West Texas Well Represented in 2026 Texas High School Football Preseason Rankings
The 2026 Texas high school football season kicks off today, and the preseason rankings show plenty of familiar names, traditional powers, and several West Texas programs expected to make some noise this fall.
From Class 6A all the way down to the six-man ranks, teams across the South Plains, Panhandle, Permian Basin, and surrounding West Texas region are scattered throughout the preseason Top 25s. Several programs enter the season ranked among the very best in their respective classifications, while others begin the year with an opportunity to prove they belong among the state’s elite.
At the Class 6A level, Waxahachie begins the season ranked #1, followed by Galena Park North Shore, Sheldon C.E. King, North Crowley and Humble Summer Creek. Traditional powerhouse Duncanville checks in at #6. In Region I, several North Texas powers are also highly ranked, including Allen at #7, Southlake Carroll at #8 and Denton Guyer at #9. Coppell is #12, while 6A newcomer powerhouse Aledo, which has won a state title 13 times, eight of which are in Class 5A, is ranked #16
Class 5A Division I has DeSoto sitting at the top of the preseason rankings. Smithson Valley is No. 2, followed by Frisco Lone Star, Richmond Randle and Denton Ryan. West Texas is represented in the classification by Abilene, which enters the year at #18.
In Class 5A Division II, South Oak Cliff begins the season ranked No. 1, followed by Argyle at No. 2 and Port Neches-Groves at No. 3. Boerne and Anna round out the Top 5. The West Texas presence is further down the rankings, with Palo Duro beginning the season at #18.
Class 4A Division I features Stephenville in the top spot, followed by Lindale at #2 and Springtown at #3 (Region I)
. Kilgore and La Vernia round out the Top 5. In Region I, Decatur is #7, West Plains begins the year at #10, Greenwood is ranked #15, and Dumas enters the preseason at #24.
In Class 4A Division II, Carthage once again finds itself at the top, opening the season ranked #1. West Orange-Stark is #2, Waco La Vega is #3, Pleasant Grove is #4, and Cuero is #5.
In Region I, Brock begins the season at #6, while Lubbock Liberty is right behind at #7. Graham comes in at #12, and Seminole is ranked #15, giving Region I several programs to watch in what could be a highly competitive classification.
Columbus leads the Class 3A Division I rankings, with Gunter at #2, and Region I has Paradise at #3, which leads off for the nine teams in Region I that are in the Top-25. Wall is ranked #6, Peaster is #12, Llano is #14, and Shallowater begins the season at #15. Ingram Moore is #17, Vernon is #22, Clyde is #23, and Bushland rounds out the rankings at #25.
Class 3A Division II has Newton beginning the season ranked #1, followed by Troup and Tidehaven. Idalou leads Region I and enters the year at #4, and Canadian is ranked #6. Holliday comes in at #15, Jacksboro is #16, and Childress follows at #17.
Class 2A Division I features Ganado at #1, Shiner at #2, and Joaquin at #3, and between Region I & II, 12 teams are in the Top-25. Beginning with Cisco at #4, Mason at #5. Muenster comes in at #7, followed by Post at #8 and Panhandle at #9. Below the Top-10, Hawlet leads at #11, Spearman at #14, Ozona at #16, De Leon at #18, Alvord at #19, San Saba at #21, and Anson at #24.
In Class 2A Division II, it is a lot like Division I, with twelve teams in the Top-25. However, Bremond leads at #1, followed by Stratford at #2, Ropes right down the road at #3, and Gruver at #4; by the way, both Stratford and Gruver are in the same district. Moving on to teams from Region I & II, Albany is #6, Windthorst is #7, Wink is #8, and Wellington rounds out the Top-10 at #10. Crawford begins at #12, followed by Goldthwaite at #13. We drop down a little further and find Stamford at #17, West Texas at #21 (in the same district as Stratford and Gruver), and Wheeler at #23.
We use two six-man football rankings. According to local six-man football coaches, sixmanfootball.com is more accurate, but we also use Dave Campbell’s Texas Football (texasfootball.com) for the six-man rankings.
Looking at the 1A Division I rankings from both sets, Rankin, Jayton, Whiteface, Borden County, Klondike, and Naz look very competitive, especially in the Top-10.
In 1A Division II, it looks like Motley County, McLean, Richland Springs, Paducah, and Valley will have a lot to say in the Top-10. Something to note: both Meadow and Wellman-Union are in the Top-25, with Wellman-Union sitting at #21 and Meadow at #23. Terry County football fans have even more reason to be excited about the 2026 season.
Of course, preseason rankings are only a starting point.
NOTE: From 6A to 3A, Region I Teams are BOLD & highlighted yellow. 2A & 1A teams that are BOLD & Highlighted Yellow are in Region I, and those highlighted in blue are Region II.
