High school football midseason report: Top teams, breakout players, surprise teams

We've reached the halfway point of the 2026 UIL high school football season. Several teams are living up to their preseason hype, while some other teams - and players - have been a surprise. What will the second half of the season have in store for high school football fans across Texas? And what are the most important games moving forward? Here are our takeaways from the first half of the regular season:

Area's top teams are exactly the ones we thought they would be

The Jaguars, ranked No. 1 in the area and No. 7 in the Class 6A state rankings , are 4-0 (2-0 in District 28-6A). It's tough to measure the Jaguars statistically because they've essentially played 3 ½ games after their opener was canceled and their 37-0 victory against Odessa was stopped at halftime, both because of weather. But, their playmakers - quarterback Elvis Estrada, receivers Braelyn Allen and Bryson Thompson - are leading the way.

Smithson Valley: Entering the season, the Rangers needed to replenish its front seven on defense that was hit hard with graduation. After a 5-0 start, that's happened. Smithson Valley, the state's No. 1 team in Class 5A Division I, has yielded just 45 points. On top of that, the Rangers have been prolific on offense with 350 points. They are 3-0 in district, having topped 70 points each time, including an 84-7 win against Cedar Creek.

Steele: The Knights (3-1-1) are the state's No. 18 ranked team in Class 6A and No. 3 in San Antonio. Steele is currently riding a 31-game district winning streak and has won six league titles in a row. The Knights dropped a road game against then state-ranked Humble Atascocita (38-23) and tied long time nemesis Lake Travis (28-28) when their game was stopped in the second half because of weather. After that, they had decisive wins against Wagner and Pieper in District 27-6A.

Brennan: The Bears (4-1), ranked No. 22 in the state 6A rankings, are in the thick of yet another district championship. That's no surprise to anyone who has followed the Bears since their inception in 2010 with coach Steve Basore. After going 0-10 in their first season, the Bears have qualified for the playoffs each year and have won eight district titles. Brennan has been on a tear since dropping their opener against Austin Vandegrift, 28-21. Since then, the Bears have recorded three shutouts and have allowed 14 points in four games.

Boerne: The UIL realignment gods may have opened the way for the Greyhounds to get to Dallas for the state finals. Boerne, ranked No. 2 in the state, has advanced to the Class 5A Division II state semifinals the last two years only to be stopped by Richmond Randle and running back Landin Williams-Callis, a Texas pledge, each time. Randle is now in 5A Division I while Boerne remains in Division II. The Greyhounds' top playmakers from last year have played a big part in their 5-0 start with quarterback Grant Sweeney, receiver Zach Freasier and running back Callan Combs.

Kenyon and Kyrin Armelin, Kerrville Tivy, juniors, wide receivers: The twin brothers have played a critical role in Tivy's pass-heavy offense, and they've attracted the attention of multiple Power Four college programs this fall. The juniors have earned offers from schools such as Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Houston. Kenyon has already amassed 10 touchdowns and 781 yards, averaging 26 yards per catch. Kyrin has reeled in eight touchdowns passes and piled up 674 yards this season, He is averaging 3.2 yards per catch.

Ryder Flugence, Boerne Champion, sophomore, quarterback: Flugence gained national attention when he was ranked the No. 1 football recruit in his class nationally by 247Sports . In his first year as Boerne Champion's starter, Flugence has thrown 896 yards and 16 touchdowns on 58-of-92 passing. He's also rushed for 543 yards and seven touchdowns across six games. Flugence has also taken a few reps in Champion's secondary.

Jayshawn Mitchell, Brennan, junior, running back: Mitchell is responsible for the bulk of Brennan's rushing yardage this season. While he played for Brennan last year, he's already surpassed his total rushing yardage from last year in six games this season. He's rushed for 742 yards and 17 touchdowns on 72 carries, and Mitchell's recruiting stock has only risen since the season began. He's already earned offers from Georgia and Alabama.

Cohen Stehling, Kerrville Tivy, freshman, quarterback: Stehling had the difficult job of stepping into Tivy's starting quarterback role after the graduation of last year's starter Colin Rose. But he's quickly grown into the role. Tivy is off to a 5-0 start and Stehling has even broken school records along the way . He threw for 515 yards and eight touchdowns in a 70-14 win over Austin LBJ, setting a new program record for most passing yards in a single game. The previous record of 503 yards was set in 2010 by future Heisman winner and Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel.

MacArthur: The Brahmas earned their first ever win under head coach and MacArthur grad Jordon Ricker in their season opener and have been off to their best start in nearly a decade. MacArthur is currently 4-1 and 2-0 in District 14-5A-I . The Brahmas are currently tied for first place in the district with Medina Valley and are in position to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Madison: The Mavericks have already surpassed their win total from last year in Myles Duelm's first year as a head coach . Madison's lone loss from the first half of the season was a 45-43 triple overtime loss to Roosevelt. The Madison defense has impressed so far, posting two shutouts and averaging 17.4 points allowed per game.

Key games for the rest of the regular season

Boerne Champion at Smithson Valley: The game scheduled for Oct. 23 is a Game of the Year candidate. Given how each team has dominated, especially in District 13-5A-I, this game should decide the league title. Smithson Valley is the state's top-ranked team in Class 5A Division I and has outscored opponents, 350-45 (303-31 in district) in going 5-0. Champion is ranked No. 6 and holds a 353-56 (231-35) scoring advantage with a 6-0 mark. Champion is quarterbacked by the nation's top ranked recruit for the 2029 class in sophomore Ryder Flugence. Smithson Valley has replenished on defense and might be better than the team that shut down the one of Texas' most prolific offenses in Frisco Lone Star, 28-6, in last year's state championship.

Johnson vs. Reagan: The significance of this game rests on Reagan's ability to maintain momentum after a rough start. This year's "Stone Oak Super Bowl" is set for Oct. 23 at Heroes Stadium. Johnson, the area's top-ranked team is 4-0, and tied for first place in District 28-6A with Reagan and Roosevelt at 2-0. The Rattlers have rebounded after massive losses against Steele (52-14) and Brennan (63-0). Since 2020, Johnson or Reagan has won the district title with the Jaguars winning in 2025, 2024 and 2021.

Brennan vs. Harlan: The Bears and Hawks appear to be on a collision course for the District 29-6A when they meet on Nov. 6 at Farris Stadium in their regular season finale. They are the lone undefeated teams remaining in district play. The winner of this game has won the district championship each season since 2022 (Harlan in 2025 and 2023).

McCollum vs. Harlandale: The 63rd edition of the Frontier Bowl, scheduled for Nov. 6 at Harlandale Memorial Stadium, could decide the District 14-5A-II title. Harlandale is 4-0 in district (4-2 overall) while the Cowboys are 3-0 in district (3-2 overall). A lot of things need to fall into place for that to happen, but it's plausible, and that's a big deal. The Indians haven't been to the playoffs since 2023 and the Cowboys last got there in 2015. The last time the Frontier Bowl decided a district title was 2004 when both were undefeated in league play.