Thursday marks the beginning of the 28th annual Texas 7-on-7 State Tournament. 

For the 27th year the event will be held in College Station, and once again the action will take place at Veterans Park. (NOTE: The 2020 event was scheduled to be in College Station but was canceled due to Covid-19).

A robust 128 teams from across the state will gather for three days of action in one of the final big offseason events before the start of the 2026 Texas high school football season.

The event has grown from humble beginnings with just 24 teams playing the inaugural event to this weekend’s massive showcase. As usual, here's a tournament primer and some things to watch for the exciting weekend of action!

What Is It?

For those of you who are new to this, 7-on-7 is a game very similar to flag football, except there are no flags; players are “tackled” with a touch of one-hand on any part of the body. It's played on a 45-yard field, with seven players per side. There’s no rushing or rushing by the QB; it’s all passing and QBs have four seconds to throw the ball. Games are played in two 15-minute halves and the clock never stops.

Teams qualify for the State 7-on-7 Tournament by advancing out of one of the numerous qualifying tournaments played across the state; those tournaments began in late April. Teams are divided into three divisions. Division I plays Friday and Saturday and consists of 6A, 5A and large private schools, while Division II plays Thursday and Friday and consists of Class 4A, 3A Division I and small private schools. Finally, the Division III bracket, which consists of schools in Class 3A Division II and below – no private schools are allowed in this division, plays Thursday and Friday, as well.

 

Who Are The Historical Powers?

Without question Celina has the best history of teams at the State 7-on-7 Tournament. The Bobcats have won four titles (2000, 2007, 2009 and 2012) and nearly every year are a contender to bring the hardware home. However, they did not choose to participate in state qualifying this year due to a coaching change, expect Celina to be back participating in 2027. DeSoto is making a push to challenge Celina as the Eagles now hold three titles after their title in 2023 and they also played in the championship game in 2010.

Other multiple title winners include:

DeSoto: 2011, 2022, 2023

Graham: 2013, 2014, 2017

Baytown Lee: 2001, 2005 (did not qualify)

Southlake Carroll: 1998, 2013 (did not qualify)

Lake Travis: 2010, 2017

Kaufman: 2016, 2021 (did not qualify)

Hitchcock: 2022, 2023

Miles: 2022, 2023 (did not qualify)

 

Of note, Southlake Carroll fell in the title game in Division I in 2019, while Graham also played for the title in 2012, falling to Celina in the Division II bracket. Navasota won a title in 2015, but the Rattlers also played for the crown back in 2008, falling to Crane. Crane, aside from their title in 2008, did play for the state title in 2007 and again in 2019. College Station A&M Consolidated won the Division I crown in 2019 and they played for the title in 2018, losing to cross-town rival College Station and played for the Division I crown in 2023 falling to Round Rock. Brownwood had held the longest streak of qualifying for the State Tournament at 23 straight years, but that streak came to an end in 2024, the Lions returned to State in 2024, but failed to qualify this summer. Lake Travis currently holds the longest consecutive streak of qualifying as the Cavs have made it to the State Tournament every year since 2004.  

 

The Defending Champions

All three defending state champions are back at the State Tournament, but one of the champions won’t be able to defend their title. Division I champion The Woodlands qualified at their own tournament on May 30. Last year’s Division II champion Frisco Panther Creek moved up to 5A in February, so they will be in the Division I bracket after qualifying at the Anna SQT on May 8.

Division III state champion Tidehaven had to wait a while to earn their trip to College Station as the Tigers qualified on June 12 at their own SQT.

 

How Do Champions Do In The Fall?

In the early days of 7-on-7 there was little-to-no correlation to winning the state title in 7-on-7 and success in the fall. In fact, Baytown Lee won in 2005 and failed to win a game that season. However, in recent years that trend has started to change and there’s even been a few teams who won both State 7-on-7 and UIL football titles in the same year.  (Tyler Lee – 2004, Celina – 2000 & 2007, Lake Travis – 2010, Melissa – 2011, DeSoto -2022, Gunter-2024).

However, just because you don’t win a state title in football doesn’t mean the season was a failure. Check out some of the other deep playoff runs by State 7-on-7 Champions below:

2009: Round Rock Stony Point (state semifinalist)

2010: Brownwood (state semifinalist)

2012: Celina (regional semifinalist)

2013: Southlake Carroll (regional semifinalist)

2013: Graham (state semifinalist)

2014: Graham (state semifinalist)

2015: Austin Westlake (state finalist)

2016: The Woodlands (state finalist)

2017: Graham (state semifinalist)

2017: Lake Travis (state finalist)

2018: Midlothian Heritage (regional semifinalist)

2018: Gunter (state semifinalist)

2019: Sunnyvale (regional semifinalist)

2022: Hitchcock (regional semifinalist)

2023: DeSoto (regional finalist)

2025: Tidehaven (regional finalist)

In 2025 the eight quarterfinalists in Division I combined to go 87-21 in the fall in real football; all eight teams made the playoffs. Included in that group of eight was the 5A-Division II state champions (South Oak Cliff), a 6A-Division I state semifinalist (Lake Travis) and a pair of state semifinalists in 6A-Division II (Willis and Dripping Springs).

The eight quarterfinalists in Division II went 61-35 in the fall. Seven of the eight teams made the playoffs a year ago and included in that list was a 4A-Division I state finalist (Kilgore) and a 4A-Division I regional semifinalist (Bay City).  

In Division III, the final eight teams standing were a solid 73-23 in the fall, with seven of the eight teams eight making the playoffs. The group includes a state champion in 2A-Division I (Hamilton) and a 3A-Division II regional finalist in Tidehaven. There were also a trio of regional semifinalists (Poth, Ganado and Albany).  

 

Who Are the Teams to Watch in 2025?

In Division I, you’ve got to start with Allen. The Eagles have been absolutely dominant this summer failing to lose a game in tournament or league play. Defending champion The Woodlands looks like the top contender out of Houston, while there’s a pair of teams to watch out of Austin in Pflugerville Weiss and Lake Travis. Other teams to keep an eye on are DeSoto, Killeen Harker Heights, Cypress Ranch, Coppell and last year’s Division II champion Frisco Panther Creek.

In Division II, it once again looks to be a very balanced field. 2024 champion Hamshire-Fannett could be a real contender, while other teams to watch include Graham, Stephenville, Tyler Chapel Hill and Corpus Christi Miller.

Moving to Division III, Tidehaven, last year’s champion, will be considered an underdog as they had to wait until mi-June to qualify. Newcomer Jefferson out of deep East Texas looks formidable, while other teams to keep your eyes on will be Ganado, Hamilton, De Leon and Van Vleck.

 

Killeen ISD Representing Strong

For the first time ever Killeen ISD will have three schools in the tournament. Perennial power Harker Heights is back in College Station and that’s not a surprise to anyone as the Knights have an outside chance of winning it all in Division I. Killeen Ellison and Killeen Shoemaker were both surprise qualifiers, Ellison advanced to State on June 13 at the Midlothian SQT, their first state appearance since 2016. Killeen Shoemaker punched their first ever ticket to State on May 30 in Arlington as the Grey Wolves stunned DeSoto to advance to College Station.

 

El Paso Andress Playing Up

For the first time since 2007 when Carthage made the Division I tournament as a 4A school, we have another 4A program in the Division I bracket. El Paso Andress after not qualifying for the Division II tournament in Seminole made a statement in the Sun City knocking off 6A El Paso Pebble Hills to advance to College Station for the first time.

 

It’s Been a While, Welcome Back!

These teams have advanced to the State 7-on-7 Tournament before, but it has been a few years, so welcome these old friends back to College Station:

Cedar Hill (last appearance 2019)

Cy Ranch (last appearance 2018)

Gregory-Portland (last appearance 2010)

Houston Yates (last appearance 2004)

Killeen Ellison (last appearance 2016)

Laredo Nixon (last appearance 2005)

Pilot Point (last appearance 2016)

Round Rock Cedar Ridge (last appearance 2017)

Seminole (last appearance 2011)

Stafford (last appearance 2019)

Sweetwater (last appearance 2017)

Tyler Legacy (last appearance 2015)

Van Vleck (last appearance 2010)

 

First Appearance At The Dance

Below is a list of the teams making their first-ever appearance at the State 7-on-7 Tournament:

DIVISON I:

Beaumont United

Edinburg Economedes

El Paso Andress

Huntsville

Katy Freeman

Killeen Shoemaker

Mansfield Timberview

Wichita Falls Legacy

 

DIVISON II:

Fort Worth Southwest Christian

Troy

 

DIVISON III:

Axtell

Era

Jefferson

Olton

Seymour

West Rusk

 

Road Tripping Or Sleeping In Your Own Bed?

For the first time in quite some time, no local schools in Bryan-College Station qualified for the State Tournament as College Station and A&M Consolidated both came one game short in a couple of qualifying tournaments, while Bryan Rudder did not qualify, Bryan High also going through a coaching transitition, did not participate in any SQTs. Huntsville, located 57 miles away is the closest Division I team in the dance. As is always the case, a team from El Paso wins the award for longest road trip overall and this year it’s El Paso Andress in the Division I bracket traveling 681 miles from Northeast El Paso to the Brazos Valley.

In Division II the top travel award goes to Dumas who will venture 560 miles south from the Texas Panhandle down to College Station. There aren’t any truly local teams playing in the Division II bracket, with Troy getting the honors as the “local” squad with an 84-mile one-way trip.

In Division III, Olton, which is northwest of Lubbock on the South Plains, has the longest road trip as the Mustangs will travel 491 miles to College Station, while nearby Hearne doesn’t have to deal with hotel reservations as they are just 25 miles northwest of the Bryan-College Station area on Highway 6.

 

Coming Out to Watch Your Team Play?

If you can, come on out to College Station and cheer your favorite team on. Even if you are just a high school football fan, it’s a blast to come out and watch these talented players in action up close and personal. Admission is free, bring a chair, a cooler stocked with cold drinks, an umbrella or other type of shade and lots of sun screen! The Bryan-College Station area has plenty of hotels, but they book quick so if you plan on staying more than a day, make sure you get your reservations ASAP. The Veterans Park complex in College Station is quite large and if you plan on going to multiple fields to check out the action, be prepared for a 10-15 minute walk. If you are dining out Thursday or Friday night try to make reservations if possible, if not be prepared for lengthy wait times at the local establishments. The DCTF crew will be out and about all over the place so come by our tent and say hello or if you see us out at a field say hi!

 

How To Follow The Tournament If You Can’t Make It

If you can’t make it out, DCTF will be all over the action putting out updates, recaps and video highlights throughout the weekend on all of our social media channels! On Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. tune into all Dave Campbell’s broadcasting channels (YouTube, Facebook, TexanLive, Twitter) for a recap show live from our studios in Lewisville!

 

You can follow all of the State Tournament scores HERE!