Texas High School Football: 12 Teams Chase Decades-Long Perfection in Final Week

Anderson, Canton, Mercedes, and more eye undefeated regular seasons — a feat some programs have never achieved

The Hardin Hornets (9-0) are one win shy of becoming the first team in program history, dating back to 1940, to finish the regular season undefeated. / Julie Isbell

When the final week of the high school football regular season kicks off across Texas this week, playoff positioning isn’t the only thing on the minds of some programs.
There’s also history on the line.

Twelve teams enter the final week with a chance to complete a perfect regular season — and one has already done it. For some programs, it would mark their first-ever undefeated regular season. For others, it would end a drought stretching back decades.

From Hardin to South Grand Prairie, here are the teams trying to rewrite history this week.

Austin Anderson Trojans

Current Record: 9-0

A program in existence since 1964, Anderson has never had an undefeated regular season. Over four seasons from 2020-23, the Trojans went 16-27, including a 1-8 record in 2020. Head coach Donald Hatcher took over the program in 2022 and went 4-6 in each of his first two seasons in Class 6A. But the tide began to turn in 2024 when the Trojans dropped down to 5A Division I and went 7-4.

This season they’ve beaten Austin McCallum (37-2), Elgin (42-0), College Station (37-14), College Station A&M Consolidated (42-40, 5 OT), Kyle Lehman (64-12), Pflugerville Hendrickson (45-24), Cedar Creek (62-3), Buda Hays (29-14) and Lockhart (56-22), outscoring those opponents 414-131.

Pflugerville Weiss is aiming to spoil perfection. The Wolves (7-2) are coming off a 35-31 loss against College Station. Weiss has outscored opponents 452-158 this season.

Canton Eagles

Current Record: 9-0

In each season head coach Heath Ragle has been in charge, the Canton Eagles have gotten better. They went 3-7 in Ragle’s first season in 2023, improved to 8-3 last year and now have a chance to close out a perfect regular season — which would be the program’s first since 1964.

The 2025 edition of the Eagles has been dominant. They’ve outscored opponents 462-73, including wins over Nevada Community (34-14), Life Waxahachie (52-7), Paris North Lamar (49-0), Mabank (47-0), Rusk (61-20), Kemp (63-0), Wills Point (63-7), Ferris (58-15) and Quinlan Ford (35-10).

Sunnyvale hopes to spoil things for Canton. The Raiders (8-1) have outscored opponents 417-193. Winners of four straight, they’re coming off a 62-7 win against Wills Point.

El Paso Ysleta Indians

Current Record: 9-0

Dropping from 5A to 4A has done wonders for the Indians, who have a chance to complete the program’s first perfect regular season since 1961.

After going 3-8 and 4-6 in their final two seasons in 5A, the Indians moved to 4A Division I in 2024 and went 8-3. The ascension has continued this year, as they’ve outscored opponents 422-175 and have won every game by at least 11 points.

Their 61-50 win against El Paso Riverside on Oct. 30 was their closest game, on a slate that includes wins over El Paso Parkland (28-14), El Paso Socorro (42-27), San Elizario (56-0), El Paso Mountain View (52-15), El Paso Austin (43-28), Fabens (55-8), Clint (43-12) and El Paso Irvin (42-21).

They’ll host a struggling Bowie team this week that’s 1-8 and has been outscored 357-155 this season.

Frankston Indians

Current Record: 9-0

Frankston has been playing high school football for nearly 100 years. But since 1928, the Indians have never put together an undefeated regular season.

Could the 97th try be the charm?

Things haven’t always been rosy for the Indians, who went through four different head coaches in four years from 2014-17. After former head coach Kevin Chase got the program steered in the right direction, current head coach and athletic director Paul Gould stepped in and kept it rolling.

The Indians went 8-4 last season but have been even better this year, outscoring opponents 492-118 and blowing everyone out. That includes matching 63-0 wins against Huntington and Malakoff Cross Roads. In their last three games, they’ve scored 52, 51 and 63 points. They’ll face a 6-3 Cayuga squad coming off wins against Cross Roads (24-0) and Kerens (38-7).

Hardin Hornets

Current Record: 9-0

Since 1940, the Hardin Hornets have endured winless seasons but never celebrated going undefeated.

It appears they’ve finally discovered the secret sauce. From 2010 to 2023, the Hornets had only one winning season — a 7-4 mark in 2018. But things started to turn around last year when they went 7-4 and set the table for this season’s run.

A lot of credit goes to their stingy defense, which didn’t allow a single point until the fourth game of the season and has pitched four shutouts in nine games. Hardin has outscored opponents 371-89 and has not allowed more than 29 points to any team.

The Hornets can make history if they can get past a 4-5 Kirbyville squad that has lost two of its last three while being outscored 352-350 this year.

Jewett Leon Cougars

Current Record: 9-0

They went 5-6 in 2023, 6-5 in 2024, and now, powered by one of the most successful defenses in Class 2A, the Cougars are one win away from their first perfect regular season in 44 years.

The defense has pitched four shutouts and hasn’t allowed more than 14 points in any game (they’ve allowed 14 three times). The Cougars have outscored opponents 341-55, averaging 37.9 points per game while holding opponents to 6.1.

Their shot at perfection comes Friday against a 3-6 Groveton squad coming off a 33-18 win against Hearne. After losing five straight, Groveton has now won two of its last three games, though the Indians have been outscored 353-200 this season.

Mercedes Tigers

Current Record: 9-0

Unlike many teams on this list, the 5A Tigers have had plenty of recent success, save for a 3-7 mark in 2023 — including 9-2 records in 2021 and 2014 and a 9-3 mark in 2017. Despite that success, they haven’t had a perfect regular season since 1957, when they won 12 straight before suffering their only loss in the playoffs.

Mercedes has been on quite a turnaround since 2023, going 8-4 last year and outscoring teams 395-122 this season. The Tigers can make history in front of their home crowd Friday with a win against Brownsville Pace (4-5). The Vikings have won two of their last three after dropping four in a row. They’ve been outscored 319-237.

A victory for the Tigers would further magnify their wild 20-point fourth quarter against Mission Sharyland on Sept. 26 — a game they stormed from behind to win 34-33, making Friday’s historic bid possible.

Raymondville Bearkats

Current Record: 9-0

The Bearkats haven’t had a winning season since a COVID-shortened 3-1 mark in 2020, and they haven’t entered the playoffs with a perfect record since 1954.

Their turnaround has been sudden and dramatic. Since 2020, the Bearkats alternated 3-7 and 4-6 records each season. But a 25-22 win against Brownsville St. Joseph Academy sparked a dominant streak that’s seen them outscore opponents 397-157.

What’s more impressive is the way they’ve won — surviving close games against St. Joseph Academy, Lyford (20-13) and San Diego (37-27), winning shootouts (La Feria 52-41) and blowing teams out (Rio Grande City Grulla 41-6; Progreso 76-0; Bishop 56-14).

Raymondville is heavily favored to break the 69-year streak at home Friday against Kingsville Santa Gertrudis Academy. The Lions are 2-7 and have been outscored 222-167.

South Grand Prairie Warriors

Current Record: 8-0

At 8-0, the Warriors have one fewer win than most teams vying for history this week. But like a few others, a win against Arlington Bowie (7-2) would cap the first perfect regular season since the program began playing football in 1969.

The 8-0 South Grand Prairie Warriors are seeking their first perfect regular season since the program's inception in 1969. / Gregory LaGrange

Their 34-26 win against Arlington Martin is the closest game they’ve played all season, as the rest of the Warriors’ wins were by at least 17 points. They’ve outscored opponents 411-101.

Thursday’s showdown against Bowie will be their toughest task of the year. The Volunteers have won six straight after a 1-2 start and have outscored opponents 358-242.

Springtown Porcupines

Current Record: 10-0

Idle this week, the Porcupines completed their dominant regular season with a 63-36 win against Decatur on Halloween night to wrap up their first perfect regular season since 1988.

The Porcupines have come close to resetting the mark on multiple occasions, including one-loss regular seasons in 2019 and 2024. But this year has been different. They outscored opponents by 400 points (493-93).

District 5-4A-I champs, Springtown also dismantled Joshua 30-9, Graham 36-7, Kennedale 55-0, China Spring 36-7, Fort Worth Southwest 49-20, Fort Worth Carter-Riverside 55-0, Fort Worth Eastern Hills 48-14, Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 59-0 and Fort Worth Western Hills 62-0.

Stinnett West Texas Comanches

Current Record: 9-0

Sunray is the only team between the Comanches and their first undefeated regular season since 1989.

West Texas has had to survive a couple of scares in the last three weeks — beating Panhandle 50-49 on Oct. 17 and surviving Spearman 21-19 last Friday. Sunray (1-8) is coming off its first win, 33-26 against Sanford-Fritch, but has been outscored 441-166 this year. In contrast, the Comanches have outscored opponents 445-141.

It wasn’t long ago that West Texas was on the opposite end of things. The Comanches went winless as recently as 2021, going 0-9 before improving to 3-6 in 2022, 4-7 in 2023 and 7-4 in 2024.

Troup Tigers

Current Record: 9-0

A win this week would close out the first undefeated regular season for the Tigers since 1980. It will be their second crack at perfection since the 2023 regular season, when they began 7-0 before taking a 13-9 loss to New London West Rusk and finishing 9-1.

They’ve outscored opponents 447-113 entering Friday’s game against Buffalo (3-6). The Tigers have beaten Shelbyville 56-14, Edgewood 47-35, Harleton 62-0, Rusk 20-3, Arp 42-6, Elkhart 56-3, Winona 60-0, New Diana 69-31 and New London West Rusk 35-21.

Buffalo is coming off back-to-back losses to New Diana (42-34) and New London West Rusk (49-31) and has been outscored 326-263.

Menard Yellowjackets

Current Record: 8-0

The 6-Man Yellowjackets were in a much different position five years ago when they went 0-10 and were outscored by opponents 540-85.

But this season the 1A-I squad has stung everyone, outscoring opponents 487-99 along the way. If they can beat Eden (6-3) Friday night, the Yellowjackets will go into the playoffs undefeated for the first time since 1984.

That won’t be the easiest task. Eden has lost two of its last three games but is coming off an 82-34 win against Barksdale Nueces Canyon and has outscored opponents 413-310.

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