Previews and predictions for the best Texas high school football regional semifinal playoff games

North Crowley (12-0) vs Coppell (12-0), 2 p.m. Saturday at Mansfield’s Newsom Stadium: A showdown featuring two unbeaten teams in the state’s largest classification will certainly draw attention on Thanksgiving weekend as Coppell looks to try and contain North Crowley. NCHS looked sharp from the jump last week as the Panthers destroyed an overmatched Odessa Permian squad, 72-14. North Texas QB commit Chris Jimmerson threw for 274 yards and five touchdowns; he added a rushing touchdown as well. Four of those scoring passes went to WR Quentin Gibson, who now has 30 touchdown receptions on the season. The Panthers defense didn’t allow points until the fourth quarter when backups were in. Coppell doesn’t come into this one with the flash or big numbers of North Crowley, but the Cowboys have one of the state’s top signal-callers in Baylor commit Edward Griffin. After getting a scare in the first round against Prosper, Coppell had no such issues with Lake Highlands in a 38-10 victory last week. Coppell’s defense played one of their best games of the season holding LHHS to just 155 yards of offense, while Griffin threw for 232 yards and two scores, completing 16 of his 20 passes. Coppell head coach Antonio Wiley’s team won’t be able to keep up with North Crowley on the outside. They’ll have to find a way to control the pace and somehow get a stop or two and the key to that formula may be to key in on the run game and try to contain Jimmerson to the confines of the pocket. If he gets loose, NCHS is  impossible to stop. That is a task easier said, than accomplished. Stepp’s Pick: North Crowley by 20

Fulshear (12-0) vs Humble Atascocita (11-1), 2 p.m. Friday at Houston’s Thorne Stadium: Unbeaten Fulshear will get its biggest test of the season this week as the Chargers and their potent rushing attack look to take down a tough Atascocita squad at newly remodeled Thorne Stadium in North Houston. Fulshear got a big test last week but improved to 3-0 in one-score games with a hard-fought 54-48 win over a hot Houston Lamar squad. RB Zane Smith again had a big night with tough inside running, posting four rushing touchdowns as Fulshear’s wide-zone scheme had a nearly 4:1 run-to-pass ratio in the win. If there is a concern for FHS going into this week it’s that Lamar’s speed on the outside caused the Chargers a lot of issues. If there’s one thing Atascocita has in bunches, it is speed. The Eagles offense, which is among the state’s most explosive, was held in relative check last week by a tough Pearland defense in a 28-17 win. QB Cardae Mack was the difference with two touchdown runs and a touchdown pass, but the big blow was a 93-yard punt return by Kyran Pate in the third quarter that gave the Eagles the lead for good. Oklahoma RB commit Tory Blaylock was relatively quiet last week, but I don’t expect him to be quiet this week. Atascocita rolls into the fourth round and will hand Fulshear its first and only loss of 2024. Stepp’s Pick: Humble Atascocita by 10

DeSoto (10-2) vs Willis (12-0), 7 p.m. Saturday at Frisco’s Ford Center: This was one of the state’s most highly anticipated games of Thanksgiving weekend a year ago as DeSoto pulled away from Willis in a battle of unbeatens, 65-31. Several faces on both teams are new and DeSoto isn’t undefeated, but this will get a statewide audience on Saturday night on FanDuel TV. DeSoto got Texas A&M RB commit Tiger Riden going in a major way last week as he ran for 300 yards and four touchdowns in the Eagles 51-17 win over Wylie East. QB Kelden Ryan, a Virginia Tech commit, and sophomore RB Myson Johnson-Cook give the Eagles rushing attack plenty of firepower as well as they operate behind a massive offensive line anchored by Syracuse commit Byron Washington. Willis comes into this one without the hype of having now Florida QB D.J. Lagway leading the offense, but the Wildkats may be better equipped to deal with DeSoto this season because Willis is better and more balanced across the board. ATH Jermaine Bishop is one of the state’s most versatile and dynamic playmakers and the Wildkats defense is much improved. Last week they got a major test, but escaped with a 28-24 win over Tomball as the Wildkats defense came up with a stop in the game’s waning moments at the four-yard line on fourth and goal to preserve the win. Bishop caught a pair of touchdown passes for the Wildkats, while Jalen Mickens’ touchdown catch from QB Jack Emerson with just over seven minutes remaining proved to be the game winner. Willis’ defense will need to play another big game and the offense will have to be more consistent if they want to come into the DFW area and knock off the two-time defending 6A-Division II champs and that’s just too tall of an order. Stepp’s Pick: DeSoto by 16

Austin Vandegrift (11-1) vs Cibolo Steele (11-1), 3 p.m. Friday at San Antonio’s Alamodome: It’s another Austin vs. San Antonio showdown as Austin’s newest powerhouse Vandegrift, fresh off a 51-0 pounding of San Antonio Sotomayor, makes its second straight trip to the Alamodome. Awaiting them will be Steele, the top team in the Alamo City, who demolished an overmatched PJSA squad, 63-12, last Thursday. Vandegrift’s defense was the story last week holding Sotomayor’s ground attack to just 134 yards in the win. The Vipers offense was stout with Brendan Fournier and Justin Moore both topping 100 yards on the ground and QB Miles Teodecki tossing three scoring passes. Steele’s offense put up 63 points, IN THE FIRST HALF last week as UTEP QB commit Chad Warner tossed three touchdown passes, Oklahoma RB commit Jonathan Hatton ran for three scores and Oklahoma State WR commit Royal Capell had a touchdown catch and a kickoff return for a score to lead the Knights. Steele’s offense has no questions - they are among the state’s best. But can the defense in big moments come up with enough stops? Vandegrift will be their biggest test in a while but look for the Knights to pass this test and set up an all-San Antonio regional final. Stepp’s Pick: Cibolo Steele by 7

Frisco Lone Star (11-1) vs Midlothian (10-2), 6 p.m. Friday at North Richland Hills’ Birdville Fine Arts/Athletics Complex: Frisco Lone Star jumped out to a 34-7 lead on Red Oak, but had to hold off a furious rally late with a 34-28 win. Sophomore QB Karece Hoyt led the Rangers with 353 yards of offense and two rushing scores, while ATH Davian Groce had 151 yards from scrimmage and a score on the ground to pace the Rangers in the win. Midlothian took down undefeated West Mesquite last week, 45-21, as the Panthers got contributions from multiple players. RB Kayden Gibson ran for 65 yards and two scores, QB Beau Wendel ran for one touchdown and passed for a score to freshman WR Brendyn Jackson and Zechariah Washington’s 101-yard interception return for a touchdown proved to be key in the Panthers win. Both teams like to control the clock with the ground game. They just operate out of totally different systems, which defense can win early downs and force the opposition into obvious passing situations will decide this one. Stepp’s Pick: Frisco Lone Star by 6

College Station (11-1) vs Angleton (11-1), 7 p.m. Friday at Shenandoah’s Woodforest Bank Stadium: College Station proved to still be an elite team as last week the Cougars in a highly anticipated top 10 showdown with Lufkin dominated start to finish in a 49-35 win. RB Ayden Martinez-Brown led the way with three rushing touchdowns and he also was a factor in the passing game for the Cougars. TE Jackson Verdugo, a Charlotte commit also chipped in a pair of touchdown receptions for College Station in the win. Angleton held off a talented Port Arthur Memorial bunch for a 36-29 win a week ago as QB Bryce Duran tossed a pair of touchdown passes and RB J’Marcus Shockley chipped in two touchdown runs to pace a balanced Angleton attack. College Station’s performance last week won’t generate statewide attention because it wasn’t flashy, but the Cougars were brutally efficient and that efficiency will get them to a regional final. Stepp’s Pick: College Station by 12

Texarkana Texas (12-0) vs Port Neches-Groves (11-1), 7 p.m. Friday at Natchitoches, LA’s Turpin Stadium: These two met in the same exact stadium across the border in 2021 with Texas High knocking off PNG, but a lot has changed since then. PNG hired Jeff Joseph as their head coach and the Indians have played for a state title in 2022 and won a state title in 2023, while Texas High hasn’t been past the third round of the playoffs since that point. The Tigers are playing like a true state title contender after they blasted Crandall a week ago 58-28 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. RB Javari Johnson, an SFA commit ran for three first half touchdowns, while Oregon commit ATH Tradarian Ball had a touchdown catch and a touchdown on the ground as THS led 51-7 midway through the third quarter before emptying the bench. Port Neches-Groves rolled past Kaufman 42-21 in another game that wasn’t as close as the score indicates, the Indians led 28-0 at the end of the first quarter as the defense and special teams set up the Indians with great field position. The PNG secondary and defense will be tested in a major way this week, the Indians must lean on their big offensive line and deliberate offensive approach to shorten the game and try to keep the Tigers off the field. Texas High has too much firepower and that offense is the key in a shootout. Stepp’s Pick: Texas High by 8

Richmond Randle (12-0) vs Brenham (11-1), 2 p.m. Saturday at Waller’s Waller ISD Stadium: There aren’t many teams who have been quite as dominant as the Randle Lions who have the state’s second largest average margin of victory. They exceeded that margin and then some last week as they obliterated Elgin 79-0. Sophomore RB Landen Williams-Callis ran for five scores to lead the Randle offense, while a defense led by Texas A&M commit DL Chace Sims absolutely dominated. There’s really another word you can use other than dominating to describe a 79-0 victory. Brenham took down Liberty Hill 30-27 a week ago to send the Panthers packing after four straight regional titles. It was a gutty win for the Cubs who were without star sophomore RB Jacolby Dixon, but they got great performances from QB Jordan Harvey who threw two touchdown passes to Cartelle Brown and backup RB Xylan Upshaw had a pair of fourth quarter touchdown runs for the Cubs. Brenham’s defense has two impressive red zone stops against the Liberty Hill Slot-T and those stops proved to be the difference. Brenham’s banged up and Dixon’s status is up in the air this week and even with a healthy team, beating Randle would be a tall order. Stepp’s Pick: Richmond Randle by 21

Quick Picks

Euless Trinity (11-1) vs Allen (12-0), 5 p.m. Friday at Southlake’s Dragon Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Euless Trinity by 3

Duncanville (11-0) vs The Woodlands (11-1), 1 p.m. Saturday at Hutto’s Hutto Memorial Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Duncanville by 21

Waxahachie (9-3) vs Cypress Bridgeland (11-1), 3 p.m. Saturday at Pflugerville’s The Pfield Stepp’s Pick: Bridgeland by 4

Lake Travis (11-1) vs San Antonio East Central (9-3), 1 p.m. Friday at Seguin’s Matador Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Lake Travis by 28

Austin Westlake (11-1) vs Buda Johnson (8-4), 1 p.m. Friday at Austin’s Burger Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Austin Westlake by 30

Crowley (8-4) vs Denton Guyer (9-3), 2 p.m. Saturday at Grapevine’s Mustang-Panther Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Denton Guyer by 10

Southlake Carroll (12-0) vs Lewisville Hebron (8-4), 2:30 p.m. Friday at Irving’s Ellis Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Southlake Carroll by 21

Longview (10-2) vs Klein Collins (7-5), 2 p.m. Saturday at Lufkin’s Martin Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Longview by 2

Katy Jordan (11-1) vs Humble Summer Creek (10-2), 6 p.m. Friday at Houston’s NRG Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Humble Summer Creek by 17

Houston Strake Jesuit (9-3) Winner vs Humble Kingwood (8-4), 7 p.m. Friday at Tomball’s Tomball ISD Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Humble Kingwood by 6

San Antonio Harlan (11-1) vs New Braunfels Canyon (8-4), Friday 1:30 p.m. at San Marcos’ Bobcat Stadium Stepp’s Pick: San Antonio Harlan by 13

Richland (10-2) vs Denton Ryan (11-1), 2 p.m. Saturday at Frisco’s Ford Center Stepp’s Pick: Denton Ryan by 14

Aledo (11-1) vs Amarillo Tascosa (7-5), 1 p.m. Friday at Snyder’s Tiger Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Aledo by 29

Highland Park (11-1) vs Frisco Reedy (10-2), 7 p.m. Friday at Frisco’s Ford Center Stepp’s Pick: Highland Park by 11

La Porte (9-3) vs College Station A&M Consolidated (12-0), 3 p.m. Friday at Cypress’ Cy-Fair FCU Stadium Stepp’s Pick: College Station A&M Consolidated by 2

New Braunfels (9-3) vs Smithson Valley (10-2), 11 a.m. Friday at San Antonio’s Alamodome Stepp’s Pick: Smithson Valley by 14

Lovejoy (9-3) vs Anna (9-3), 2 p.m. Friday at Melissa’s Kenny Deel Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Anna by 6

Argyle (11-1) vs Prosper Walnut Grove (11-1), 7 p.m. Friday at Prosper’s Children’s Health Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Argyle by 12

South Oak Cliff (10-2) vs Marshall (10-2), 7 p.m. Friday at Tyler’s TMF Rose Stadium Stepp’s Pick: South Oak Cliff by 24

Fort Bend Marshall (10-2) vs Iowa Colony (11-1), 10 a.m. Friday at Houston’s NRG Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Fort Bend Marshall by 2

Alamo Heights (12-0) vs Corpus Christi Miller (10-2), 7 p.m. Friday at San Antonio’s Alamodome Stepp’s Pick: Corpus Christi Miller by 5

Victoria West (10-2) vs Boerne (9-3), 6 p.m. Friday at Seguin’s Matador Stadium Stepp’s Pick: Boerne by 10

Playoff Record:  53-11 82.8%

Season: 189-55 75.6% 77.4%