UNION COUNTY — Some divisions are the same, but most have been realigned in the Big Central Conference for the 2026 and 2027 high school football seasons.
Union County schools Union, Elizabeth and Westfield remain in the conference’s American Gold Division.
One team, Union, will play out of division against former, longtime Thanksgiving Day rival Linden High School. Union last played Linden in 2019.
The Farmers presently have a four-game winning streak against the Tigers, winning the last four games played in 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016. The last time Linden defeated Union was in 2015.
Linden is one of five schools in the Liberty Gold Division. Other Union County schools in the Liberty Gold include Rahway and Plainfield.
Arthur L. Johnson High School, one of six schools in the Patriot Silver Division, is now guided by first-year head coach Michael Ryan, who has previous coaching experience at Middlesex County schools. Other Union County schools in the Patriot Silver include Abraham Clark High School in Roselle and New Providence High School, which is now led by first-year head coach Anthony Conzentino.
Here’s a look at the division alignments in the BCC for the upcoming 2026 campaign, which kicks off across the state of New Jersey on Thursday, Aug. 27:
Big Central Conference for 2026 and 2027
American Gold (4 schools): Elizabeth, St. Joseph, Metuchen, Union, Westfield.
The American Gold Division remains the same four schools.
American Silver (4 schools): Bridgewater–Raritan Regional, Hillsborough, Phillipsburg, Ridge.
Hunterdon Central moved out.
Liberty Gold (5 schools): Colonia, Linden, Plainfield, Rahway, Woodbridge.
Rahway replaces Perth Amboy.
Liberty Silver (5 schools): Hunterdon Central Regional, Montgomery, North Hunterdon, Somerville, Watchung Hills Regional.
Hunterdon Central Regional replaces Rahway.
National Gold (5 schools): East Brunswick, Monroe, Old Bridge, Piscataway, South Brunswick.
The National Gold Division remains the same five schools.
National Silver (5 schools): Edison, Franklin, North Brunswick, Sayreville War Memorial, St. Thomas Aquinas.
The National Silver Division remains the same five schools.
United Gold (4 schools): Carteret, Cranford, Scotch Plains–Fanwood, Summit.
Hillside left this division to join the Patriot Gold Division.
United Silver (4 schools): Bernards, Governor Livingston, John F. Kennedy Memorial, South Plainfield.
North Plainfield and New Brunswick left this division and Bernards joined.
Patriot Gold (5 schools): Delaware Valley, Hillside, New Brunswick, North Plainfield, Voorhees.
This division expanded to five teams with the addition of Hillside, North Plainfield and New Brunswick.
Patriot Silver (6 schools): Arthur L. Johnson, Metuchen, New Providence, Perth Amboy, Abraham Clark, Spotswood.
Perth Amboy and Spotswood join this division, which now has six teams.
Freedom Gold (6 schools): David Brearley, Jonathan Dayton, Highland Park, Roselle Park, South River, J.P. Stevens.
J.P. Stevens replaces Spotswood.
Freedom Silver (6 schools): Belvidere, Bound Brook, Dunellen, Manville, Middlesex, South Hunterdon Regional.
The Freedom Silver Division remains the same six schools.
These alignments reflect the Big Central Conference’s efforts to balance competition among large, mid-size and smaller schools while maintaining continuity in the top divisions. Crossover and non-conference games may still be scheduled by individual schools, and home-away rotations will reverse in 2027.
Photos by JR Parachini
