With the state’s Class 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A teams battling for district dominance, Top 10 rankings for the 2023 Texas high school football season provide some showcase showdowns ahead
With district races heating up in the 2023 Texas high school football season, showdowns with postseason implications take place under the Friday night lights each week throughout the Heart of Texas. As a result, the state’s Top 10 polls for Class 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A predict favorites for state titles.
With seven Heart of Texas teams — China Spring, Stephenville, Tolar, Mart, Abbott, Jonesboro and Oglesby — remain steadfast in their positions among the state’s elite with convincing wins, while a few more stand on the outside looking in at their respective Top 10 polls.
The defending state champion China Spring Cougars (1-0, 5-2) solidified their hold on No. 5 in the Class 4A, Division I state rankings by thumping Alvarado, 64-28 in their district opener, while the Stephenville Yellowjackets (4-2) held at No. 8 during their open week.
Without representation in the Class 4A, DII, Class 3A DI, Class 3A, DII Top 10 rankings, the Heart of Texas kept five teams in the smaller two classifications. But the undefeated Whitney Wildcats (4-0, 6-0), the Grandview Zebras (4-0, 5-1) and even the Lorena Leopards (3-0, 5-2) made cases for breaking into the Class 3A, DI poll with dominating victories.
Despite a strong presence in the Class 2A polls, two teams in the Heart of Texas continue to get overlooked in Class 2A, DI — the Axtell Longhorns (3-0, 7-0) and the Riesel Indians (3-0, 6-0) following big wins again.
In the meantime, Class 2A, DI includes the third-ranked Tolar Rattlers (2-0, 5-1) coming off a 43-0 shutout of playoff contender Coleman, while the perennial powerhouse Mart Panthers (3-0, 7-0) held on to second in Class 2A, DII by rolling over Frost, 71-0.
In six-man football, the Abbott Panthers (1-0, 6-0) held at No. 3 with an eye-opening 52-6 victory over the previously undefeated and eighth-ranked Aquilla Cougars (0-1, 5-1), while the Jonesboro Eagles (1-0, 6-1) stayed at No. 5 by opening district with a 74-28 win over Lometa in Class 1A, DI. The Oglesby Tigers (7-0) continued to roll as the second-ranked team in Class 1A, DII by crushing Bronte, 58-8.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has published the state’s most respected Texas high school football rankings for decades, and became the official rankings provider for the Associated Press starting in 2019. The rankings are compiled by the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football staff, and weekly rankings are revealed live on “Texas Football Today” every Monday at 12:15 p.m. at TexasFootball.com/Live.
Check out the complete pre-season state rankings going into Week 7 in all classifications on the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football website: Dave Campbell’s Texas Football – Texas High School Football State Rankings
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