Top 5 Football Games to Watch in West Texas This Week

Here are our top five high school football games to watch in the Concho Valley and West Texas this week:

Wall (2-0) at Jim Ned (2-0)

A couple of Top 10 teams will clash Friday in Tuscola when Wall (ranked No. 3 in Class 3A Division II) travels to play Jim Ned (No. 10 in 3A Division I). These former district rivals had a classic game last year when Wall jumped out to a 17-0 lead before Jim Ned stormed back with 24 straight points. The Hawks scored with eight seconds remaining, however, then converted the two-point try for a 25-24 win. These two powerhouse programs should put on another show this year.

The pick: Wall 28, Jim Ned 27

Ozona (2-0) at Brady (2-0)

Brady will try to find a way to do what Ozona’s first two opponents have not — slow down the runaway train that is Lions running back Christian Villarreal. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Villarreal had 373 rushing yards and 134 receiving yards last week in a 76-29 win over Eldorado. A week earlier, he had 371 rushing yards in a 65-0 win over McCamey. Last year, Villarreal had 122 yards and two TDs in a 47-45 loss to Brady. It was Brady that did most of the damage on the ground with 342 yards as Johnny Menefield and Ashton Taylor each topped 100. Brady is coming off a 24-22 win over Mason last week, and the Bulldogs have a chance to make another statement this week. This has Game of the Week written all over it.

The pick: Ozona 35, Brady 33

San Angelo Lake View (2-0) at Lamesa (0-2)

The Lake View Chiefs are aiming for their first 3-0 start since 2019. Their offense has lived up to its preseason promise with back-to-back wins over Fort Stockton (42-7) and Snyder (49-28). Junior quarterback Chris Alvizo is 43-of-61 passing for 533 yards and nine TDs with one INT. He led Lake View to a 55-42 shootout win last year over Lamesa when he threw for 337 yards and five TDs. Lamesa has a dangerous QB as well, however, back for this rematch in sophomore Daniel Ramos. He has thrown for 669 yards on 43-of-64 passing with eight TDs and one INT. He returns his favorite target, Cylius McCurley, who had 1,316 yards and 27 TD catches last year. This could be another shootout that will age the defensive coordinators.

The pick: Lake View 49, Lamesa 45

Grape Creek (1-1) at Bangs (0-2)

This is a rematch of a memorable game last year when Grape Creek rallied from a 27-0 halftime deficit for a 38-27 win. The Eagles still trailed 27-14 heading into the fourth quarter before scoring three times to complete the comeback. Grape Creek had a big win last week with a 38-16 victory over Reagan County. Darrell West had his second 100-yard rushing performance to start the season with 173 yards and two TDs. Bangs has opened its season with back-to-back losses to Early (35-18) and Merkel (29-26). 

The pick: Grape Creek 40, Bangs 24

Abilene Cooper (1-1) at San Angelo Central (0-2)

This is another exciting rematch from last year that Central won 31-27 in Abilene. Central led 24-7 entering the fourth quarter before Cooper stormed back to take a 27-24 lead with 3:41 left. The Bobcats shook it off and drove 75 yards, capped by Mason Van Sickle’s 9-yard TD catch with 54 seconds remaining. That win snapped a 10-game losing streak for Central, and it could be an important game again after the Bobcats lost their first two games this season — 42-21 to Abilene High and 41-21 to Amarillo High. Cooper won its season opener against Azle (49-25), then lost to Abilene High (34-13).

The pick: Central 35, Cooper 31