Top 10 Non-District Games in 2026: 6A & 5A

Note: These games are not listed in any particular order.

6A vs 5A Crossover

DeSoto vs Duncanville (Week 3, September 12)

It’s fitting this game will be held Saturday afternoon at the Cotton Bowl – there will be college prospects all over the field. None has more hype surrounding them than DeSoto running back and Texas Tech commit SaRod Baker. Last year, Baker had one of the best playoff runs of all time with over 1,600 yards in six Class 6A playoff games, leading DeSoto to its third Class 6A DII State Championship in four years. With Baker back in the fold and a drop to Class 5A DI on the horizon, DeSoto will be a popular state championship pick once again. 

Class 5A is already on notice for DeSoto. But if the Eagles beat Duncanville, they’ll be on red alert, threat level midnight. Reginald Samples’ Panthers – a Division I factory – are in a rare position with more lettermen returning than having graduated. And they’re all still sour after a narrow 10-7 loss to Galena Park North Shore in the Class 6A DI State Championship. Big and mean: That's the Duncanville Panthers story. Samples will have one of his largest teams in 2026. Kendrick Harris (6-foot-4, 310), Aiden Williams (6-foot-5, 300), and Travis Norris (6-foot-4, 325) are the Great Wall of Dallas.

Class 6A

North Crowley vs Aledo (Week 1, August 28)

There are two questions every TXHSFB fan has asked this offseason. Aledo fans have posited whether Class 6A is ready for Title Town, the state’s all-time leader with 12 state championships. Aledo haters have asked whether the Bearcats are ready for Class 6A after going back-to-back seasons without a state title since 2008. Well, we’re going to find out in Week One when Aledo faces North Crowley, who has posted a 55-4 record with a state championship victory in the last four seasons. 

But North Crowley has a couple of questions to answer, too. Will the Panthers’ resurgence lose steam now that firebrand head coach Ray Gates has moved to the college ranks? Or, did Gates permanently change North Crowley into a championship competitor long after his departure? Judging by their elevation of Demarcus Harris from defensive coordinator to the head role, North Crowley believes in the latter. Harris was the unsung coaching hero of the Panthers’ 2024 State Championship and was on staff with Gates for Cedar Hill’s 2020 state championship appearance.

Katy vs Humble Atascocita (Week 1, August 29)

In this corner, you have Gary Joseph, whose signature scowl and Weak Eagle defense have been Katy staples since he arrived in 1982. And in this corner, you have Kyle Coats, in his first year at Humble Atascocita, who was not even born when Joseph got to Katy. 

We know what we’re going to see out of Katy. Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Gary Joseph has a 286-31 record and has never won fewer than 10 games in a season. That’s why they’re the perfect measuring stick for what Coats’ Humble Atascocita program could be. Coats won a state championship as DeSoto’s defensive coordinator and led The Woodlands College Park to its first district championship and playoff win in school history. He was hired to break the Regional Final glass ceiling that has hung over Atascocita’s head. Week One may show how soon that can be done.

Allen vs Southlake Carroll (Week 3, September 11)

Frankly, we could’ve picked any of Allen’s first three games for this list. The Eagles have the best non-district slate in the state: Duncanville in Week One, DeSoto in Week Two, and Southlake Carroll in Week Three. Coach Lee Wiginton is attempting to send a message after going 27-2 over the last two seasons – Allen is all the way back. 

Southlake Carroll is an intriguing matchup for multiple reasons. In seven years under Riley Dodge, the Dragons went 107-10 with two state championship appearances. How different do they look under his longtime defensive coordinator, Lee Munn? The personnel is surely different with zero returning defensive starters. But Munn could still cook up schemes that give Allen sophomore quarterback Ty Snell fits. On the other hand, if the uber-talented Snell carves up Carroll, the entire state will be on notice.

Lake Travis vs Pflugerville Weiss (Week 2, September 4)

This is a matchup between an established power and a rising power. The craziest part is that the rising power might actually be favored.

That’s because Pflugerville Weiss returns 15 starters from a 10-3 season, the deepest playoff run in program history. They’ve also had a full offseason under Coach Malcolm Hill, who pulled off last year’s run despite getting hired on June 1. The Wolves should have one of the state’s best passing attacks with junior QB Jaxon Schad at the helm, who has started since his freshman season. He has two 1,000-yard wide receivers at the ready with DCTX four-star Tre Moore (1,443 yards, 19 touchdowns) and rising junior Jordan Anderson (1,268 yards, 17 touchdowns). 

Lake Travis may have the pedigree on Pflugerville Weiss, but they don’t have the same returning production. The Cavaliers bring back only four total starters. The offensive line lost four seniors, the defense lost nine starters, and the quarterback position is still up in the air. This game against Pflugerville Weiss will be an excellent measuring stick – and answer plenty of questions for district play. 

Humble Summer Creek vs Alvin Shadow Creek (Week 1, August 28)

Summer Creek (first season 2010) and Shadow Creek (first season 2018) have quickly become some of the most star-studded programs in Houston. Out of all the marquee Week One matchups, we’d argue this one might be the best battle between the skill positions. 

Summer Creek, which has gone 38-7 over the last three seasons with a state championship appearance, should be loaded once again. WR Benny Easter Jr, a Texas Tech commit, had 89 receptions for 1,509 yards and 19 touchdowns, while fellow wideout Larry “Tre” Brown is a four-year starter. QB Noah Spinks balled out in his first year as a starter with 3,690 passing yards and 43 touchdowns. Coach Kenny Harrison says Spinks isn’t easily rattled, as evidenced by his game-winning touchdown pass on 4th-and-8 to beat Katy in the third round of the playoffs. 

But Spinks and the offense will have their work cut out for them, throwing on Shadow Creek CB Brandon Sherrard. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound corner is long and rangy. Last year, he often shut down half the field and finished with 35 tackles, 10 PBUs, and three interceptions. On offense, junior WR Jaylen Addai, the son of Super Bowl champion running back Joseph Addai, made his own name last season with 1,200 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns. Addai isn’t even the only son of a Super Bowl champion on his own team! Rising sophomore BJ LaFell, the son of former NFL wide receiver Brandon LaFell, will be used all over the field. 

Don’t take any bathroom breaks during this one, and be sure to get your popcorn ready.

Class 5A

South Oak Cliff vs Richmond Randle (Week 1, August 28)

We didn’t officially rank these non-district games. But if we had, South Oak Cliff versus Richmond Randle is the clear-cut No. 1. This is the grudge match: Richmond Randle beat South Oak Cliff two years ago in the Class 5A DII State Championship, but the Golden Bears got their ‘get back’ last December. In one corner, you have a generational dynasty. South Oak Cliff seeks to become the third team in state history to make six consecutive state championship games. In the other corner, you have a generational player, RB Landen Williams-Callis, who just joined former Midland Lee legend Cedric Benson as the only two solo high school athletes to ever grace Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine cover. Williams-Callis, who enters the year with 7,554 career rushing yards, has an outside shot at the state’s all-time rushing record. But he’s also out for revenge.

Port Neches-Groves vs Fort Bend Crawford (Week 3, September 11)

Fort Bend Crawford is one of the most intriguing teams moving up a classification in the UIL Realignment. After going 12-2 in their second varsity season, the Chargers would be a certified state championship contender had they stayed in Class 4A. The team returns the District Overall MVP (WR Alvin Mosley), the District Offensive MVP (QB Braylon Fisher), and the District Defensive MVP (LB Camron Alakija). Jumping from Class 4A DI to Class 5A DII does not take them out of the state championship hunt. But it does make them more of a question mark.

Is Fort Bend Crawford ready for a deep playoff run in Class 5A? We’ll find out in Week Three when they face Jeff Joseph’s Port Neches-Groves. In four seasons under Joseph, the Indians are 53-7 with two state championship appearances. Sure, they have some questions to answer themselves – namely, who replaces three-year starting quarterback Connor Bailey and the heart of both the offensive and defensive line. They have two games before Fort Bend Crawford to get some answers.

Argyle vs Highland Park (Week 4, September 14)

This is the best coaching matchup of any non-district game in Class 5A. 

Highland Park’s Randy Allen, who leads all active coaches with 45 years as a TXHSFB head coach, is one win away from passing the legendary Phil Danaher for career playoff wins. If the Scots went 16-0, which hasn’t been done since 2018, he’d tie Danaher for most total wins. 

Todd Rodgers, meanwhile, has compiled a 269-47 record since taking over at Argyle in 2003. He’s never had a losing season, and only once in the last 17 years has he won fewer than ten games in a season (Argyle went a measly 9-3 in 2023). 

This game is also the best quarterbacking matchup on this list. Highland Park senior quarterback Buck Randall is closing in on Matthew Stafford’s school record for passing yards. Argyle has a new starter under center, but Hayes Hackney is no stranger to TXHSFB. The junior was a two-year starter at Prosper Walnut Grove, throwing for 3,139 yards and 37 touchdowns last year. He’ll also have one of the state’s best WR tandems with DCTX four-star and Texas Tech commit Julian Caldwell (94 receptions, 1,737 yards, 20 touchdowns) and Ake O’Neal (First Team All-District).

Brenham vs Huntsville (Week 1, August 28)

Looking back at this list, I’m realizing there aren’t any “historic” rivalries. Of course, Richmond Randle and South Oak Cliff are a new rivalry after meeting the last two years in the Class 5A DII State Championship. But none have the longevity of the Brenham vs Huntsville game, a series which Brenham leads 29-22-2. 

I’ll admit, I was a little nervous to include this game on this list. Last year, Brenham versus Huntsville was a state top-10 ranked matchup that didn’t have much drama: Brenham won easily 34-13. But the return of Brenham RB Jakoby Dixon alone is worth a nomination on this list – and the heated rivalry is just gravy. Two years ago, as a sophomore, Dixon was the District Overall MVP with 2,248 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns. Brenham entered Dixon’s junior year with state championship buzz, until Dixon transferred to The John Cooper School over the summer. Now, Dixon is listed on Brenham’s Dave Campbell’s Texas Football coach questionnaire and has Brenham High School back in his Twitter/X bio. The Oklahoma commit appears to be making up for lost time after earning the ‘Top Cub’ award for Brenham’s spring practice.