A look at notable games around the Dallas area heading into Week 1 of the Texas high school football season…
More Week 1 preview content
High School Sports
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Galena Park North Shore vs. South Oak Cliff
Where: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Dallas ISD’s John Kincaide Stadium
South Oak Cliff might have the toughest nondistrict schedule in the state, but that’s the way coach Jason Todd prefers it. The two-time state championship coach wants his team to face the toughest opponents early to prepare for a deep playoff run. That strategy has carried the Golden Bears to four consecutive state title game appearances. After a 38-0 loss to North Shore in the 2024 championship, Todd scheduled his team to face the five-time state champions again. South Oak Cliff might not be the favorite against the Class 6A powerhouse, but the Golden Bears have five area Top 100 recruits in the class of 2026 ready for the challenge.
Harrod’s pick: North Shore 38, South Oak Cliff 21
Related:Ranking the 15 toughest football schedules in the Dallas area for the 2025 season
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Denton Guyer vs. Aledo
Where: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Aledo’s Tim Buchanan Stadium
Denton Guyer needed a safety and a field goal in the fourth quarter to beat 12-time state champion Aledo last season. Now, Aledo will look to avenge that loss. Four-star wide receiver Kaydon Finley, a Notre Dame pledge, will be a key factor. He had eight catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s matchup. However, Guyer has won three of the last four meetings, including a 44-14 victory in 2022 and a 60-57 thriller in 2019. This time, junior quarterback Zephyr Kreye, a 6-4, 190-pound junior with 10 Division I offers, will start his first game against Aledo.
Harrod’s pick: Denton Guyer 30, Aledo 21
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Lancaster vs. North Crowley
Where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Crowley ISD Stadium
The Dallas Morning News’ Greg Riddle ranked Lancaster as the team with the toughest schedule in the Dallas area, and the Tigers open against defending Class 6A Division I state champion North Crowley. Lancaster lost to North Crowley in last season’s opener, but the game was decided by just eight points. North Crowley lost more than eight players to Division I programs, including MaxPreps National Player of the Year Quentin Gibson. Still, the Panthers added Class of 2028 phenom Damarion Mays, who transferred to North Crowley and already holds 28 college offers. Mays could be one of the breakout stars in 6A this season.
Harrod’s pick: North Crowley 35, Lancaster 20
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Forney vs. Lake Highlands
Where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Wildcat-Ram Stadium
Forney is The News’ No. 12-ranked Class 6A team, led by the return of three-star quarterback Nelson Peterson Jr. and four-star running back Javian Osborne. Peterson threw for 2,298 yards last year with a 26-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio on 137-of-252 passing. He also added 731 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Osborne, a Notre Dame pledge and the No. 5 recruit in The News’ top 100 for the class of 2026, has rushed for 4,365 yards and 69 touchdowns in three varsity seasons. But, Lake Highlands made it to the second round while Forney lost in the first round last season.
Harrod’s pick: Forney 28, Lake Highlands 25
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Plano vs. Odessa Permian
Where: Noon Saturday at Ford Center at the Star
Fans can watch former powerhouses Plano and Odessa Permian on NFL Network in Week 1. The schools, famously featured in the Friday Night Lights TV series, combined for 13 state titles over a 30-year span. Plano won seven championships from 1965 to 1994, while Permian claimed six from 1965 to 1991. Plano safety Bradley Brown, a TCU pledge ranked No. 7 in the Dallas area’s class of 2026, will be one of the standout players in the matchup. Permian lost in the Area round, while Plano did not make the playoffs last season.
Harrod’s pick: Odessa Permian 21, Plano 14
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
DeSoto vs. Creekside (Ga.)
Where: 5 p.m Saturday at Creekside
DeSoto will face Creekside, a Georgia program that reached the state semifinals last season. The Eagles won back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023 before falling to Longview in last year’s Class 6A Division II Region II final. DeSoto returns four-star USC pledge Ethan “Boobie” Feaster, who caught 57 passes for 802 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Junior quarterback Legend Howell will take over for Kelden Ryan, now at Virginia Tech.
Harrod’s pick: DeSoto 28, Creekside 27
Related:Preseason rankings for Dallas-area 5A teams for the 2025 Texas high school football season
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Flower Mound Marcus vs. Keller
Where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Keller ISD Athletic Complex
Flower Mound Marcus quarterback Colton Nussmeier, rated the nation’s No. 5 quarterback and the No. 10 recruit in Texas in the class of 2027, threw for 1,939 yards and 16 touchdowns with only three interceptions last season. But even with the four-star quarterback returning, Marcus will need to replace its top three rushers and top nine receivers from last year. Last season, Keller led entering the fourth quarter but allowed a late touchdown in the loss.
Harrod’s pick: Flower Mound Marcus 21, Keller 14
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Austin Westlake vs. Prosper
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Mary Hardin-Baylor
After losing to North Crowley in the Class 6A Division I state championship last season, Austin Westlake opens Week 1 against Prosper. Westlake is one of the most storied programs in Texas, with four state championships and alumni such as Super Bowl MVPs Drew Brees and Nick Foles.
But Prosper, the seventh-ranked 6A team in The News’ rankings, returns 17 starters from last season’s playoff team. Quarterback Braeden Imhoff is back for his senior year after throwing for 2,631 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Harrod’s pick: Austin Westlake 32, Prosper 24
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Arlington Martin vs. Lake Travis
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Lake Travis
Austin Lake Travis beat Arlington Martin 51-12 in Week 1 last season before advancing deep in the playoffs. They allowed 20 or more points just five times while bringing back five starters on defense. Lake Travis has won at least 11 games in five of the past seven seasons. Arlington Martin has not reached 11 wins since 2019.
Harrod’s pick: Lake Travis 40, Arlington Martin 10
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Midlothian vs. Cedar Hill
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Longhorn Stadium
The News’ Greg Riddle ranked Cedar Hill as having the second-toughest schedule in the Dallas area, and the Longhorns open against No. 10 Midlothian. The three-time state champions won only three games last season but return Jalen Brewster, the nation’s top defensive lineman in the class of 2027. Midlothian three-star offensive lineman Noah Best, an Oklahoma pledge, will likely battle Brewster. Dual-threat quarterback Beau Wendel, who threw for 1,220 yards and 13 touchdowns and ran for 1,065 yards and 10 scores, is another player to watch.
Harrod’s pick: Midlothian 32, Cedar Hill 17
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Rockwall-Heath vs. Highland Park
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Highlander Stadium
Another intriguing matchup features 5A’s Highland Park against 6A’s Rockwall-Heath. Highland Park, which lost in the Class 5A Division I state title game last season, thrived in its classification a year ago. But Rockwall-Heath, a larger program, returns 15 starters. Quarterback Buck Randall led Highland Park to the No. 4 passing offense among Dallas-area Class 5A teams last season, averaging 262.6 yards per game. His top target, Cannon Bozman, also returns after catching 71 passes for 1,115 yards and 12 touchdowns. For Rockwall-Heath, Shawn Gary led the team with 52 catches for 655 yards and six touchdowns, while Christian Contreras added 23 receptions for 383 yards and four scores.
Harrod’s pick: Highland Park 35, Rockwall-Heath 32
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Don Bosco (N.J.) vs. Melissa
Where: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Coach Kenny Deel Stadium
Melissa has been one of the Dallas area’s most successful programs over the past eight years, posting a 78-24 record. But after finishing fifth in a tough district, the team shockingly missed the playoffs in 2024. The Cardinals will try to bounce back this season by opening against 15-time state champion Don Bosco Prep of New Jersey. According to the program’s website, Don Bosco has played 68 out-of-state games in its history, but this will be its first in Texas.
Harrod’s pick: Don Bosco 32, Melissa 21
Notable games for Week 1 of the Texas High School football season.
SportsDay Staff
Frisco Lone Star vs. Argyle
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Argyle ISD Stadium
Frisco Lone Star had the area’s No. 3 total offense last season, averaging 467.4 yards per game. In its season opener, it faces Argyle, which had the fourth-ranked scoring defense at 17.9 points per game. The matchup between one of the area’s top offenses and one of its best defenses should be electric. A key storyline will be whether Argyle can slow down Lone Star’s Davian Groce, the nation’s No. 4 athlete in the Class of 2026, and Karece Hoyt, the unanimous District 5-5A Division I MVP. Groce scored 25 touchdowns last season across rushing, receiving and returns. Hoyt threw for 3,308 yards and 34 touchdowns and ran for 1,547 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Harrod’s pick: Frisco Lone Star 31, Argyle 28
On Twitter/X: @ronharrodjr
Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Sign up for our FREE HS newsletter.