fresh start.

"No wedding is the same, every season is a little different," Flaherty said.

Coaches from Groves, Detroit Catholic Central and North Farmington all previewed their Kickoff Classic matchups in The Oakland Press, emphasizing how the experience of playing on a big stage could jump-start deep playoff runs. The Classic features multiple Oakland County-area programs with postseason ambitions, and Detroit Catholic Central will also compete in the showcase.

Birmingham Public Schools posted on its Instagram account on July 17, calling on Falcon fans to wear green and white and pack the Wayne State stands for the opener. The district urged the community to "bring your Falcon pride" and cheer on Groves as the team begins what it called "another exciting football season."

For the Falcons, the Aug. 28 matchup against North Farmington represents a chance to test themselves early against a fellow playoff-caliber program before the regular OAA conference schedule begins. The atmosphere at Tom Adams Field, a college venue in Detroit, will offer a different feel than a typical Week 1 home game.

The Detroit Free Press' Brandon Folsom highlighted the Groves-North Farmington game as one of four marquee MHSAA matchups in the 2026 Kickoff Classic in a breakdown published July 28.