A look at the notable games around the Dallas area heading into Week 1 of the Texas high school football season.
Hot ticket
Aledo at Denton Guyer
Where: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Denton’s C.H. Collins Complex
This will be the third consecutive time since 2022 that 12-time UIL state champion Aledo and 6A area power Denton Guyer meet in pre-district play. Aledo edged Guyer 48-45 in 2023 and went on to win its second straight 5A Division I state title. Guyer won the contest 44-14 in 2022, handing Aledo its second straight loss of the season. Five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold, now the signal caller at Oklahoma, played a pivotal role in that 2022 victory and led the team to the Class 6A Division II state semifinal. Guyer had a bit of a down year in 2023, when it exited the playoffs in the first round. The program should be back to its dominant ways now that it has added four-star quarterback Kevin Sperry, an Oklahoma pledge ranked 18th in The Dallas Morning News’ top 100 recruits in the Class of 2025.
Taylor’s pick: Denton Guyer 42, Aledo 30
Spotlight on
North Crowley vs. Lancaster
Where: 2 p.m. Saturday at Frisco’s Ford Center at The Star
In a matchup that will be televised on Channel 21, North Crowley and Lancaster will meet for the first time in more than 20 seasons for the fourth annual Jerry Jones Classic. Each of the programs are fresh off deep playoff runs in 2023, with North Crowley advancing to the Class 6A Division I state semifinal and Lancaster appearing in the Class 5A Division I Region II final. Lancaster moved up to Class 6A this season. Both teams boast top recruits that feature in The News’ top 100 recruits in the Class of 2025. Big names include North Crowley’s three-star senior quarterback Chris Jimerson Jr. and Lancaster’s three-star senior receiver Emmanuel Choice.
Taylor’s pick: North Crowley 37, Lancaster 24
Argyle at Frisco Lone Star
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Frisco’s Toyota Stadium
Fresh off district championships last season, Argyle and Frisco Lone Star will meet in a clash between Dallas-area 5A powers. Argyle returns four starters on offense and six on defense, including first-team all-district free safety Nathaniel Bruce, who had 78 tackles and four interceptions last season. Lone Star, which returns nine starters on offense and six on defense, is crawling with talent, including five-star junior running back Davian Groce, The News’ all-area Utility Player of the Year for the 2023 season.
Taylor’s pick: Frisco Lone Star 35, Argyle 17
Red Oak at Colleyville Heritage
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Mustang-Panther Stadium
Ranked sixth in The News’ preseason Class 5A rankings, Red Oak has a dazzling wide receiver room with four-star Baylor pledge Taz Williams Jr., four-star junior Brayden Robinson and three-star Michigan State pledge Charles Taplin making up the corps. That group of talented wideouts will take on 14th-ranked Colleyville Heritage, which advanced to the Class 5A Division II Region I final last season. Heritage returns six starters on offense and eight on defense, including three-star wide receiver Braden Blueitt and first-team all-district selections in defensive tackle Evan Naeata and linebackers Madden Williams and Dax Hebeisen. Red Oak, a Class 5A Division I regional semifinalist last season, returns seven starters on offense and five on defense.
Taylor’s pick: Red Oak 38, Colleyville Heritage 33
Creekside (Ga.) at DeSoto
Where: 5 p.m. Saturday at DeSoto
Defending 6A Division II state champion DeSoto will headline a slew of Dallas-area teams playing out-of-state opponents in Week 1 when it hosts Georgia’s Creekside High School. Creekside finished 13–2 in 2023 and 7–0 in Georgia’s 5A Region 5. Nationally-ranked DeSoto is the Dallas-area’s top-ranked Class 6A team and, along with Duncanville, leads area programs in top-100 recruits in the senior class with six. Marquee DeSoto players include senior running back Deondrae “Tiger” Riden, a four-star Texas A&M pledge, and senior wide receiver Daylon Singleton, a four-star SMU commit.
Taylor’s pick: DeSoto 55, Creekside 27
Lake Highlands at Forney
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Forney’s City Bank Stadium
A 5A Division I state semifinalist last year, Forney will make its debut in Class 6A against Lake Highlands after moving up to the UIL’s highest classification in realignment. Forney, ranked 10th in The News’ preseason Class 6A rankings, returns five starters on offense and five on defense. Four-star running back Javian Osborne should be a main contributor on offense after rushing for 2,231 yards and 39 touchdowns during his sophomore season in 2023, while four-star Texas A&M commit Kelvion Riggins will help lead the defense. Lake Highlands enters its season opener after a 9–3 record in 2023 and a trip to the second round of the playoffs. Three-star safety Ayden Webb features on the Lake Highlands defense.
Taylor’s pick: Forney 30, Lake Highlands 20
South Oak Cliff at Galena Park North Shore
Where: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Galena Park North Shore
South Oak Cliff, a 2023 5A Division II state finalist, begins its tough non-district schedule this week against Galena Park North Shore, which lost to Duncanville in last year’s Class 6A Division I state championship. Taking on the five-time state champion should be a challenge for SOC, which is trying to win its third state championship since 2021 this season. But if anything, the game will be a showcase of top talent. SOC claims four players in The News’ top 100 recruits in the Class of 2025, including four-star defensive lineman Kamauryn Morgan, a Baylor pledge.
Taylor’s pick: Galena Park North Shore 32, South Oak Cliff 15
McKinney at Frisco Emerson
Where: 7 p.m. Thursday at Frisco’s Ford Center at The Star
Nate Leonard, who replaced Marcus Shavers, will coach his first McKinney game since taking over the program earlier this year. His team will go up against a Frisco Emerson team that was a 5A Division II state semifinalist last season. McKinney returns five starters on offense and six on defense, including five-star linebacker Riley Pettijohn and defensive lineman Jordan Covington, an Oklahoma State pledge.
Taylor’s pick: McKinney 34, Frisco Emerson 27
Lubbock Cooper at Lovejoy
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Lovejoy.
Todd Dodge, who won four state championships at Southlake Carroll and three at Austin Westlake, will make his debut as Lovejoy’s new coach as the team opens its season against Lubbock Cooper. Dodge unretired in January to lead the program, which possesses four-star wide receiver Daylan McCutcheon. McCutcheon is a Florida State commit who ranks 10th in The News’ top 100 recruits in the senior class. Lovejoy, a Class 5A Division II Region II finalist in 2023, returns four starters on offense and five on defense.
Taylor’s pick: Lovejoy 45, Lubbock Cooper 33
Midland Legacy at Allen
Where: 7 p.m. Friday at Allen’s Eagle Stadium.
Midland Legacy will visit Eagle Stadium this week after losing to Allen 52-35 in the third round of the 2023 playoffs. Allen went on to the Class 6A Division I Region I final, where it lost to North Crowley. Hoping to build off the momentum from last season, Allen returns six starters on offense and five on defense, including junior cornerbacks Kai Wheaton and LeBron Bauer. Running back Micah Ellis, who rushed for 1,082 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, also returns.
Taylor’s pick: Allen 49, Midland Legacy 31
Oakland (Tenn.) at Anna
Where: 7:30 p.m. Friday at Anna
Anna welcomes Oakland, Tennessee’s fourth-ranked team according to Max Preps, on Friday. Oakland finished 12–3 last season and will take on the 2023 Class 4A Division I champion that moved up to Class 5A in realignment. Anna returns eight offensive starters and two starters on defense. Junior quarterback Ziondre Williams threw for 2,930 yards and 39 touchdowns, while rushing for 844 yards and eight scores when he was a sophomore in 2023. He’ll be handing off to running back Edward Chumley. Chumley rushed for 1,069 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall.
Taylor’s pick: Anna 36, Oakland 20
Little Rock Parkview (Ark.) at Melissa
Where: 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Melissa
Parkview, Arkansas’ top-ranked team brimming with Division I talent, visits 5A power Melissa for Week 1. The Little Rock-based school is a defending state champion that went 15–0 in 2023. Its roster includes four-star Oklahoma commit Omarion Robinson at safety and three-star athlete Quentin Murphy, an Arkansas pledge. Melissa replaced graduated quarterback Trever Ham, who threw 86 touchdown passes over the last two years, with junior Noah Schuback, a three-star recruit with eight college offers. All five offensive linemen have college offers, including Oklahoma pledge Owen Hollenbeck.
Taylor’s pick: Little Rock Parkview 29, Melissa 21
Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
