Elgin Owls OK 2026 Team Preview

Get 25% Off Your Subscription By Entering Knight25 In The Coupon Code Area. Enjoy!   It's the month of July and that means it's preview time! Throughout the month of July and even into August, we are publishing well over 100 of the most in-depth team previews that you'll find anywhere to get you completely ready for the 2027 football season. This is something that began for us at PRZ-Oklahoma in 2021 and it continues to get bigger and better every single year. We're looking forward to diving deep into the top teams across the state in every class. From defending champions, to the top contenders and plenty of dark horses and other teams to know, we'll have complete coverage every single day. There will be multiple previews dropping every single day! In this post, we take a look at the Elgin Owls!   RELATED   <a href="https://youtu.be/bQ2Su_RPXvU" type="link" id="https://youtu.be/bQ2Su_RPXvU">- Elgin Video Preview With HC Chalmer Wyatt</a>   Elgin Owls   Preseason Prep Redzone Ranking: #6 In Class 5A   Head Coach: Chalmer Wyatt - 8th Season - 54-24 Record At Elgin   2025 RESULTS (13-1 Record - Class 4A Runner Ups)   Aug. 29th - Beat Lawton MacArthur 42-21 Sept. 5th - Beat Dallas Hillcrest, TX. 47-0 Sept. 19th - Beat Newcastle 42-24 Sept. 26th - Beat Woodward 60-0 Oct. 2nd - Beat Elk City 54-7 Oct. 10th - Beat Bridge Creek 58-13 Oct. 16th - Beat Weatherford 35-0 Oct. 23rd - Beat Douglass 56-0 Oct. 31st - Beat Clinton 49-0 Nov. 7th - Beat Cache 47-7 1st Round - Beat Bethany 49-7 Quarterfinals - Beat Ada 42-10 Semifinals - Beat Cushing 52-6 Championship - Lost To Tuttle 23-20   2025 Offensive Scoring Average: 46.6 Points Per Game 2025 Defensive Scoring Average: 8.4 Points Per Game   For the first time in program history, the Elgin Owls were going into a season as defending state champions. The Owls captured 4A gold in 2024 and they were expecting to make it back to Edmond to defend that title in 2025. And for 13 weeks, nobody even came close to slowing them down from achieving that goal. They opened up the season with dominant wins over eventual 5A semifinalists Lawton MacArthur and Newcastle. The Racers were the closest to beating Elgin but still fell 42-24. The Owls would turn their attention to district play and the blowouts kept coming week after week. In fact, the Owls would shut out four of their seven district opponents and the “closest” game was a 35-0 win over Weatherford in week seven. The Owls finished the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record and a dominant run through the district slate. For the third consecutive season, the Owls had gone unbeaten in the regular season and it looked like they were destined for another trip to Edmond. Elgin beat Bethany by 42 points in the first round, followed by a 32-point win over Ada in the quarterfinals. Then they punched their ticket back to the state title game with a 52-6 win over Cushing. It was one of the more dominant playoff runs that we saw last season. And we would see the championship match-up that felt inevitable from the end of the 2024 season and throughout 2025. Undefeated Elgin would face undefeated Tuttle in the title game for the second straight year. Unfortunately for the Owls, they had to walk away with the silver ball. With one of the more memorable drives in state championship game history, Elgin went on a 21-play, 98-yard drive to take the lead with four minutes to play. But there was too much time left and Tuttle stunned the Owls in the final minute. Now, the Owls will turn the page and they'll do so in more than one way in 2026.   2026 OUTLOOK   Elgin comes into this season back up in Class 5A after spending the last two seasons in Class 4A. They are a borderline top five team heading into the season and you can make a very strong argument that they'll be a solid top five team by the end of the season. They bring back six starters on the offensive side of the ball but they have to find a way to replace one of the most productive running backs in the state over the last two seasons. It won't be an easy task but they bring back a solid foundation on the offensive line and their quarterback from a year ago. There are also several skill players (including at running back) that have flown under the radar and now have a chance to shine bright this season. Defensively, the Owls also bring back six starters and it will be interesting to see if they can remain as dominant as they've been over the last few years. Elgin has some dudes on this side of the ball, specifically at the linebacker position and could end up being as talented as the defenses we've seen in the last couple years but they'll need to prove it on the field. The Owls will test themselves early on in the non-district slate. It's a schedule that is highlighted by a week two clash with Tuttle. Then they'll enter a district featuring two teams that made it to the 5A semifinals a year ago. Elgin has elevated itself as a program and they now expect to contend no matter who has graduated, what class they are in or who is on the schedule. They've made two straight trips to the state championship game and as the 2026 season kicks off, the expectation is that Elgin will be playing in Edmond in December.   KEY LOSSES TO GRADUATION   Brody Morrison - Wide Receiver (2025 All State Honorable Mention) Ritson Meyer - Running Back/Linebacker (PRZ-Oklahoma Player Of The Year Finalist)   PLAYERS TO WATCH    2027 running back [player_tooltip player_id='1836640' first='Braxten' last='Antuna'] is one of the most underrated players in the state but we don't think that will last very long when the season begins this fall. Antuna has been behind one of the state's best running backs the last two seasons. Despite that, he's still been able to get into the game and produce at a high level in his limited opportunities. Now, Antuna is the unquestioned guy at the running back position. He's going to be able to be an all purpose weapon that the Owls use every week. Look for him to be just as impactful in the receiving game as he is as a runner. It's hard not to think his production is going to explode this season.    (2025 All State Honorable Mention)     At this time last year, 2027 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1680012' first='Cayden' last='Belletto'] was getting prepared for his first season as QB1 and stepping into a role that was filled by arguably the school's best quarterback in program history. Not the easiest position to be in for a junior quarterback but in our opinion, he passed that test with flying colors and fast forward to today and he appears to be ready to take the next step and become one of the top quarterbacks in Class 5A this season. If this spring was any indication, Belletto is going to absolutely light it up this fall. Last year, he had the ultimate safety valve with his running back. This year, he's ready to be one of the unquestioned top guys in 5A.   (2025 All State Honorable Mention)     At this time last year, 2027 offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1701966' first='Hudson' last='Begley'] was stepping into a brighter spotlight, emerging as one of the top guys on an Elgin offensive line that was replacing two D1 signees. Begley had an outstanding junior season and now comes back as the unquestioned leader for the Owls on the line of scrimmage. And Elgin will always take pride and start things on the line of scrimmage. Begley will look to elevate his game again this season but don't forget about what he brings to the defense. He's a run stopper in the middle of that Elgin defensive line. But there's no doubt that Begley is at his best when he's lining up on the offensive line.     We're buying all the stock you can get on 2027 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1836637' first='Kason' last='Meyer'] coming into this season. Meyer emerged as one of Elgin's top players on the defensive side of the ball last season. He got plenty of playing time during his sophomore season as well. So he comes into this season as one of Elgin's most experienced players. And he feels like the living embodiment of the Elgin football mentality. He's a hard-hitting, heat-seeking missile that comes to work every single day and plays the game with a passion. We've been impressed with Meyer the last two seasons and it's hard not to be excited about his potential going into this season.     2028 wide receiver and defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='2111983' first='Keegan' last='Hilliary'] is a guy on our shortlist for breakout players this season for the Owls. We got a chance to watch the 2028 prospect in person back at our February showcase and he impressed us with his motor and overall mentality. He didn't back down from anyone and is looking to take that same mindset to both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, he adds another weapon in the pass game but defensively, he's a lockdown corner and he's going to play with the same juice in the fourth quarter that he does in the first. He's a player with a dog mentality and is ready to go on every single snap.     It was a little over a year ago that we first watched and were impressed by 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='1680013' first='Tucker' last='New'] on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Offensively, New gives the Owls the ultimate mismatch weapon. He looks just as comfortable lining up as a traditional tight end and run blocking or being split out and using his overall size to go up and grab a jump ball out of the air. Then he turns around and is incredibly productive on the defensive side of the ball as an edge defender or a traditional defensive end. New enjoyed a nice breakout season during his junior year. He emerged as a player to know in the state's 2027 class. Now he looks to take the next step.    MORE NAMES TO KNOW   [player_tooltip player_id='1830338' first='Brodey' last='Ballou'] - 2027 Offensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1828597' first='Brody' last='Donnelly'] - 2028 Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1836650' first='Caleb' last='Adesola'] - 2028 Defensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1836647' first='Cordae' last='Richie'] - 2027 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='1680014' first='Dalvin' last='Clark'] - 2027 Running Back [player_tooltip player_id='1836645' first='Jaxon' last='Deel'] - 2027 Offensive Lineman [player_tooltip player_id='1830343' first='Joey' last='Arellano'] - 2027 Wide Receiver John Lowman - 2027 Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id='1828556' first='Tripp' last='Dodson'] - 2029 Defensive Lineman   2026 SCHEDULE   Aug. 28th - AT Bethany - The Owls open the season heading up to Oklahoma City to face Bethany in week zero. This is a rematch of last year's playoff game that saw Elgin beat the Bronchos 49-7 on their way to another state championship game appearance. They also met in 2020 and 2021 in the regular season but Bethany won both of those meetings.  Sept. 4th - AT Guthrie - Elgin heads north again in week one as they square off with Guthrie. This will be the first meeting in the regular season between these two teams. Elgin met the Blue Days in the 5A playoffs in 2022 but they suffered a 17-0 shutout loss. The Owls are a completely different program now as they get ready for this 5A clash.  Sept. 11th - Tuttle - The worst part of Elgin moving up to 5A was that we wouldn't see a “part three” of the Elgin-Tuttle rivalry with a state championship on the line. We get the next best thing in week two as the Owls will open up their home slate against the Tigers. There won't need to be much said about this match-up to get people amped up.  Sept. 18th - AT Cache - The Owls wrap up non-district play with another road game, this time against Cache in week three. This has been a series that has been played for a long time in southwestern Oklahoma. Elgin has the advantage right now in a series that is historically somewhat even. Elgin has won five straight with all five wins coming by 20+ points.  Sept. 25th - AT Lawton MacArthur - For the fourth time in five weeks, Elgin will hit the road although this time it will be a short trip to Lawton to face the Highlanders. These two teams have met in each of the last four seasons and it has been a clean sweep for the Owls. They are 4-0 against the Highlanders and the last three wins have all been by 21 points or more.  Oct. 9th - Newcastle - The Owls host Newcastle in week six and this match-up goes from being a non-district contest to a district game with major playoff implications. These two have met in each of the last two years in non-district play and the Owls have taken care of business. Both teams expect to contend for the district championship this season.  Oct. 15th - AT Southeast - On a Fall Break Thursday night in week seven, Elgin heads back to Oklahoma City to face Southeast in district play. This will actually be the first time that the Owls and Spartans square off on the gridiron. But this is a very different Southeast compared to two months ago. They lost their head coach and several of their top returning players.  Oct. 23rd - El Reno - El Reno is back on the schedule with Elgin's return to Class 5A this season and next. The Owls faced the Indians in 2022 and 2023 and both match-ups featured Elgin victories. They won both games by 30+ points and similar to a few of these other match-ups on the schedule, the Owls will look to pick up where they left off a few years ago. Oct. 30th - AT Altus - The final road game sees Elgin heading west to face Altus in week nine. These two teams met in 2022 and 2023 and the Owls smashed the Bulldogs in each meeting. They won both games by a combined score of 91-0 and they expect that dominance to continue this year. Altus will look different this season with a first year head coach.  Nov. 6th - Shawnee - The regular season comes to an end in week ten with Elgin hosting Shawnee. The Wolves are a new opponent for the Owls as they've never met on the gridiron in the past. This is a Shawnee squad that has been in an east side district in Class 5A in the past. That won't be the case this season and next. They have a few playmakers to look out for.    NOTABLE   There is no doubt that Elgin is in their best era in program history. From winning the school's first state championship in 2024 to making it back to the state championship game last season. The group of Elgin seniors head into this season after going 38-2 in the last three seasons. They've never lost a game in the regular season, going a perfect 30-0 in the last three years and the only two losses coming in the 2023 5A quarterfinals and then last year's state championship game. But as you can see with the schedule, the Owls are going to be tested in the regular season more than ever before. They play a difficult non-district schedule and then things will certainly be more competitive from week to week in a new class and district. But the Owls are ready to take Class 5A by storm this season. Talking with Elgin head coach Chalmer Wyatt this summer, he talked about how winning has become infectious around town and the expectations and overall bar for this program have risen. They're ready for the challenge.    LAST FIVE SEASONS   2025 - 13-1 - Class 4A Runner Ups 2024 - 14-0 - Class 4A State Champions  2023 - 11-1 - Lost In Class 5A Quarterfinals 2022 - 8-3 - Lost In Class 5A 1st Round 2021 - 4-6 - Missed Playoffs   CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY   1 State Championship   2024 - Beat Tuttle 29-22

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