If you spent any time at AT&T Stadium this past December, you know the vibe. The smell of overpriced popcorn, the deafening roar of 40,000 people, and the realization that everything we thought we knew about the power structure of the state was basically a lie. Texas high school football standings are rarely just about who has the most wins. They’re about who survived the gauntlet.
Honestly, the final 2025 standings looked like a fever dream. We saw Galena Park North Shore reclaim the throne in 6A Division 1 with a gritty 10-7 win over Duncanville. Then you’ve got DeSoto, who started the season looking human and ended it looking like a literal NFL farm team by crushing Sheldon King 55-27 in the 6A Division 2 final. If you’re trying to make sense of the current landscape, you have to look at the wreckage left behind after those December title games.
The Final 2025 Power Rankings and Why They Matter Now
Most people look at the record and think they see the whole story. They don't. Take South Oak Cliff. The Golden Bears finished 15-1 and took home the 5A Division 1 trophy by beating Richmond Randle 35-19. But their standing as the #1 team in many statewide composite polls isn't just because of the trophy; it’s because they spent seven straight weeks not allowing a single point. Seven weeks of zeroes. That kind of defensive dominance is what actually moves the needle when scouts and analysts look at the "real" standings.
Here is how the top of the heap shook out after the dust settled on the 2025-2026 season:
Galena Park North Shore (14-2): They had two losses—unheard of for them lately—but they beat Duncanville when it mattered. That 10-7 defensive struggle was probably the most intense game played in Texas in five years.
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South Oak Cliff (15-1): The "Mecca" is officially back. They’ve reached five consecutive state title games. If you aren't ranking them in your top three, you're basically ignoring reality.
DeSoto (13-3): Don't let the three losses fool you. By December, the Eagles were the best team in the country, let alone the state. They knocked off a previously unbeaten Southlake Carroll in the semifinals and then just toyed with King in the final.
Duncanville (12-2): They fell short in the final, but they’re still the "Panthers." They beat an Allen team that had 14 wins in the semis. They aren't going anywhere.
Carthage (16-0): It’s almost boring at this point. Scott Surratt added another Class 4A Division 2 crown. They just don't lose.
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The UIL Realignment Bomb
Just as everyone was settling into these standings, the UIL dropped the 2026-2028 realignment cutoff numbers on December 16, 2025. This is the part that most casual fans miss. The "standings" for next year are already being rewritten in an office in Austin.
The biggest shocker? The Class 6A cutoff dropped to 2,215 students. That’s a 60-student dip from the previous cycle. Because of this shift, we’re seeing a massive migration. Schools like Cedar Park, Leander, Rouse, and Comal Pieper are all jumping up to Class 6A.
Think about what that does to the 5A standings. You're losing some of the most consistent playoff contenders to the big school ranks. Meanwhile, Manor is dropping down to 5A, where they will likely become an immediate bully. If you’re following the 4A landscape, keep an eye on Smithville dropping to 3A. They’re going from being a small fish in a big pond to a shark in a bathtub.
The Stars That Dictate the Standings
Standings are built on the backs of kids who are probably going to be playing on Sundays eventually. If you want to know why certain teams stayed at the top of the Texas high school football standings all year, look at the stat leaders.
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Kaegan Ash from Mt. Enterprise put up numbers that look like a video game. 4,562 rushing yards. 77 total touchdowns. In one season. That’s why his squad stayed relevant in the small-school rankings despite playing a brutal schedule. Then you have Buck Randall at Highland Park, who threw for 4,392 yards. When you have a trigger-man like that, you're never truly out of a district race.
And we can't talk about the 2025 standings without mentioning Landen Williams-Callis. The Richmond Randle superstar won the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. Even though Randle lost the 5A D2 final to South Oak Cliff, he’s the reason they were even there. With him returning for 2026, Randle is the early favorite to top the preseason standings.
What Most People Get Wrong About District Standings
A common mistake is valuing an undefeated record over "Strength of Schedule." In the 2025 season, Smithson Valley finished 15-1 and won the 5A Division 1 title. Early in the year, they weren't even in the Top 20. Why? Because they played a schedule that would make a college team sweat.
The UIL 6A Division 1 and 2 split is another confusing mess for outsiders. Remember, the two biggest schools in a district that make the playoffs go D1, and the next two go D2. This is why you often see "better" teams in the Division 2 bracket. It’s not about talent; it’s about the number of kids in the hallway. This quirk is why DeSoto (D2) and North Shore (D1) never had to play each other for a single unified trophy, even though everyone in the stands wanted to see it.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're tracking these standings to see where the power is shifting for the upcoming 2026 season, here is what you need to do:
- Watch the Feb 2, 2026 Realignment: This is when the UIL releases the actual district maps. A team that was #1 in their district last year might suddenly find themselves in a "District of Doom" with three other state-ranked teams.
- Track the Coaching Carousel: Riley Dodge leaving Southlake Carroll for an SMU assistant job is a massive blow to the Dragons' standing. Whoever takes that job inherits a Ferrari, but they have to know how to drive it.
- Monitor the 6A Newcomers: Keep a very close eye on Comal Pieper and Cedar Park. Moving up to 6A is a brutal adjustment. Their "standings" will likely take a hit in year one as they adjust to the depth of 6A rosters.
- Focus on the 5A D1 Vacuum: With several heavy hitters moving up to 6A, the 5A Division 1 standings are wide open. This is the year for a team like Aledo or College Station to absolutely run away with the top spot.
Texas high school football isn't just a sport; it's an evolving ecosystem. The standings you see today are just a snapshot of a moment in time before the next crop of freshmen arrives and the UIL reshuffles the deck.