South Oak Cliff runs onto the field before taking on Richmond Randle in a Class 5A Division II football state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025.
Juan Figueroa/Staff Photographer
A look at the notable games around the Dallas area in Week 1 of the Texas high school football season. The only game on this list outside of the Dallas area is South Oak Cliff vs. Richmond Randle, which will be played at Prairie View A&M.
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Demetrio Teniente
Duncanville vs. Allen
Where: 7 p.m., Friday at Eagle Stadium
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The two state semifinalists last year will meet again in the first game of the season in the area’s highest profile matchup.
Duncanville is 2-0 against Allen in the two previous matchups winning, 31-9 in 2025, and 44-35 in the 2018 state semifinals.
In this year’s edition of the game, both teams enter with a lot of question marks. For Allen, it’ll be the first look at sophomore Ty Snell at quarterback going up against a Duncanville defense loaded with highly-rated talent like Gatlon Cryer and Janero Welch. Duncanville’s defense, although much more experienced last season, thoroughly controlled a veteran Allen offense in the state semifinal. It’s hard to imagine Snell facing a bigger test in his debut.
Who is starting at quarterback for Duncanville? Running backs Brayden Arnold and Robert Singleton along with Trenton Yancey will already test a young Allen defense that lost four of its top five tacklers and top two sack leaders from last season. Play this game again in November or December and it’s likely a different story, but for now Duncanville has the edge.
Johnson’s pick: Duncanville 34, Allen 24
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Demetrio Teniente
South Oak Cliff vs. Richmond Randle
Where: 7 p.m., Friday at Prairie View A&M
With Richmond Randle moving up to Class 5A Division I, we unfortunately won’t see these two meet in another 5A Division II state championship, but we’ll still get to have the rubber match in Week 1.
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Of course the marquee matchup will be Randle running back Landen Williams-Callis, who ran for over 3,500 yards in both his sophomore and junior seasons, against the South Oak Cliff defensive front. SOC held Williams-Callis to just 132 yards in the game, his lowest of that year. Randle is the most experienced team to start the year and SOC quarterback Jayden Williams and offensive lineman Brian Swanson are the key returners for head coach Jason Todd’s team.
One thing’s for certain, SOC will absolutely have plenty of new names in the backfield and at receiver that will make sure this game’s as good as the first two but a slightly more experienced roster is the safe pick in the first game of the season.
Johnson’s pick: Randle 24, SOC 21
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DeSoto vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
Where: 4 p.m., Saturday at St. Thomas Aquinas Stadium (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)
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Even though it’s dropping down from Class 6A, DeSoto couldn’t help but schedule one of the top teams in the nation in St. Thomas Aquinas, which will air on ESPN2. Last fall, DeSoto running back SaRod Baker started the season slowly before eventually topping out at over 3,000 yards rushing. His team will need the Texas Tech pledge to be his best self against the No. 3 team in the nation, according to MaxPreps.
If the name St. Thomas Aquinas sounds familiar, it’s because the Florida powerhouse has produced the likes of Joey and Nick Bosa, James White, Elijah Moore and plenty of more. In fact, according to Pro Football Reference, St. Thomas Aquinas has put the third-most players all-time of any high school into the NFL (51).
DeSoto lost to Creekside (Ga.) to open last season before eventually winning the 6A Division II crown, so don’t be surprised if the team takes an early-season loss here before rounding into shape.
Johnson’s pick: St. Thomas Aquinas 35, DeSoto 20
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Aledo vs. North Crowley
Where: 7 p.m., Friday at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium
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Two of the biggest powerhouses in and around the Fort Worth area collide.
Aledo’s finally in Class 6A and has Tre Williams, a move-in from Lewisville, at quarterback while North Crowley begins the DeMarcus Harris era with JT Torres behind center. There are a lot of new faces for Aledo compared to North Crowley, who returns the vast majority of its starters from its regional finalist team last season.
North Crowley has one of the best running back duos in the area with Kiante Ingram and G’Yrell Smith in addition to a top-tier secondary on the other side of the ball. Harris may be entering his first game as head coach but his roster has played a lot of football together and should have a major advantage over the 6A newcomers.
Johnson’s pick: North Crowley 28, Aledo 24
Demetrio Teniente
Highland Park vs Lewisville
Where: 1 p.m., Saturday at Max Goldsmith Stadium
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Lewisville likely has more of the future collegiate talent, but Highland Park’s pedigree can’t be discounted. Quarterback Buck Randall is already on pace to have one of the more storied careers in Dallas high school football history after throwing for over 8,000 yards so far in his career. But he’ll also have to work in a cast of new surrounding skill talent with all of his receivers and running back gone.
Lewisville has to replace last year’s starting quarterback Tre Williams, now at Aledo, but the rest of the roster is littered with ample talent such as Ole Miss pledge Taelyn Mayo at cornerback and Sam Houston pledge Aiden Evans at safety. Lewisville’s wideout trio of Derrick Martin, Jayden Thomas and Landon Brazzell will likely be the difference against theHighland Park defense.
Johnson’s pick: Lewisville 34, Highland Park 24
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Jenks (Okla.) vs. Southlake Carroll
Where: 7 p.m., Thursday at the Cotton Bowl
Southlake Carroll welcomes one of the top programs in Oklahoma in head coach Lee Munn’s first game as head coach.
Southlake enters as the favorite, touting one of the best offensive lines in the entire nation. Jenks boasts talent such as Florida pledge Kailib Dillard at safety and Utah pledge Braxton Daniel tight end. Nonetheless, even with Hunter Tomchek entering his first year as tarting quarterback, the talent on the SLC roster should be enough to get the win.
Blake Gunter and Brody Knowles will ease Tomchek’s transition into the starting job. Munn will have to work his magic with essentially a lot of newcomers on defense gameplanning against Jenks’ Landon Kizzar, who threw for over 2,400 as a junior last year in the regular season.
Johnson’s pick: Southlake Carroll 35, Jenks 20
Demetrio Teniente
Lancaster vs. Galena Park North Shore
Where: 7 p.m., Friday at Galena Park ISD Stadium
Stephen Jackson Jr.’s first game as Lancaster head coach is against the reigning 6A Division I state champions.
Lancaster returns a lot of key starters such as quarterback Joseph Hairston and elite prospects like James Foster III and Victor Scott. But North Shore is also stacked with future college talent, particularly along the offensive line, and at skill positions such as Memphis pledge Aubrey Johnson at receiver, who was on last season’s state championship team.
Johnson’s pick: North Shore 38, Lancaster 28
Demetrio Teniente
Anna vs. Colleyville Heritage
Where: 7 p.m., Friday at Mustang-Panther Stadium
For the first time in seemingly forever, Anna will not have Ziondre Williams behind center. Zephyr Kreye, a move-in from Denton Guyer, will start at quarterback. He holds offers from the likes of Houston and Oklahoma State. On the other side, Colleyville Heritage will work with sophomore Lane Vargas who started against Grapevine last season.
Both offenses bring back a lot of experience from last year and both defenses work in new starters. Expect a potentially high-scoring affair that leans Anna’s way with a more experienced quarterback at the helm.
Johnson’s pick: Anna 38, Colleyville Heritage 35
Demetrio Teniente
West Mesquite vs. Mansfield Timberview
Where: 7 p.m., Friday at Newsome Stadium
Two programs on the rise collide as Jeremy Williams takes over his first game as head coach of West Mesquite.
Timberview’s first year under Jacody Coleman showed a lot of promise and the program brings back 17 total starters including 10 on offense alone including quarterback Steven Hall and receives Braylin Barnett and Trysten Shaw. Timberview feels like a team on the verge of a breakthrough season and West Mesquite is in position to maintain its recent run as Williams takes over, but Timberview’s continuity wins out in Week 1.
Johnson’s pick: Timberview 24, West Mesquite 17
Demetrio Teniente
Richland vs. Frisco Wakeland
Where: 7 p.m., Thursday at The Star/Ford Center
Frisco Wakeland will make its 6A debut this season but its home opener is against a 5A Division I Richland with deep playoff aspirations after going three rounds deep last season.
Richland will have the best player on the field in senior running back Jayshon Gibson who had over 2,000 yards on the ground. Gibson’s committed to UCLA. But Richland also brings back quarterback Brett Kates and its top three leading tacklers defense while Wakeland has a lot to replace aside from running back Braxton Cole.
Richland is a team ready for another successful season while Wakeland is more in a transitional year.
Johnson’s pick: Richland 28, Wakeland 20
Demetrio Teniente
Rockwall-Heath vs. Denton Guyer
Where: 7 p.m., Friday at CH Collins Athletic Complex
Casey Dick makes his debut as head coach of Rockwall-Heath in a marquee Class 6A matchup against Denton Guyer. Guyer boasts one of the best defensive lines in the entire nation and look to shut down Heath’s offense guided by quarterback Prosper Neal and running back Carter Zahm.
How Carter Morgan takes to being the full-time starting quarterback for Guyer will dictate how far the team will go this season. In this one, Guyer’s defense will likely be the difference.
Johnson’s pick: Denton Guyer 21, Rockwall-Heath 17
Demetrio Teniente
Mansfield Lake Ridge vs. Prosper Walnut Grove
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Children’s Health Stadium
Prosper Walnut Grove’s first game as a 6A program is against one of the area’s more consistent programs in the top classification of the state. Mansfield Lake Ridge quarterback Deshawn Edwards is one of the top playmakers in the D-FW and will likely be the most dynamic athlete on the field.
Where Walnut Grove has to grow quickly is at quarterback and running back with the loss of Hayes Hackney and Cam Newton, who were key during last season’s 12-1 run. Lake Ridge has some replacements to make up front and on defense, but the skill positions are full of experience that should be a difference-maker early in the season.
Johnson’s pick: Lake Ridge 31, Walnut Grove 27