SAN ANGELO, TX — Here are our top five high school football games to watch in West Texas in Week 3:
Rochelle at May
This six-man showdown takes top billing on our list. Rochelle (2-0) broke into the state rankings this week at No. 10 in 1A Division II, but the Hornets have a big challenge in front of them with a trip to May (2-0). The Tigers, ranked No. 5 in the state in 1A Division I, have been one of the most consistent programs in Texas over the last decade. They’ve posted 10 or more wins seven times since 2013.
Rochelle, meanwhile, is a rising program that has posted three straight 7-win seasons. The Hornets returned all of their starters from last season, and they were expected to be a potential contender this year. This game should tell us a lot about how dangerous they can be.
The pick: May 56, Rochelle 48
Jim Ned at Wall
This has been one of the area’s best rivalries for years, and not just in football. Wall and Jim Ned have collided in numerous sports with district titles and seasons on the line. This time, it will just be a high-profile nondistrict game. Wall is ranked No. 9 in the state in 3A Division II, while Jim Ned is unranked in 3A Division I. Both teams are 1-1.
Wall is coming off a 17-7 loss to Brownwood last week, but the Hawks represented well against the No. 7-ranked team in 4A Division I. The game was tied 7-7 going into the fourth quarter. Jim Ned is coming off a 42-12 win over Lubbock Trinity Christian. The last two games in this series have each been decided by three points, with Jim Ned winning 17-14 last year, and Wall winning 3-0 in 2022. Let’s go for another.
The pick: Wall 17, Jim Ned 14
Coleman at Mason
This is a matchup of strong programs from the 2A Division I ranks. Mason is ranked No. 10 in the state, and the Punchers have been incredibly consistent. They’ve won at least eight games every year since 2007. Coleman has had a burst of recent success. The Bluecats are a combined 29-7 the last three years with a playoff trophy from each season.
Mason is coming off a 47-19 win over Brady last week to improve its record to 1-1 after a 28-6 loss to Wall in Week 1. Coleman is off to an 0-2 start with losses to Eastland (21-6) and Clifton (33-12). Mason isn’t exactly the team you want to see when you’re searching for your first win, but the Punchers will certainly let the Bluecats know where they stand midway through their nondistrict schedule.
The pick: Mason 28, Coleman 14
Ballinger at San Angelo TLCA
Ballinger is off to a 2-0 start, and it feels especially good for a team that endured a 1-19 mark the previous two seasons. The Bearcats will try to make it three in a row when they visit San Angelo this week to take on TLCA. Ballinger's defense has been impressive in wins over Merkel (28-10) and Christoval (21-0). Running back Aiden Pena has already rushed for 309 yards.
The Eagles are off to a rough start with a pair of blowout losses to Tahoka (54-0) and Cisco (62-8), but this was expected to be a rebuilding year. TLCA will hope to see some strides this week at home against Ballinger. The Eagles won this matchup 36-21 last year when they were in the same district. Since then, TLCA has been moved up to 3A Division I, while Ballinger dropped to 2A Division I.
The pick: Ballinger 21, San Angelo TLCA 14
Brady at Ozona
These towns have only played seven times over the years, not too surprising considering they’re 130 miles apart. They’re starting to build up a little rivalry, however, after playing in 2020 and 2021. Ozona won those meetings 20-14 and 28-14, so Brady will need to get a win in this series to take the rivalry to the next level.
Brady is coming off a 47-19 loss to Mason last week. The Bulldogs struggled to contain Mason’s offense, but junior running back Ashton Taylor had 20 carries for 110 yards and a TD, no easy feat against the Punchers’ stout defense. Ozona beat Eldorado 28-19 last week. Hudson Fowler threw for 211 yards and three TDs, all of them to Michael Daniels. Of course, the Lions also have running back Christian Villanueva, who is already halfway to a 1,000-yard season with 515 yards through two games, so that kind of balance makes Ozona difficult to stop.
The pick: Ozona 35, Brady 24
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