TX HS FB is BAAAAAACKKKKKK

Texas High School Football Is Back: The 2026 Season Is Going to Be Special

Friday nights are almost here.

The lights are about to come on across the Lone Star State, stadiums are filling up, marching bands are preparing for another season, and thousands of high school football players are getting ready for the biggest opportunity of their lives.

Texas high school football is back.

And if the preseason hype is any indication, the 2026 season could be one of the most exciting yet.

From powerhouse programs chasing another state championship to young stars preparing to put themselves on the recruiting map, there is no shortage of storylines heading into this year's season.

The Road to State Starts Now

Every year, Texas produces some of the best high school football in the country.

The 2026 season is no different.

North Shore enters the season as the No. 1 team in the High School Football America's Texas preseason rankings after finishing 14-2 in 2025. Duncanville comes in at No. 2, followed by reigning 5A Division II champion South Oak Cliff, DeSoto and Allen.

And that's only the beginning.

Southlake Carroll, C.E. King, Richmond Randle, Lake Travis, Smithson Valley, Dickinson, Summer Creek, Prosper, North Crowley, Aledo, Lone Star, Vandegrift and Westlake are all among the teams expected to be in the conversation.

With that much talent packed into one state, making it through the playoffs is never easy.

Winning a state championship is even harder.

North Shore Has Its Eyes on Another Title

If there is one program that immediately grabs your attention heading into 2026, it's North Shore.

The Mustangs have established themselves as one of the premier high school football programs in America, winning five state championships since 2015.

After going 14-2 last season, North Shore enters 2026 ranked No. 1 in Texas by HSFA.

But the Mustangs aren't going to have an easy road.

North Shore is in District 17-6A alongside C.E. King, Summer Creek and Atascocita — four teams that appear in the preseason Texas Top 25.

That means North Shore will have to survive one of the toughest districts in the state before even thinking about Arlington and the state championship.

Duncanville Wants to Finish the Job

Duncanville is another program that deserves plenty of attention.

The Panthers enter the season ranked No. 2 in the state after finishing 12-2 in 2025. They are also ranked No. 15 nationally in HSFA's preseason rankings.

The Panthers have the talent and tradition to make another deep playoff run.

And with DeSoto moving down to Class 5A under the latest realignment, the landscape around Duncanville has changed.

That could make the Panthers one of the teams to watch as the season develops.

Don't Sleep on South Oak Cliff

South Oak Cliff might be one of the most intriguing teams in Texas.

The Golden Bears enter 2026 ranked No. 3 in the state after going 15-1 and winning the 2025 Class 5A Division II state championship.

They've already proven they can win when the pressure is at its highest.

Now the challenge is doing it again.

And with a talented roster and championship expectations, South Oak Cliff should be one of the teams everyone is talking about once the playoffs arrive.

Players to Watch

Of course, Texas football isn't just about the teams.

It's about the players.

Every season, new stars emerge from high schools across the state. Some already have major college offers. Others are waiting for their breakout season.

Here are a few names to know heading into 2026.

Landen Williams-Callis — Richmond Randle

One of the most exciting players in Texas heading into the season is Richmond Randle running back Landen Williams-Callis.

MaxPreps selected Williams-Callis as its choice for the best player in Texas entering the 2026 season.

That alone should tell you how much attention he deserves.

Richmond Randle also enters the season ranked No. 8 in HSFA's Texas Top 25 after going 15-1 in 2025.

If Williams-Callis can continue producing at an elite level, Richmond Randle could be one of the most dangerous teams in Texas.

KJ Edwards — Carthage

Carthage has been one of the most dominant programs in Texas high school football, and KJ Edwards gives the Bulldogs another major offensive weapon.

Edwards was ranked No. 1 among Texas running back prospects in Dave Campbell's final 2026 rankings and is committed to Texas A&M.

Carthage has built a reputation for developing high-level football players, and Edwards is one of the names college football fans should remember.

Tradarian Ball — Texas High

If you're looking for a player who can make a highlight reel almost every Friday night, keep an eye on Tradarian Ball.

The Texas High running back is one of the state's premier 2026 prospects and is committed to Oregon.

Ball's versatility is what makes him especially dangerous. During his junior season, he rushed for 777 yards and 11 touchdowns while also catching 44 passes for 1,017 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns.

That's the type of production that makes defensive coordinators lose sleep.

Felix Ojo — Mansfield Lake Ridge

At 6-foot-6 and roughly 285 pounds, Felix Ojo is hard to miss.

The Mansfield Lake Ridge offensive tackle finished as one of the highest-rated players in Texas' 2026 recruiting class and is committed to Texas Tech.

Not every superstar plays quarterback or running back.

Players like Ojo are a reminder that games are won in the trenches.

Keisean Henderson — Legacy School of Sport Sciences

One of the biggest names from the 2026 Texas recruiting class is quarterback Keisean Henderson.

Henderson finished as Dave Campbell's No. 1 overall prospect in Texas for the 2026 class and signed with Houston. He threw for 3,821 yards and 45 touchdowns as a senior while adding 591 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns.

While his high school career is complete, his impact on Texas high school football will be remembered — and his next chapter at Houston is one Texas football fans will be watching closely.

And There Are Even More Stars

The names above are only a small part of the talent spread across Texas.

Players like Javian Osborne, Jonathan Hatton Jr., Markel Ford, Zaden Krempin, Bowe Bentley and Jett Walker are among the many highly regarded Texas prospects who have already attracted major college attention.

And then there are the players nobody is talking about yet.

That's one of the best parts about the beginning of a high school football season.

Somewhere in Texas, a player is about to have a breakout game.

Maybe it's a sophomore.

Maybe it's a junior who hasn't received the recruiting attention he deserves.

Maybe it's a senior playing his final season who suddenly becomes one of the hottest prospects in the state.

We just don't know who it will be yet.

The Schools Everyone Should Be Watching

If you're looking for a short list of programs to keep an eye on this season, start here:

North Shore — The preseason No. 1 and perennial championship contender.

Duncanville — Another national powerhouse with championship expectations.

South Oak Cliff — The reigning 5A Division II champion.

DeSoto — A powerhouse moving into the 5A ranks.

Allen — One of Texas' most recognizable football programs.

Southlake Carroll — Coming off a 14-1 season and ranked No. 6 in the state.

Richmond Randle — Coming off a 15-1 season and entering 2026 ranked No. 8.

Smithson Valley — A 15-1 team from 2025 that enters the year ranked No. 10.

Aledo — A perennial powerhouse ranked No. 16.

Denton Guyer — Another program with the talent to make a deep postseason run.

Those teams represent only a fraction of what Texas high school football has to offer, but they're a good place to start.

The Best Part? Nobody Knows What's Going to Happen

That's what makes Texas high school football so special.

Rankings don't win games.

Recruiting stars don't win games.

Reputation doesn't win games.

Players do.

And once the season starts, everything changes.

The team nobody expected might make a playoff run.

The player nobody knew might become a star.

A rivalry game might completely change the trajectory of a season.

And by the time December rolls around, we'll know which teams have earned the right to call themselves champions.

Until then, all we can do is wait.

The stadiums are ready.

The players are ready.

The coaches are ready.

And Texas is ready for another season of Friday night football.

The 2026 Texas high school football season is here.

And something tells us we're in for one heck of a ride.