Written by Will Johnson, August 25, 2026
The BTGS ranking system
Texas is too big—and its classifications are too different—for a statewide ranking to be based only on record or enrollment. The BTGS system begins with a preseason evaluation and then shifts toward results as games are played.
Preseason score (100 points)
| Category | Weight | What we evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 résumé | 25 | Playoff finish, quality wins and performance against elite opponents |
| Returning impact | 25 | Proven starters, quarterback play, difference-makers and line play |
| Program standard | 20 | Multi-year consistency, depth and ability to reload |
| Defense and trenches | 15 | Offensive line, defensive front and the ability to travel in the playoffs |
| Schedule test | 10 | Quality of district and non-district competition |
| Coaching continuity | 5 | Staff stability and proven postseason leadership |
Weekly in-season score (100 points)
| Category | Weight |
| Results and opponent-adjusted performance | 35 |
| Strength of schedule | 20 |
| Quality wins | 15 |
| Game control (with a cap to discourage running up scores) | 10 |
| Roster availability and current form | 10 |
| Preseason foundation | 10 |
The preseason foundation will decline during the year. By the second half of the season, what a team has done on the field will matter far more than its August reputation. A loss to an elite opponent will not automatically cause a major drop, and an undefeated record against a weak schedule will not guarantee a rise.
The BTGS preseason top 10
1. Duncanville Panthers
Duncanville starts at No. 1 because it combines the strongest consensus placement with elite depth, proven line play and another championship-level roster. The Panthers finished 12-2 and only three points short of the 2025 6A Division I title. Reginald Samples returns, and the roster includes receiver Trenton Yancey, defensive back Jonathan Barnes and offensive linemen Aiden Williams and Kendrick Harris. Duncanville has the fewest preseason questions of any team in the state.
2. DeSoto Eagles
The defending 6A Division II champion has a legitimate argument for No. 1. DeSoto finished 13-3 and returns running back SaRod Baker, who ran for 3,081 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2025, along with high-level defenders K’Adrian Redmond and D.J. Rumph. The Eagles have won three state championships in five seasons. They sit just behind Duncanville because the Panthers receive a slightly stronger overall consensus from the major statewide and national rankings.
3. North Shore Mustangs
The defending 6A Division I champion deserves top-three respect. North Shore went 14-2 and has now won five state championships since 2015. Only eight starters return, however, so the Mustangs must replace several major offensive contributors. Their difficult schedule—including South Oak Cliff and Louisiana power John Curtis—will tell us quickly whether the new group is ready to carry the standard.
4. South Oak Cliff Golden Bears
South Oak Cliff went 15-1 and won the 5A Division II championship. The Golden Bears also scheduled like a program that wants to be judged against anybody, with Duncanville, North Shore and Longview on the slate. Some rankings place SOC lower than this because it is a 5A program. BTGS rewards championship production, physical defense and willingness to play elite competition.
5. Southlake Carroll Dragons
The Dragons finished 14-1 and remain one of the deepest programs in Texas. Quarterback Hudson Tomcheck and receivers Blake Gunter and Brody Knowles give the offense major upside. The reason Carroll is not higher is transition: former defensive coordinator Lee Munn replaces Riley Dodge as head coach. Familiarity should make the change smoother, but it is still something the top four teams do not have to answer in the same way.
6. Allen Eagles
Allen’s 14-1 record, returning young talent and program depth make the Eagles a top-six team. James Roberson, Boogie Talib, quarterback Ty Snell and tight end Jaden Davis headline the returning group. No contender faces a more revealing opening stretch: Duncanville, DeSoto and Southlake Carroll. Allen could climb faster than anybody—or take early losses without necessarily becoming a worse football team.
7. Smithson Valley Rangers
Back-to-back state championships and three consecutive seasons with at least 14 wins demand respect. Texas commit Ty Knutson returns at quarterback, giving Smithson Valley proven leadership at the game’s most important position. The Rangers begin below the larger 6A powers in a statewide projection, but their postseason résumé is stronger than several teams ranked ahead of them.
8. Richmond Randle Lions
Randle went 15-1 and reached the state championship game. The offense again runs through Texas pledge Landen Williams-Callis, the 2025 MaxPreps Texas Player of the Year. Randle has now built enough postseason credibility to move beyond “surprise team” status. A Week 1 matchup with South Oak Cliff provides an immediate opportunity to move up.
9. North Crowley Panthers
North Crowley finished 12-2 one year after winning the 2024 6A Division I championship. Talent remains on both sides of the ball, but DeMarcus Harris takes over as head coach and a new quarterback must settle in. The ceiling is championship-level; the early ranking reflects the amount of transition compared with the teams above.
10. C.E. King Panthers
C.E. King earns the final spot after a 13-3 season and the program’s first trip to a state final. Receiver Dillion Mitchell supplies game-changing speed, and District 17-6A will test the Panthers against North Shore, Summer Creek and Atascocita. Aledo, Waxahachie and Carthage were also strongly considered, but King’s combination of recent playoff achievement and weekly schedule strength gives it the edge.
First five out
Aledo
Waxahachie
Carthage
Summer Creek
Stephenville
Why this ranking will change
Preseason rankings are a starting point, not a trophy. Allen’s opening three games could reshape the list immediately. South Oak Cliff and North Shore will face each other. Randle gets an early championship-level test. Smaller-classification powers such as Carthage and Stephenville can move into the top 10 by controlling their schedules and beating strong opponents.
BTGS will value the full body of work: who you played, how you performed, what you do well and whether your football travels. Reputation gets a team into the preseason conversation. Results decide where it stays.
