UNION — For the first time in seven years, one of the fiercest and longest rivalries in Union County football history will be renewed.
Union and Linden high schools will clash on the gridiron once again.
Union is scheduled to play at Linden at Linden’s Cooper Field in 2026.
Union and Linden last faced each other in 2019.
Union is one of four schools situated in the unchanged American Gold Division of the Big Central Conference. Elizabeth, St. Joseph, Metuchen and Westfield are the other teams in the division.
Linden is one of five schools situated in the Liberty Silver Division. The others are Rahway, Plainfield, Colonia and Woodbridge.
Both Union and Linden seek to improve in 2026 with second-year head coaches who guided other schools to state championships. The Farmers are guided by former Hillside head coach Barris Grant and Linden by Mark Ciccotelli, who was previously a head coach at Rahway, Freehold Boro, Neptune, St. John Vianney, North Plainfield and Scotch Plains–Fanwood. Ciccotelli was also an assistant coach at Cranford.
Grant guided Hillside to Central Jersey, Group 2 sectional state championships in 2017 and 2018 and to the South Jersey, Group 2 sectional state title in 2019, followed by that season’s South Group 2 Regional crown with a 12-0 record.
Ciccotelli led Freehold Boro to the Central Jersey, Group 3 sectional state championship in 2008 and Neptune to the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional title in 2011. Ciccotelli also guided St. John Vianney to a 10-1 record in 2014 that included a sectional semifinal appearance and he was on head coach Erik Rosenmeier’s staff at Cranford as the offensive coordinator in 2021, when the Cougars captured the North 2, Group 3 sectional state championship that season.
Union finished 3-8 last year and is seeking its first winning season since 2021. Union’s last sectional state championship came in 2019, when the Farmers captured North 2, Group 5 for the first time.
Linden went 3-7 in 2025 and is seeking its first winning campaign since 2023. Linden’s last sectional state title happened in 2014, when the Tigers won North 2, Group 5 for the first time.
Union presently has a four-game winning streak against Linden, winning the last four games played in 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016. Linden last defeated Union in 2015.
From 1932 to 1990, Union and Linden played each other on Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving weekend every year. They played again on the holiday or the night before from 2010-2017.
The last time they played each other on Thanksgiving was 2016, when Union won, 34-12, at home. In 2017, they played the night before Thanksgiving at Linden, with Union winning, 22-19.
Union vs. Linden last five football games against each other
Oct. 11, 2019: Union 17, Linden 6 – at Linden
Aug. 31, 2018: Union 14, Linden 7 (OT) – at Union (season-opener for both)
Nov. 22, 2017: Union 22, Linden 19 – at Linden (the night before Thanksgiving)
Nov. 24, 2016: Union 34, Linden 12 – at Union (Thanksgiving)
Nov. 25, 2015: Linden 35, Union 14 – at Linden (the night before Thanksgiving)
