With the final whistle Saturday, the regular season is in the books.

The final week produced its share of upsets with a number of teams looking for that perfect regular season denied on destiny’s doorstep.

Did our experts see any of that coming? You be the judge.

Unbeaten no more

Port Lavaca Calhoun throws sand on Danaher’s moment, Calallen’s season

What our Greg Tepper thought: Calallen was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Calallen was a 3-point favorite

What our computer thought: Port Lavaca Calhoun was an 8-point favorite

What happened: 5A D2 No. 8 Port Lavaca Calhoun 17, 5A D2 No. 3 Calallen 6

Score one for DCTF’s artificial intelligence, which foresaw the Sandcrabs being an ungracious host to the Wildcats. Losing four fumbles and surrendering an 85-yard kickoff return contributed to the Wildcats’ undoing. Calhoun converted a pair of first half fumbles into a 10-0 lead, then extended it after Steve Johnson followed Jarius Stewart’s kickoff return with a short run. Calallen coach Phil Danaher was looking for his 400th win in charge of the Wildcats.

Mojo too much to overcome as Midland Lee suffers first loss

What our Greg Tepper thought: Midland Lee was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: NA

What our computer thought: Midland Lee was a 15-point favorite

What happened: Odessa Permian 42, 6A No. 17 Midland Lee 39

We featured the Permian-Lee game as our rivalry of the week. One of the more historic meetings came in 1988, chronicled in “Friday Night Lights,” when a 21-point underdog Lee team shocked mighty Permian. Thirty-one years later, Permian gets its revenge, shocking what our computer called a 15-point favorite to win the top seed in the D1 bracket from the Little SWC. Midland Lee led 25-21 in the third quarter before Easton Hernandez scored a pair of touchdowns to put Permian ahead to stay. Hernandez rushed for 149 yards and three TDs, passed for 142 yards and a TD and even caught a touchdown pass, holding his own in a duel with Lee’s Mikey Serrano, who passed for 397 yards and three scores.

Clemens denies Judson a perfect regular season

What our Greg Tepper thought: Judson was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Judson was a 10-point favorite

What our computer thought: Judson was an 8-point favorite

What happened: 6A No. 21 Schertz Clemens 34, 6A No. 7 Converse Judson 30

Clemens completed its best regular season since 2006 with an upset of Judson, which was seeking its second straight perfect regular season, to win its first district title in 13 years. Max DiDomenico’s 3-yard run with 6:20 left gave Clements the lead for good in a see-saw game. Clemens iced the win – and the top seed in the 6A Division 2 playoff bracket with a fourth-down stop with less than three minutes left. Clemens has won seven in a row heading into the playoffs.

Amarillo wraps up regular season with upset of Abilene Cooper

What our Greg Tepper thought: Cooper was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Cooper was an 8-point favorite

What our computer thought: Cooper was a 1-point favorite

What happened: Amarillo 49, 5A D1 No. 8 Abilene Cooper 35

Did our experts provide Amarillo with extra motivation? Either way, Amarillo closed out its best regular season since 2015 with a convincing win over No. 8 Cooper. The Golden Sandstorm flew out to leads of 28-7 and 35-14 and did enough down the stretch to claim the District 2-5A-1 title. Cooper’s high-powered offense rallied when defensive back Dylon Davis stepped in at receiver and caught five passes for 82 yards, but Amarillo recovered a pair of onside kicks and Blake Bedwell’s third touchdown sealed things.

Upset City

Weslaco East wins second straight showdown, district title in overtime

What our Greg Tepper thought: Edinburg Vela was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Edinburg Vela was a 2-point favorite

What our computer thought: Too close to call

What happened: Weslaco East 35, Edinburg Vela 28

These teams met last year in similar circumstances – winner gets the district title, and Vela took care of business. Our experts foresaw a tight game and were spot on. Ramsey Vasquez ran four yards for his third touchdown of the game to open overtime for Weslaco East, and the defense did the rest. Hector Muniz knocked away Edinburg Vela passes on both third and fourth down to secure the win and the District 31-6A crown.

West Columbia knocks off El Campo

What our Greg Tepper thought: El Campo was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: El Campo was a 2-point favorite

What our computer thought: El Campo was a 1-point favorite

What happened: West Columbia 17, El Campo 9

Another game that proved too tough to call correctly. El Campo had won four in a row but West Columbia got a much-needed win, and only its second over the Ricebirds since 1989. West Columbia used a defense that held El Campo to half of its usual 336 yards on the ground.  Columbia ties for the District 13-4A-I title with Needville but will be the second seed by virtue of a 34-17 loss, the team’s last loss.

Split Decisions

Wellington rockets past Wheeler

What our Greg Tepper thought: Wellington was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Wheeler was a 2-point favorite

What our computer thought: Wellington was a 4-point favorite

What happened: 2A D2 No. 5 Wellington 38, 2A D2 No. 8 Wheeler 18

Top 10 matchups can go either way, but fifth-ranked Wellington left little doubt in snapping Wheeler’s seven-game win streak. Wheeler led 12-8 but Wellington roared back for a comfortable win, spoiling Wheeler’s bid for a district title and a win in the home finale. Wellington closes out the regular season 9-1, its fourth straight season with one loss or fewer in the regular season.

Brenham ends upstart Weiss’ winning streak

What our Greg Tepper thought: Weiss was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Brenham was a 2-point favorite

What our computer thought: Weiss was a 7-point favorite

What happened: Brenham 38, Weiss 21

In just its second year, Weiss had put together an impressive season, riding momentum into the favorite’s role in a district title showdown with Brenham. After coming up short to newcomer Leander Glenn last year, the established Cubs took care of business with a 31-point explosion in the second half, including the final 24 after falling behind 21-14. Garrison Weiss and Daylonn McCown proved too tough a duo for the Wolves to handle. They rushed for 225 yards, and Weiss threw for another 132.

Hamlin hammers Albany to gain playoff momentum

What our Greg Tepper thought: Hamlin was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Albany was a 6-point favorite

What our computer thought: Hamlin was a 9-point favorite

What happened: 2A D2 No. 6 Hamlin 66, Albany 20

While Matt Stepp proved correct going with Brenham, going against the computer’s (and Tepper’s) favorite in this one just didn’t pan out. Hamlin got five touchdowns from Jevon Williams to avenge a pair of 2018 losses to Albany. Williams rushed for 188 yards and scored four touchdowns on just nine carries on offense and also returned a fumble for a touchdown. He added two interceptions to cap off a virtuoso performance.

Vanderbilt Industrial picks up key win to close regular season

What our Greg Tepper thought: Edna was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Vanderbilt Industrial was a 7-point favorite

What our computer thought: Vanderbilt Industrial was a 4-point favorite

What happened: Vanderbilt Industrial 20, Edna 14

It’s Tepper’s turn to buck the trend and pay for it. Vanderbilt Industrial scored 20 straight points to take a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter and then held off an Edna rally to wrap up an undefeated District 14-3A-1 campaign and earn the district’s top seed in the playoffs. With the win and district title, the Cobras complete an improbable turnaround following last year’s 5-6 campaign. Karsten Wimberly threw a pair of touchdown passes and Blayne Moreland added a touchdown run.

Chalk

Hooks closes regular season with tight win over Atlanta

What our Greg Tepper thought: Hooks was the favorite

What our Matt Stepp thought: Hooks was a 3-point favorite

What our computer thought: Hooks was a 1-point favorite

What happened: Hooks 42, Atlanta 35

Hooks joined the ranks of teams completing quite the turnaround from 2018 with a 42-35 win. After trailing for much of the game, Atlanta jumped ahead in by outscoring Hooks 21-6 in the third and deep into the fourth quarter, taking a 35-34 lead when Kade Wood connected with Caleb Hamilton for a 65-yard touchdown with 3:11 left. Hooks rallied and capped off the win when Mason Vasquez scored his third touchdown of the game with 46 seconds left. The loss proved heartbreaking for the Jackrabbits, knocking them out of the playoffs.

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