The final week of the regular season is here and that means there are a lot of playoff tickets set to be punched.
And while some districts will have to rely on tiebreakers or results in multiple games to determine their top four games, there are a handful of games where the winner goes to the playoffs and the loser misses out.
Here’s a list of the win-or-go-home games this week in Texas high school football.
6A
13-6A: Conroe Tigers (5-4, 3-4) at College Park Cavaliers (4-5, 4-3) 7:00 Friday
Conroe has won two-straight, including a 77-point offensive explosion against Cleveland last week. The Tigers will be gunning for their third-straight playoff berth under head coach Cedric Hardeman. College Park is looking to return to the playoffs in its first year under head coach Kyle Coats after missing out a year ago. Sophomore quarterback Rodrigo Bravo Jr. lit up New Caney last week in a huge 34-27 victory as he threw for 355 yards and three scores.
5A
1-5A Division I: El Paso Ysleta Indians (4-5, 2-2) at El Paso Hanks Knights (5-4, 1-3) 7:00 Friday
Parkland has beaten both of these teams, so it is already guaranteed a playoff spot. Ysleta is hoping to protect its four-year streak of making the playoffs, while Hanks is looking to make it back to the postseason for the first time since 2019. The Knights have already surpassed their win total from the previous three seasons combined thanks in part to an explosive aerial attack led by Marcus Porras, who has passed for 2,444 yards and 22 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions.
5-5A Division I: Dallas White Longhorns (5-4, 4-3) at Birdville Hawks (4-5, 4-3) 7:30 Friday
Dallas White has been on its best run since the late 1970s with three playoff berths in the last three years. However, it will have to defeat a Birdville side that has won three of its last four games. The Hawks made it back to the postseason a year ago, snapping a two-year drought.
2-5A Division II: Plainview Bulldogs (5-4, 1-3) at Palo Duro Dons (3-5, 1-3) 7:00 Friday
The wheels have come off a bit for Plainview after its hot start as the Bulldogs have lost four of their last five games. However, they are just one win away from their first playoff berth since 2017. Palo Duro just snapped an eight-year playoff drought last season. The Dons will be hoping to make it consecutive playoff appearances. Look for Dons dual threat quarterback Darien Lewis (866 passing yards, 830 rushing yards, 17 total touchdowns) to have a big impact on the outcome of this game.
12-5A Division II: Travis Rebels (5-4, 3-3) at Austin LASA Raptors (6-3, 3-3) 7:30 Friday
It’ll be a big night at Burger Stadium on Friday. Either Travis will make the playoffs for just the second time in the last 10 years or LASA will punch its first-ever ticket to the postseason (LASA’s first year in a UIL district was last year). Travis has dropped three-straight against the top three teams in this district, while LASA scored a huge 44-43 win over Navarro last week to keep control of its own destiny in the playoff race.
13-5A Division II: Tivy Antlers (6-3, 2-3) at Lockhart Lions (3-6, 2-3) 7:00 Friday
Tivy made the playoffs for 23-straight seasons from 1997 to 2019 but has now made it just once in the past three years. The Antlers have relied on a two-quarterback system so far this season with both Julian Rhodes (956 passing yards and 272 rushing yards) and Jaxson Kincaid (570 passing yards) making plays for the offense. Just like Tivy, Lockhart made the playoffs a year ago. If the Lions can win on Friday, it will be the first time they’ve made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 2014-15. Their quarterback Ashton Dickens, an Army commit, is coming off a big game where he threw for 178 yards and rushed for another 128.
4A
5-4A Division I: Alvarado Indians (5-4, 0-3) at Life Waxahachie Mustangs (2-7, 0-3) 7:30 Friday
These two teams had the brutal draw of facing Stephenville, China Spring, and Waco La Vega in their opening three district games. Alvarado won this matchup 79-35 last year as it made it back to the playoffs for the first time in three years. However, the Mustangs will be hoping to exact revenge this time around as they seek their first playoff berth in three years. Impressively, they put up 51 against China Spring last week as Kordell Berry rushed for 270 yards and five touchdowns and quarterback James Hicks added 206 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
8-4A Division I: Nevada Community Braves (3-6, 1-3) at Kaufman Lions (2-7, 1-3) 7:30 Friday
Nevada Community has made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. To do so again this year, it will likely need a big game from running back Brandon Mills Jr., who rushed for 136 yards in last week’s win over Mabank. Kaufman has also gotten used to playing in the postseason having earned a spot in 11 of the last 12 years. The Lions put up a fight last week against 8-1 Sulphur Springs as quarterback Ty Burleson threw for 206 yards and a touchdown.
9-4A Division I: Athens Hornets (5-4, 2-4) vs. Palestine Wildcats (4-5, 2-3) 7:30 Friday
Palestine is seeking to extend its playoff streak to five consecutive years. It will hope to a similar offensive output to last week’s 41-16 win over Henderson. Athens is on the other end of the spectrum. The Hornets are hoping to break through and earn their first playoff berth in four years. They have given ranked Kilgore and Chapel Hill fights in the past two weeks, a sign they’ll be no easy task for Palestine.
11-4A Division I: Houston Kashmere Fighting Rams (5-4, 3-3) vs. Houston Furr Brahmans (5-4, 3-3) 7:00 Thursday
Kashmere already has its most wins in a single season since 2014. Now, the Rams are hoping to snap a four-year playoff drought. It won’t come easy against a Furr program that has made the playoffs the past five years. Look for Furr to rely on its playmaking quarterback Darrius Garland (1,116 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, 348 rushing yards and seven touchdowns)
5-4A Division II: Krum Bobcats (4-5, 2-3) at Gainesville Leopards (5-4, 2-3) 7:30 Friday
A huge opportunity awaits Krum on Friday night as the Bobcats search for their first playoff berth in seven years. They’re coming off a 34-26 win over Bridgeport where quarterback Ty Taber threw for 158 yards and three touchdowns to keep them in the playoff race. Gainesville, meanwhile, made the playoffs last year for the first time in three years. Keep an eye on its quarterback Cade Searcy, who leads the team in both passing (930 yards and 11 touchdowns) and rushing (816 yards and 14 touchdowns).
7-4A Division II: North Lamar Panthers (5-4, 1-3) at Liberty-Eylau Leopards (2-6, 1-3) 7:30 Friday
Liberty-Eylau earned its first district win last time out against Pittsburg 33-21 as Quarterback Britain Pipes threw for 139 yards and two touchdowns. The Leopards could earn their fourth-straight playoff berth with a win, but a North Lamar program seeking its first playoff berth since 2016 stands in its way. The Panthers love to run the football and will likely rely upon the legs of quarterback Blake Hildreth (797 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns)
3A
7-3A Division II: Cedar Hill TLC Tigers (2-6, 1-3) at Blooming Grove Lions (4-4, 1-3) 7:30 Friday
Blooming Grove is on the hunt for its fourth-straight playoff berth. Quarterback Noah Hutchison threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 117 yards and three touchdowns as Blooming Grove picked up its first district victory over Rice last week. Cedar Hill TLC made the playoffs last year in its first year as a UIL school. However, it had to forfeit the game due to a lack of available players.
15-3A Division II: Nixon-Smiley Mustangs (2-7, 2-3) at Natalia Mustangs (2-7, 2-3) 7:30 Friday
Natalia bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a 55-12 win over South San Antonio West as quarterback Leonardo Buentello ran for 154 yards and a touchdown. Natalia is seeking its fifth-straight playoff berth while Nixon-Smiley is aiming to make the postseason for the second-straight year. It also beat South San Antonio West in its last game, it was on a bye last week. It rushed for 405 yards as freshman Garet Gonzales led the way with 158 yards and six touchdowns on just 14 carries.
1A Six-Man Football
1-1A Division I: McLean Tigers (6-3, 1-1-) at Follett Panthers (6-3, 1-1) 7:00 Friday
Follett is aiming to make the playoffs for the fourth-straight year despite being on its third coach in the last three years. McLean, the 2018 1A Division I state champion, hasn’t made the playoffs since 2019.
9-1A Division I: Baird Bears (6-3, 3-1) at Bryson Cowboys (6-3, 3-1) 7:30 Friday
Bryson has a shot to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in head coach Kevin Ray’s first year. The Bears will also be hoping to secure their first playoff berth since 2020
10-1A Division I: Saint Jo Panthers (5-4, 1-1) at Savoy Cardinals (3-6, 1-1) 7:30 Friday
Saint Jo will be favorited in this game. It has made the playoffs in each of the last four seasons. However, the Cardinals will hope to pull the upset in front of their own fans to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018. That year, the Cardinals held a tiebreaker over Saint Jo to clinch the final playoff spot.
12-1A Division I: Coolidge Yellowjackets (6-3, 2-1) at Penelope Wolverines (4-4, 2-1) 7:30 Friday
Friday presents a big opportunity for the Wolverines as they look to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010. They’ve had an impressive rebound from an 0-3 start. Coolidge, meanwhile, can make the playoffs for the third time in the last four years with a win.
5-1A Division II: Motley County Matadors (5-4, 2-1) at Aspermont Hornets (6-3, 2-1) 7:30 Friday
Motley County hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2005, so the Matadors have a lot at stake on Friday. Kadyn Roys is coming off a four-touchdown game for the Matadors in a 54-0 win over Patton Springs. Friday is also a big opportunity for a Hornet program that hasn’t been to the playoffs in five years. They knocked off Guthrie 54-20 last time out.
8-1A Division II: Bowie Gold-Burg Bears (6-3, 1-1) at Strawn Greyhounds (6-3, 1-1) 7:30 Friday
Strawn, usually a perennial playoff contender, needs a win to avoid missing the playoffs for the second-straight year. Gold-Burg should come into this game with plenty of confidence after pushing Newcastle to the wire in a 78-74 defeat last week.
14-1A Division II: Paint Rock Indians (5-4, 1-1) at Panther Creek Panthers (4-3, 1-1) 7:30 Saturday
For the second-straight year, these squads meet with a playoff spot on the line. Paint Rock will be hoping to avenge last year’s 29-20 defeat and make it back to the postseason for the first time in eight years. Panther Creek had a three-week gap in between games before district play started but didn’t show any ill effects as it 45’d Moran in its district opener. The Panthers will have their sights set on earning their second-straight playoff berth.
CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz
