PRESEASON POLLS! | ETBlitz-area teams all over the place! Kilgore, Gilmer both ranked, but where? All the preseason DCTF state polls inside
Well, they’re here.
The preseason polls of Texas high school football, those done by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and recognized as the official state polls by ETBlitz.com, have been released, and East Texas is well-represented, as always, and there are several teams from the ETBlitz coverage area that are state-ranked.
First-off, let’s again define which schools we cover. ETBlitz covers 4A programs Henderson and Kilgore, who compete in UIL Class 4A, Division I, the bigger version of 4A (based on enrollment). We also cover Gilmer, which competes in 4A, Division II.
Also in the ETB area are 3A, Division I programs Tatum, Gladewater, Sabine and White Oak, as well as 3A, Division II programs Arp, Troup, and West Rusk.
Overton competes in 2A, Division II, and they’re in our coverage area, and the only six-man program in our area is Leverett’s Chapel, in Laird Hill.
(We also, of course, cover Kilgore College, Tyler Junior College and the rest of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, but that doesn’t apply to these polls.)
Right now, ETB does not have any 6A or 5A programs in our coverage area, but we have included those polls in this story to be thorough, so all of the Dave Campbell’s Texas Football polls can be found below.
We don’t want to spoil it, so without further delay, here are the preseason polls. When you see in our stories that one of our teams is ranked “XXXX,” then we’re referring to their ranking here in the DCTF polls.
By the way, there is a link below directly to DCTF’s website. Click that link to go to the site, if you’d like to subscribe. They do a good job.
CLASS 6A PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Southlake Carroll | 15-1 |
2. North Crowley | 16-0 |
3. Duncanville | 13-1 |
4. Austin Westlake | 14-2 |
5. Galena Park-North Shore | 14-1 |
6. Austin Vandegrift | 15-1 |
7. Allen | 13-1 |
8. Katy | 11-2 |
9. Lake Travis | 12-2 |
10. DeSoto | 11-3 |
11. Humble Summer Creek | 12-3 |
12. Fort Bend Ridge Point | 10-2 |
13. Humble Atascocita | 12-2 |
14. Euless Trinity | 11-2 |
15. Denton Guyer | 10-4 |
16. Dickinson | 7-4 |
17. Longview | 12-3 |
18. Pearland | 9-3 |
19. The Woodlands | 11-2 |
20. Cibolo Steele | 11-2 |
21. Waxahachie | 9-4 |
22. Prosper | 8-3 |
23. San Antonio Brennan | 10-2 |
24. Bridgeland | 10-2 |
25. Cy Ranch | 8-4 |
26. Coppell | 12-1 |
27. Alvin Shadow Creek | 9-2 |
28. Rockwall | 6-6 |
29. San Antonio Harlan | 12-2 |
30. San Antonio Johson | 10-2 |
31. Willis | 12-1 |
32. Lewisville | 7-4 |
33. Spring Westfield | 8-3 |
34. North Forney | 8-4 |
35. Klein Cain | 9-2 |
36. Tomball | 10-2 |
37. Dripping Springs | 8-4 |
38. Wylie East | 10-2 |
39. Katy Jordan | 11-2 |
40. Midland Legacy | 6-6 |
41. Fort Bend Hightower | 9-2 |
42. Klein Collins | 7-6 |
43. Wolfforth Frenship | 10-2 |
44. Rockwall Heath | 4-6 |
45. Crowley | 8-5 |
46. Fulshear | 12-1 |
47. Cy Falls | 9-3 |
48. Harker Heights | 8-3 |
49. Byron Nelson | 8-3 |
50. Hebron | 8-5 |

CLASS 5A, DIVISION I PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Aledo | 12-2 |
2. Smithson Valley | 14-2 |
3. Denton Ryan | 13-2 |
4. Highland Park | 14-2 |
5. Frisco Lone Star | 12-2 |
6. La Porte | 10-4 |
7. Angleton | 13-2 |
8. College Station | 11-2 |
9. Abilene | 9-4 |
10. A&M Consolidated | 12-1 |
11. San Antonio Pieper | 11-1 |
12. Pflugerville Weiss | 8-3 |
13. Midlothian | 10-3 |
14. Richland | 10-3 |
15. Lufkin | 10-2 |
16. Georgetown | 10-2 |
17. Port Arthur Memorial | 8-4 |
18. PSJA North | 10-2 |
19. West Mesquite | 11-1 |
20. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial | 9-3 |
21. Frisco Reedy | 10-3 |
22. Amarillo | 6-5 |
23. New Braunfels | 9-4 |
24. Red Oak | 7-5 |
25. Amarillo Tascosa | 7-6 |

CLASS 5A, DIVISION II PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Richmond Randle | 16-0 |
2. South Oak Cliff | 13-3 |
3. Brenham | 11-2 |
4. Argyle | 13-2 |
5. Iowa Colony | 12-2 |
6. Texas High | 12-1 |
7. Fort Bend Marshall | 10-3 |
8. Huntsville | 8-4 |
9. Port Neches-Groves | 12-2 |
10. Anna | 9-4 |
11. Lovejoy | 10-4 |
12. Corpus Christi Miller | 11-3 |
13. Alamo Heights | 12-1 |
14. Boerne | 11-4 |
15. Liberty Hill | 9-3 |
16. Prosper Walnut Grove | 11-2 |
17. Midlothian Heritage | 8-4 |
18. Bastrop | 9-3 |
19. Melissa | 6-4 |
20. Colleyville Heritage | 8-3 |
21. Victoria West | 10-3 |
22. Gregory-Portland | 5-6 |
23. Lubbock-Cooper | 8-4 |
24. Marshall | 10-3 |
25. Mansfield Timberview | 6-5 |

CLASS 4A, DIVISION I PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Celina | 16-0 |
2. Canyon West Plains | 11-4 |
3. Kilgore | 13-3 |
4. Stephenville | 12-2 |
5. La Vernia | 11-4 |
6. San Antonio Davenport | 10-2 |
7. Frisco Panther Creek | 10-2 |
8. Austin LBJ | 11-1 |
9. Sulphur Springs | 10-3 |
10. Alvarado | 13-1 |
11. Chapel Hill | 10-4 |
12. Bay City | 12-2 |
13. Corpus Christi Calallen | 10-3 |
14. Decatur | 7-5 |
15. Canyon Randall | 11-2 |
16. Springtown | 10-2 |
17. Dallas Kimball | 8-3 |
18. Lindale | 6-6 |
19. Fort Bend Crawford | 5-6 |
20. Huffman-Hargrave | 9-2 |
21. Fischer Canyon Lake | 8-4 |
22. El Campo | 6-5 |
23. Lampasas | 10-3 |
24. Aubrey | 8-5 |
25. Needville | 7-5 |
So, Kilgore, who met No. 1 Celina in the 4A, Division I state championship game a year ago, will begin its season ranked No. 3 in 4A, two spots down from Celina. We’ll see if there will be a rematch. You’ll see below that Carthage, the defending state champ in 4A, Division II, begins its 2025 season as the No. 1 team in that classification. And Kilgore and Carthage see each other again right out of the gate, meeting in Kilgore at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium on August 29, the season opener for both programs.
Also notable in the poll above, the 4A, Division I poll, is that both Chapel Hill and Lindale, two rivals of Kilgore and Henderson in District 9-4A, are ranked, Chapel Hill at 11 and Lindale at 18. Chapel Hill was hit heavily by graduation.
And below, Gilmer, one of our ETBlitz-area programs, checks in at No. 9. The Buckeyes finished 8-4 a year ago, but they’re two seasons removed from a 4A, Division II state championship.

CLASS 4A, DIVISION II PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Carthage | 15-1 |
2. Pleasant Grove | 10-3 |
3. Waco La Vega | 12-4 |
4. Brock | 13-2 |
5. Sealy | 10-4 |
6. Bellville | 8-4 |
7. Sunnyvale | 9-4 |
8. West Orange-Stark | 9-3 |
9. Gilmer | 8-4 |
10. Graham | 12-2 |
11. Silsbee | 9-4 |
12. Wimberley | 12-3 |
13. Cuero | 9-4 |
14. Glen Rose | 10-3 |
15. Midland Greenwood | 10-2 |
16. Hamshire-Fannett | 10-2 |
17. Seminole | 10-2 |
18. Robinson | 8-3 |
19. Sinton | 13-1 |
20. Athens | 8-3 |
21. Lubbock Estacado | 7-5 |
22. Brookshire Royal | 7-4 |
23. Van | 10-4 |
24. Center | 8-3 |
25. Lago Vista | 9-4 |

CLASS 3A, DIVISION I PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Columbus | 15-1 |
2. Franklin | 10-3 |
3. Paradise | 12-3 |
4. Jefferson | 12-1 |
5. Edna | 14-1 |
6. Malakoff | 15-1 |
7. Liberty-Eylau | 11-3 |
8. Llano | 12-2 |
9. Hitchcock | 10-2 |
10. Winnsboro | 10-3 |
11. Atlanta | 7-4 |
12. Shallowater | 11-3 |
13. Jim Ned | 9-4 |
14. Palestine Westwood | 11-1 |
15. Goliad | 10-2 |
16. Palmer | 10-2 |
17. Bushland | 10-2 |
18. Yoakum | 8-3 |
19. Grandview | 13-1 |
20. Fairfield | 8-3 |
21. Orange Grove | 7-5 |
22. Crystal City | 7-4 |
23. Peaster | 10-4 |
24. Vernon | 8-3 |
25. Marion | 9-4 |
Noticeable immediately in the poll above, the 3A, Division I poll, is that there are three programs in the same district — Jefferson, Liberty-Eylau and Atlanta — all ranked in the top 11 in the state, along with Tatum, Gladewater, Sabine and White Oak in that district. That’s a tough assignment.
Below, notice that Troup (14) and Arp (22) are getting some attention after both had strong seasons a year ago.

CLASS 3A, DIVISION II PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Gunter | 14-2 |
2. Tidehaven | 12-3 |
3. Wall | 13-2 |
4. Lexington | 12-2 |
5. Newton | 9-4 |
6. Woodville | 13-3 |
7. Holliday | 11-3 |
8. Canadian | 10-4 |
9. Daingerfield | 8-6 |
10. Poth | 12-1 |
11. East Bernard | 10-2 |
12. Blanco | 7-4 |
13. DeKalb | 11-2 |
14. Troup | 8-4 |
15. Jacksboro | 9-4 |
16. Van Vleck | 6-7 |
17. Grand Saline | 11-1 |
18. Idalou | 10-3 |
19. Tolar | 11-2 |
20. Wichita Falls City View | 9-3 |
21. Slaton | 7-4 |
22. Arp | 7-4 |
23. Bells | 7-5 |
24. Blue Ridge | 9-3 |
25. Rice Consolidated | 7-5 |

CLASS 2A, DIVISION I PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Refugio | 11-2 |
2. Ganado | 15-1 |
3. Waskom | 10-3 |
4. Garrison | 9-3 |
5. Stamford | 15-1 |
6. Panhandle | 10-2 |
7. Marlin | 10-4 |
8. Honey Grove | 12-2 |
9. Post | 13-1 |
10. Joaquin | 10-5 |
11. DeLeon | 7-5 |
12. Mason | 11-2 |
13. Hamilton | 14-1 |
14. Axtell | 12-2 |
15. Wolfe City | 8-3 |
16. Mildred | 12-1 |
17. Centerville | 9-2 |
18. Weimar | 7-5 |
19. Hawley | 10-2 |
20. Shelbyville | 10-3 |
21. Cisco | 8-5 |
22. Frankston | 8-4 |
23. Tioga | 9-3 |
24. Sunray | 12-1 |
25. Cooper | 7-5 |

CLASS 2A, DIVISION II PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Muenster | 14-2 |
2. Shiner | 12-4 |
3. Bremond | 12-3 |
4. Albany | 9-3 |
5. Gruver | 14-1 |
6. Wink | 11-2 |
7. Collinsville | 12-2 |
8. Windthorst | 11-2 |
9. Lovelady | 9-3 |
10. Ropes | 12-2 |
11. Grapeland | 10-4 |
12. Junction | 12-2 |
13. Stratford | 7-4 |
14. Falls City | 8-4 |
15. Mart | 9-3 |
16. Mount Enterprise | 9-4 |
17. Goldthwaite | 7-5 |
18. Granger | 9-4 |
19. Lindsay | 8-4 |
20. Wellington | 9-3 |
21. Iraan | 10-3 |
22. Brackettville | 7-4 |
23. Overton | 10-3 |
24. Wheeler | 9-3 |
25. Burton | 6-5 |
It’s about TIME Overton was recognized after 20 wins in two years. Coach Scotty Laymance and his staff and their players have had two phenomenal seasons. Can they replace the production that graduated seniors like Bryce Still and Jayden Edwards are taking with them? Let’s sure hope so.

CLASS 1A (SIX-MAN) DIVISION I PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Gordon | 15-0 |
2. Whiteface | 14-1 |
3. Water Valley | 11-3 |
4. May | 9-2 |
5. Aquilla | 11-2 |
6. Union Hill | 9-3 |
7. Abbott | 13-1 |
8. Avalon | 10-1 |
9. Borden County | 8-5 |
10. Newcastle | 7-5 |
11. Buena Vista | 9-1 |
12. Jonesboro | 10-2 |
13. Westbrook | 10-3 |
14. Happy | 10-2 |
15. Robert Lee | 7-4 |
16. Millford | 6-5 |
17. Spur | 10-1 |
18. Rankin | 6-5 |
19. Menard | 9-2-1 |
20. Medina | 5-7 |
21. Hermleigh | 7-3 |
22. Ira | 7-4 |
23. Perrin-Whitt | 7-3 |
24. Saint Jo | 10-3 |
25. Lorneta | 7-3 |

CLASS 1A (SIX-MAN) DIVISION II PRESEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL POLL
Rank / School | 2024 final record |
1. Jayton | 15-0 |
2. Klondike | 9-5 |
3. Richland Springs | 12-1 |
4. Oglesby | 11-3 |
5. Cherokee | 10-2 |
6. Strawn | 8-3 |
7. Iredell | 10-3 |
8. Oakwood | 9-6 |
9. Benjamin | 9-2 |
10. Motley County | 11-1 |
11. Zephyr | 10-2 |
12. Whitharral | 7-3 |
13. Bluff Dale | 6-4 |
14. Ackerly Sands | 8-4 |
15. Blackwell | 5-7 |
16. Paducah | 6-4 |
17. Three Way | 9-2 |
18. Miami | 6-4 |
19. Bowie Gold Burg | 7-5 |
20. Follett | 8-4 |
21. Blanket | 8-2-1 |
22. McLean | 4-6 |
23. Gustine | 7-2 |
24. Amherst | 7-3 |
25. Rochelle | 5-5 |