Texas High School Football: Week 3 Matchups to Watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The stadium lights are shining brighter on this week's batch of teams. We have some undefeated, and we have some coming off losses. Week 3 opens up district play, so the stakes are a bit higher.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Thursday, 9/11/2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Bridgeland (2–0) @ Ridge Point (2–0)</strong><br>In a Thursday Houston headliner, two unbeaten programs link up in a strength-on-strength showcase at Hall Stadium. Bridgeland's offense has surged behind junior running back [player_tooltip player_id='1609196' first='Kash' last='Schwab'], who has opened 2025 with 373 rushing yards and seven touchdowns at 14.9 yards per carry, including 227 yards and four scores last week. Ridge Point counterpunches with a fast, disciplined defense led by junior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1879366' first='Dyllon' last='Bennett'], who posted 14 tackles with a forced fumble and fumble recovery, and a receiver group that averaged 18.9 yards per catch versus Fulshear. A year ago Ridge Point won this matchup 38–21; the question is whether the Bears' ground game can flip the script at 7:00 p.m. Thursday. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top players to watch:<br>• Bridgeland — RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kash-schwab/">[player_tooltip player_id='1609196' first='Kash' last='Schwab']</a>: 373 rush yds, 7 TD through two games; 227 yds and 4 TD vs Tompkins. <br>• Ridge Point — LB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/dyllon-bennett/">[player_tooltip player_id='1879366' first='Dyllon' last='Bennett']</a>: 14 tackles, FF, FR in last game; tone-setter for the Panthers' front. <br>• Ridge Point — RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2026-offensive-players-to-know-in-the-houston-area/">Aiden Akins</a>: 91 rush yds, 2 TD on 12 carries in the Fulshear win. <br>• Ridge Point — WR Bailen George: 132 receiving yds last week; part of a high-efficiency WR room. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Conroe (2–0) @ College Park (2–0)</strong><br>District 13-6A opens under the Woodforest lights with a rivalry that has felt like a coin flip in recent years. Conroe arrives off a 31–0 win over Alief Hastings, while College Park just hung 58–21 on Klein Cain to keep its perfect start; recent history adds spice with Conroe taking last year's meeting 24–13 and three straight overall, though the Cavaliers still lead the all-time series. Field position and explosive plays should be decisive at 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Woodforest Bank Stadium. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top players to watch:<br>• College Park — QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/camden-hughes/">[player_tooltip player_id='1567990' first='Camden' last='Hughes']</a>: 24-of-34 for 471 yards and 6 TD last week, plus 63 rush yards and a TD; 11 TD passes on the season.<br>• College Park — WR <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/julian-cromartie/">Julian Cromartie</a>: 9 catches for 239 yards and 2 TD last week; immediate deep-threat impact after transferring in. <br>• Conroe — WR Elijah Harris: 5 receptions for 114 yards and 2 TD in the 31–0 win over Hastings. <br>• Conroe — QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/10/2027s-to-know-at-mid-season/">Cameron Nunley</a>: senior starter with 3 passing TDs through two games, 63.6% completion rate. <br>• Conroe — RB Alex Spence Myers: team rushing leader at 136.0 yards per game with 3 rushing TDs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Friday, 9/12/2025</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Forney (2–0) @ Waxahachie (1–0)</strong><br>Two Top-25 6A programs collide in a rematch of last year's one-score thriller, and both arrive with headliners already producing. Forney has sandblasted two opponents with balance and big plays, while Waxahachie enters fresh after a weather-scrubbed Week 2 and a statement win over Ennis in the opener. The trenches will decide tempo, but explosive skill talent on both sidelines means any drive can flip the night in one snap. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at Waxahachie's Billy Goodloe Stadium. <br>• Forney RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/javian-osborne/">[player_tooltip player_id='804454' first='Javian' last='Osborne']</a> — 414 rushing yards and 6 TDs through two games; four-star Notre Dame commit.<br>• Forney QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/nelson-peterson-jr/">Nelson Peterson Jr</a>. — 10-of-16 for 185 yards and 3 TDs in Week 1 vs. Lake Highlands.<br>• Waxahachie QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jerry-meyer-iii/">[player_tooltip player_id='940485' first='Jerry' last='Meyer III']</a> — 21-of-35 for 235 yards and 3 TDs in a 44–13 win over Ennis; TCU commit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>North Crowley (2–0) @ Denton Guyer (1–1)</strong><br>The defending 6A DI champ steps into C.H. Collins to face a Guyer team that bounced back from a Week 1 loss at Aledo with a convincing win at Arlington Martin. North Crowley's front and run game have traveled, and Guyer counters with a defense loaded with Power-4 prospects plus a two-way hammer who just scored four times on the ground. Expect a physical first half that opens up once explosives land. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at Denton's C.H. Collins Athletic Complex.<br>Top players to watch:<br>• North Crowley RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kiante-ingram/">[player_tooltip player_id='514525' first='Kiante' last='Ingram']</a> — 176 rushing yards and 2 TDs in a 36–27 win over DeSoto.<br>• North Crowley OL <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/john-turntine-iii/">[player_tooltip player_id='1400990' first='John' last='Turntine III']</a> — Texas commit anchoring the champs' line. <br>• Guyer LB/RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kaedyn-cobbs/">[player_tooltip player_id='284170' first='Kaedyn' last='Cobbs']</a> — four rushing TDs in last week's 41–21 win over Martin; part of a defense with [player_tooltip player_id='408582' first='Zane' last='Rowe'] and [player_tooltip player_id='409965' first='Khyren' last='Haywood'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Austin Westlake (1–1) @ Humble Atascocita (2–0)</strong><br>Turner Stadium hosts a marquee cross-region clash: Westlake's disciplined, veteran roster versus an Atascocita offense that's been a buzzsaw. The Eagles have ripped through two opponents behind their dual-threat quarterback, while Westlake answered an opening-night loss with a 66–0 response and brings an Ole Miss-bound signal-caller to town. Special teams and sudden-change defense could be the separator if the scoreboard starts to sprint. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at Turner Stadium. <br>Top players to watch:<br>• Atascocita QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cardae-mack/">[player_tooltip player_id='1454505' first='Cardae' last='Mack']</a> — 880 total yards and 12 TDs through two games. <br>• Atascocita RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2026-rising-offensive-stars-in-the-houston-area/">CJ Toney</a> — 126 rushing yards and 2 TDs in the win over Katy.<br>• Westlake QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/rees-wise/">[player_tooltip player_id='212438' first='Rees' last='Wise']</a> — Ole Miss commit; multi-year starter coming off a shutout win at San Benito. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Southlake Carroll (2–0) @ Trophy Club Byron Nelson (1–1)</strong><br>District 4-6A's glamour game doubles as a vertical-passing showcase. Carroll has rolled to 2–0 behind a receiver room that's already stacking yards and touchdowns, while Byron Nelson seeks a rebound after Lewisville but still flashes a dangerous sophomore playmaker on offense. If protections hold, expect chunk plays and a scoreboard that moves in bursts. Kickoff is 7:00 p.m. at Northwest ISD Stadium. <br>Top players to watch:<br>• Carroll WR <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/blake-gunter-2/">[player_tooltip player_id='1738920' first='Blake' last='Gunter']</a> — 8 receptions, 222 yards, 3 TDs through two games. <br>• Carroll WR <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brock-boyd/">[player_tooltip player_id='212422' first='Brock' last='Boyd']</a> — Ohio State commit with 11 receptions, 158 yards, 2 TDs. <br>• Byron Nelson WR/S <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/nolan-hawkins/">[player_tooltip player_id='1577384' first='Nolan' last='Hawkins']</a> — 7 receptions, 144 yards, 2 TDs across two games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Longview (2–0) @ South Oak Cliff (1–1)</strong><br>A year after SOC's 45–44 walk-off in Longview, the rematch moves to Kincaide with both teams coming off heavyweight non-district slates. SOC opened by snapping North Shore's long regular-season win streak and is averaging 400-plus yards per game with a new QB who looked poised from snap one; Longview has pounded out back-to-back wins and brings a punishing ground game. Atmosphere will be Texas-size, and explosive runs could decide it again. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at John E. Kincaide Stadium. <br>Top players to watch:<br>• SOC QB [player_tooltip player_id='1718098' first='Jayden' last='Williams'] — 328 passing yards and 4 TDs through two games; 3 TD passes in the North Shore upset. <br>• SOC RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/mikail-trotter/">[player_tooltip player_id='1576501' first='Mikail' last='Trotter']</a> — 178–194 rushing yards and multiple scores in the North Shore win, depending on source report; bell-cow tone-setter. <br>• Longview RB Mason Washington — two first-half rushing TDs ignited the 41–16 win over Lufkin.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Steele (2–0) vs Brandeis (2–0)</strong><br>San Antonio's Game of the Week pits Steele's 23-game regular-season win streak against a Brandeis squad climbing the area rankings. Steele is coming off a 28–13 win over Reagan, while Brandeis rides the momentum of a triple-overtime thriller over Sotomayor. Expect Steele's front seven to test Brandeis' protections, and watch for hidden yards on special teams in what profiles as a one-score game deep into the fourth. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Lehnhoff Stadium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Top players to watch:<br>• Steele — RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jonathan-hatton/">Jonathan Hatton</a>: 301 rushing yards and 3 TD through two games.<br>• Steele — QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/300173/">DJ Green</a>: 4 passing TD so far as the new starter.<br>• Steele — DL <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/julian-hugo/">[player_tooltip player_id='1140466' first='Julian' last='Hugo']</a>: Arizona State commit anchoring a veteran front. • Steele — ATH <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/eli-johnson-5/">[player_tooltip player_id='946458' first='Eli' last='Johnson']</a>: Secondary anchor that holds P4 offers from all over<br>• Brandeis — QB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/wynter-smith/">[player_tooltip player_id='1732774' first='Wynter' last='Smith']</a>: 550+ combined pass/rush yards with 6 rushing TD through two games. <br>• Brandeis — RB <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jaron-morris/">[player_tooltip player_id='1861995' first='Jaron' last='Morris']</a>: 341 rushing yards and 6 TD in two games, including a breakout vs. Sotomayor. • Brandeis — TE<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/nick-barber/"> [player_tooltip player_id='1091313' first='Nick' last='Barber']</a>: 3-Star New Mexico commit</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->