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Top Texas Team Of All Time Still A Debate

Photo via John Glaser, TexasHSFootball.com

 
Debates on the best of the best in Texas high school football history never cease to end. The best running back of all-time, the best quarterback, best coach, best dynasty and even the best mascot. Then there’s the best team of all time.

We scoured data of nearly 100 years of high school football in Texas and developed a rather lengthy list of potential “best teams of all time.” We then whittled it down to the top 10, although many will disagree based on the eye test, geographical location, personal bias or other collective reasoning.

To make the TexasHSfootball.com list, the teams needed to be an undefeated state champion — no losses or ties — and recognized as the state champion by the UIL. This list doesn’t include private schools or the PVIL, either. These are single-season teams and not necessarily a school that went on a dynasty run. Having star power played into the selection, as did a dominant defense.

Though there are many dynasty teams that didn’t make the list (cue up 1920’s Waco teams, the Amarillo squads from the 1930’s, Wichita Falls in the 1950’s, Brownwood in the 1960’s, Big Sandy in the 1970’s, Plano in the 1970’s and 1980’s, Fort Hancock, La Marque and Sealy in the 1990’s, and teams of the new millennium like Aledo, Carthage, Bremond and Canadian). Other perennial powers like Converse Judson, West Orange-Stark and Highland Park didn’t make the list, either.

So here’s the breakdown of the top 10, and let the debate begin (or continue):

​1956 Abilene

One of the first “mythical national champions,” Abilene went 14-0 with its third of four-consecutive state championships. Abilene went 14-0 and outscored its opponents by a 496-64 margin. They were named “Team of the 20th Century” by The Dallas Morning News.

​1973 John Tyler

Many regard Earl “The Tyler Rose” Campbell the greatest high school back of all-time in Texas, and he had tight end Ronnie Lee on this squad as well. Lee himself played in the NFL for 14 seasons. The Lions went 15-0 and beat a very good Austin Reagan team for the state title.

​1983 Daingerfield

This team had perhaps the best defense on the list, which puts them in this conversation, and the offense wasn’t too shabby. While going 16-0, Daingerfield outscored its opponents, 631-8 (not a typo), and had 14 shutouts, including 13 in a row to end the season. Its non-district opponents were Carthage, Kilgore and Gilmer.

​1985 Houston Yates

It’s a daunting task to beat a team that has five future NFL players on it, and the Yates Lions went 16-0 with that kind of talent. They scored 659 points and allowed just 79 on the season. To top it off, they destroyed defending state champion Odessa Permian, 37-0, for the Class 5A state title.

​1989 Odessa Permian 16-0 (627-97)

Of all the Permian state champion teams, this one was selected because of defense and an undefeated record. Just one year after losing to Dallas Carter in the famous “Friday Night Lights” game from the book and movie, the Panthers went 16-0 and rolled to a state championship. They scored 627 points on the season while collectively allowing just 97.

​1996 Austin Westlake

Before Drew Brees slung the ball at Purdue and began his NFL career, this future hall of famer directed the Chaps to a 16-0 record and 55-15 trouncing of Abilene Cooper for the state championship. Westlake averaged a little more than 41 points a game while giving up 11 per contest.

​1999 Midland Lee

The Rebels won three state championships in a row (1998-2000), but they only went undefeated once. Led by running back Cedric Benson, Lee went 15-0 and thoroughly handled Aldine Eisenhower, 42-21, for the state title.

​2006 Southlake Carroll

Carroll has won multiple state championships in various divisions, but this was their best. The Dragons went 16-0 and their average margin of victory was 44-8. But equally as impressive is the list of teams they beat along the way, including Dallas Lake Highlands and Shreveport’s Evangel Christian in non-district, and then through the playoffs they beat Lewisville, Euless Trinity, Odessa Permian, Colleyville Heritage, Allen and Austin Westlake.

​2013 Allen

The Eagles won three-straight state titles with Kyler Murray at quarterback, but their best team was his junior year when Allen scored 807 points on the season and allowed 298. Allen bullied Pearland in the 5A Division I state championship, 63-28, before moving to 6A the next year and winning that Division I title.

​2015 Katy

If Daingerfield’s defense was the gold standard last millennium, then Katy’s 2015 team set it for the current days of teams throwing the ball all over the yard. Katy went 16-0 and allowed only 62 points all season. Katy, which shut out 10 opponents that year, put an exclamation point on the season by thumping Lake Travis, 34-7, for the 6A Division II state title.
 

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Jim Zimmermann
Jim Zimmermann
6 years ago

You have to include the 2013 Aledo Bearcats. The first and still only high school 11 man football team to score over 1000 points in a season. Went. 16-0 and the team was never trailed any team all year. Not even the Daingerfield team can say that.

Bearcat killer
Bearcat killer
6 years ago
Reply to  Jim Zimmermann

They only allowed 8 points meaning they never trailed as well. Pretty close comparison.

John Outlaw
John Outlaw
6 years ago
Reply to  Jim Zimmermann

Houston Jack Yates 1985 Team. For sure

Kevin Summers
Kevin Summers
6 years ago

Daingerfield 631-8

Michael Priddy
Michael Priddy
6 years ago
Reply to  Kevin Summers

2014 Allen Eagles National Champions didn’t play a single game at home because stadium was under repair.

Dodie Brice
Dodie Brice
6 years ago

Where are the sixman teams? Did you even evaluate them for this list? There are far too many fans of small school ball to exclude them.

CW Hibbs
CW Hibbs
6 years ago

Richland Springs 12 State Titles

Trey Chambers
Trey Chambers
6 years ago

Funny…the picture of Katy at the top of the article is from their game against Westlake last year where they lost after a great performance by Sam Ehlingher. As much as it pains me, the 2017 Lake Travis team was as good as it gets, especially on offense. I think they had 7 D1 starters on offense and 4 more on defense. My heart votes on 1996 Westlake crew lead by Brees.

Corey
Corey
6 years ago
Reply to  Trey Chambers

Agree with you about the 2017 Lake Travis team. They started off slow and weren’t undefeated, but after week 2 they pretty much destroyed even top teams by 50 points or so…without trying to run up the score. They pretty much won the final game against The Woodlands (a very good team) before the first quarter was over.

Steven M Waldrop
Steven M Waldrop
6 years ago

Wait, not one single six-man team on this list? I don’t argue any of the others, but there have been some great teams in “that other division.”

Benny Cereceres
Benny Cereceres
6 years ago

2016 Canutillo Eagles, made history to become the Ist Team in the El Paso, Texas area to go to Semi-final’s.

Benny Cereceres
Benny Cereceres
6 years ago

It was the 2014 not the 2016

Nicolas Jeter
Nicolas Jeter
6 years ago

West-Orange Stark went 16-0 in 2016, allowing only 69 points all season.

Brittney Choat
Brittney Choat
6 years ago

Why are there no Six~Man teams? Were there any that were even evaluated?

Cowboy Parks
Cowboy Parks
6 years ago
Reply to  Brittney Choat

They mentioned Fort Hancock, but overlooked several great teams.

Mike
Mike
6 years ago

The Plano Wildcats should be in the discussion. 7 state Championships since 1965. Won in every class they were ever in…AA, AAA, AAAA, AAAAA, AAAAAA. National Champs in 86 or 87. they should be in the mix.

Tim Smith
Tim Smith
6 years ago

2016 Lake Travis team is the best I’ve ever seen.

Jeff Hare
Jeff Hare
6 years ago

Should there be another list for 6-man football teams?

Chad Downs
Chad Downs
6 years ago

Seen an online discussion for a list of the top Texas High School football teams of all-time. I had to chime in.

The 1936 Hull-Daisetta Bobcats, who at the time, set the “National Record” with 43 straight consecutive victories without a loss.

HD didn’t lose a game during the seasons of 1936, 37, 38 and in 39, they finally lost the last game of the year vs Humble, the streak was broken at 43 wins in 44 games.

So HD won 3 Titles in a row, during their “National Record” setting campaign. During the season of 1936, HD’s defense shutout every team it faced, but one, giving up just 6 points to Beaumont French in the playoffs… The Bobcats arguably had one of the best defenses of all-time. Think about a team these days winning a Title and only giving up 6 points all year. The list of teams HD shut out will surprise you, teams like PNG, Dayton and Barbers Hill. The Bobcats only gave up 32 points all season in 1937, in 1938 they gave up 63 points, in 1939 they gave up 59 points total. What a dominate example of a defensive dynasty. If the 1956 Abilene team can be recognized on this list, there is no doubt this “National” record setting Hull-Daisetta Bobcat team should be on the list.

http://www.hdisd.net/UserFiles/Servers/Server_319522/File/Migration/1930s%20Record.pdf

https://texashsfootball.com/top-texas-team-all-time-debate/

Scott
Scott
6 years ago

How is the 88 Dallas Carter team not on this list? Just watch the recent ESPN 30 for 30 “What Carter Lost”
Despite their well documented off-field issues, 18 to 20 kids received full college scholarships. 3 had NFL careers.. No other team in history can top that…

Eric
Eric
6 years ago

1985 Yates team…NO DOUBT

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