Turkey – Katy Tigers

The more I think on it, Katy is the perfect turkey.

Ask someone to rattle off Thanksgiving dishes and 99.9% start with turkey. It will be on the family table until the end times. Katy is a signature brand of TXHSFB that will always be in championship contention come December. The Tigers' last losing season was 1990; they're tied for the most state championship appearances in UIL history with 15, and head coach Gary Joseph has a career record of 276-30.

Turkey is not universally beloved. One, people love being contrarians and hating on the best. Two: turkey has been accused of being dry. Katy has run the same Power I-formation offense since Joseph arrived as the school's defensive coordinator in 1982. The running joke within the program is that players from 30 years ago could still call plays.  

Turkey is also consistent. Over the years, families have tried to add more protein dishes to spice things up, just as Katy ISD has added nine high schools since Joseph took the job in the early 80s. 

Ham – Aledo Bearcats

In recent years, ham has gained traction on the Thanksgiving table to the point that it sometimes competes with or overtakes turkey as the central dish. While Katy is the traditional TXHSFB Blue Blood, Aledo has made 12 state championship appearances since 2009 and now has the most state championship victories of any UIL team with 12. 

Why do some prefer ham over turkey? Because it has more juice. Aledo often has some of the most electric skill position players in Texas. Running back Johnathan Gray is TXHSFB's all-time leading rusher and Jase McClellan played at Alabama and went to the NFL. Quarterbacks Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and Hauss Hejny were DI quarterback recruits, throwing to spark-plug wide receivers JoJo Earle and Money Parks.

Mashed Potatoes – Carthage Bulldogs

Mashed potatoes are the most dependable Thanksgiving dish. It's so hard to mess them up, and they make everyone feel good. Carthage under Scott Surratt is 10-0 in state championship games, and only one game has been decided by a single score. Carthage is the comfort food of TXHSFB.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Roasted Garlic - Southlake Carroll Dragons

Southlake Carroll and Carthage both have high-powered, pass-happy offenses that feel good to watch, but Southlake Carroll is more city to Carthage's country.

Mac and Cheese – South Oak Cliff

I always forget Mac and Cheese is a Thanksgiving dish until I sit down at the table and go, 'Oh, hell yeah, mac and cheese!' Similarly, TXHSFB fans always forget about South Oak Cliff until December because they beat every team in their district 55-0, then show up to Jerry World and remember how awesome the team is.

Stuffing – Longview Lobos

It's called stuffing because it leaves you stuffed. Be careful with this dish, because it can accumulate in your stomach faster than your brain can signal that you're getting full. Before you know it, you don't have room for the other dishes. Longview's Prostyle I-formation and tenacious defense is a gut punch that leaves you battered and bruised for the rest of your schedule.

Green Bean Casserole – Allen Eagles

Everybody has an opinion about green bean casserole, and everybody has an opinion about Allen, the state's largest school. Eagle Stadium's grand opening in 2012 sparked debate everywhere about whether Texans do football better than anyone else or simply have their priorities out of whack. With an enrollment of 6,798, some believe they should open another school to give more students more opportunities. Others believe bigger is better and that they should continue operating like a small college. 

Rolls - Prosper

Prosper has quietly become an offensive line factory in the last four years. During the 2023 football season, the Eagles had seven DI offensive line prospects on the roster. Texas Tech's Ellis Davis and Kansas's Tyler Mercer were seniors, while Texas Tech's Connor Carty and Sam Houston's Logan Cahill were juniors. The young pups from that team, Texas A&M commit Zaden Krempin, Texas Tech commit Bryce Gilmore and Duke commit Sean Stover, are now leading a Prosper offense averaging 53.74 points per game. 

Creamed Corn - Galena Park North Shore

Creamed corn is delicious, but it's also forever stuck in your teeth. We predict every year that this will be the season North Shore doesn't win Region III, only for them to show up wedged in the back of your molar.

Squash - Odessa Permian

Squash was part of the first Thanksgiving in 1621 shared between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoags, but we don't often see it on the table today. Odessa Permian won a state championship in 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1990, a football powerhouse that became the subject of Buzz Bissinger's "Friday Night Lights," but hasn't reached a state championship since 1995. You can't tell the story of TXHSFB without Permian, just as you can't tell the story story of Thanksgiving without squash.

The Panthers are looking to break the state championship drought after reaching the third round of the 2025 TXHSFB Playoffs for the first time since 2014. 

Pumpkin Pie with Homemade Crust – Smithson Valley

The best pies also take the most time to make. Sure, store-bought pumpkin pie is tasty. But if you actually make the crust from scratch, bake it in your own oven, then set it out for hours to cool, your guests will be able to taste the difference. Putting your blood, sweat and tears into the pie makes it sweeter. That's how Smithson Valley head coach Larry Hill must have felt when he won his first state championship in 2024 after losing the previous four.