There won’t be any shortage of eyes on St. Michael Catholic (Ala.) football this fall. Led by former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers with his son, four-star senior QB Gunner Rivers, under center, the Cardinals are poised for a big 2026 campaign.
The regular season gets going next week, but there’s plenty of jamborees and preseason scrimmages taking place this weekend. St. Michael Catholic took on Alma Bryant on Friday night and Gunner Rivers wasted no time stacking some highlight throws.
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The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder was letting it fly against the Hurricanes. He connected on a deep ball for a score and also dropped a sweet 20-yard throw right in the bucket for a touchdown. According to sportswriter Randy Kennedy, Rivers was 9-for-9 and tallied 115 passing yards in the first half.
WHAT A BALL from Gunner Rivers!
— Larry Rudolph (@ScoutFball) August 15, 2026
The NC State QB commit drops an absolute dime on the post for the touchdown. Perfect touch, placement and timing — put it right where his receiver could go get it.
That’s a big-time QB throw. pic.twitter.com/GlIUOVF1An
The Cardinals have a big-time season-opener on tap for Aug. 22 at home against Battle Ground Academy out of the Nashville metro. The game will air on ESPN. BGA, the preseason No. 6 team in Tennessee per the Rivals Composite Rankings, is quarterbacked by senior Bo Bryan, the son of country music superstar Luke Bryan.
St. Michael Catholic is the preseason No. 43 team in Alabama, though it’ll be in the mix for the private school state title — Alabama now splits up public and private schools when it comes to postseason competition. The Massey Ratings predicts a win for BGA next weekend, however.
All eyes will be on Rivers. As a junior last season, he threw for 3,176 yards and 46 touchdowns to just five interceptions. The Cardinals went 13-1, losing in the 4A state semifinals. Back in February, he followed in his father’s footsteps by committing to NC State.
Rivers is the No. 145 overall prospect and No. 12 QB in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 6 senior in Alabama.
More about St. Michael Catholic High School
“St. Michael Catholic High School, established in 2016 in Fairhope, AL, is a private Roman Catholic institution aiming to develop scholars, leaders, and disciples of Jesus Christ. With a diverse curriculum that includes Advanced Placement courses, it supports a variety of extracurricular activities. The school competes in the AHSAA at the 4A level, offering sports like football, basketball, and soccer. Notably, it has achieved success in cross country and cheerleading, fostering a strong athletic spirit within its community.”
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