Educated Guesses: 1A Division II
Kickoff to the 2026 season is getting closer and closer, and the time has come to take a stab at how things will play out in each district featuring Big Country football teams.
I call them educated guesses, like your teachers used to, because I feel I have at least a little bit of knowledge about the upcoming season after speaking with area coaches for the 2026 edition of Big Country Blitz.
For the record, last season Big Country Blitz got 11 out of 12 playoff picks correct in 1A Division II.
With Jayton moving up to Division I, the race to Arlington in Division II looks to be wide open. Will a Big Country team make a run to Jerry World?
Four of the five teams in this district will have a new coach this season, as Olfen’s Reese Wilson is the only returning head coach.
Blackwell made the biggest splash, bringing in state championship head coach Clint Linman, and the Hornets will certainly be in the playoff mix this fall.
Panther Creek welcomes back a great group of returning starters that helped the Panthers improve by five wins in 2025. We will see what new head man Enrique Rodriguez can do with this crew, but he has high hopes of returning Panther Creek to its former glory.
Loraine had a tough go of it with a young team last year and looks to take the next step as a contender under veteran six-man coach Todd Lawdermilk.
Trent welcomes first-time head coach Michael Cypher, and he has some very talented players back on the roster as well.
Olfen improved a lot last season but is still looking for its first varsity win. Look for the Mustangs to get into the win column multiple times in 2026.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Blackwell
2. Loraine
3. Panther Creek
4. Trent
5. Olfen
Cherokee is the preseason number one team in the state according to Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and number nine in the Sixmanfootball.com rankings. Richland Springs is number three on sixmanfootball and four in DCTF.
The Coyotes have a new head coach in James McIntyre after not renewing Harley Ethridge, who led them to the state championship game a year ago. He moved on to Menard, taking his star athlete son Cohen with him to join the Yellowjackets.
Brookesmith welcomes back a talented and now experienced group in its second season under Blake Hood. The Mustangs have what it takes to compete in the district, but will they have enough to get past state powers like Cherokee and Richland Springs and return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020?
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Richland Springs
2. Cherokee
3. Brookesmith
4. Rochelle
5. Lohn
Knox City makes the move to 1A Division II and has the firepower to be an instant contender.
The Greyhounds get the nod here over the rest of the district, especially after Benjamin lost head coach Nathan Hayes and senior-to-be Keegan Hayes to Gordon.
Knox City looks like the top dog in the district, and Benjamin gets the nod as the second playoff team.
The rest of the pack seems pretty close. Rule has a new head coach in Aaron Hallford and some key returning contributors like Hayden Trevino and Colton Blair.
Paint Creek lost key players to graduation, injuries, and moves and will be a bit of a question mark, but Shannon Waters has gotten the Pirate program on track and hopes they can keep up their winning ways despite the loss of talent.
Depth will be an issue for Lueders-Avoca, but the Raiders have a chance to show lots of improvement as well this year in their third season under head coach Donnie Waters.
Photo: Michael Leal/Texas 1A Fan
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Benjamin
2. Knox City
3. Paint Creek
4. Rule
5. Lueders-Avoca
Harrold seems to be the favorite in District 10-1A Division II, but I wouldn’t put it past Woodson to make a run.
The Cowboys welcome back all but one class of 2025 senior to a team that made the playoffs a year ago.
Throckmorton has Shane Mallory back as its head coach, and he hopes to help the Greyhounds return to their former glory. It may take a bit, however, as Throckmorton will have pretty low numbers for the 2026 season.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Gold-Burg
2. Harrold
3. Woodson
4. Forestburg
5. Throckmorton
Photo: Michael Leal/Texas 1A Fan
Strawn is the heavy favorite in this one after making a run to the state semifinals a year ago.
The Greyhounds lose some very talented players but also return a lot, including all-state selections Alex Hughes and Johnny Fraga.
The race for the second playoff spot will most likely be between Rising Star and Sidney, with the nod going to the Wildcats.
Rising Star finished 5-5 last season and missed out on the playoffs in a very tough district. They beat Sidney in an 18-12 slugfest a year ago, and the battle between the two on October 30 will be a big one.
Sidney has some good talent returning as well, and the addition of Weston Bunting after having to sit out last year could help them be much better after going 2-8 in 2025.
Moran will still be young, but they will be a year more experienced and should be much more competitive in 2026.
Photo: Michael Leal/Texas 1A Fan
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Strawn
2. Rising Star
3. Sidney
4. Moran
Zephyr has the returning talent to make a deep playoff run this season, and the Bulldogs are the favorites to win a fifth straight district title.
The second playoff spot should come down to Gustine and Blanket. Gustine came up short against the Tigers a year ago but welcomes back a good number of players from a team that went 6-3 a year ago. Blanket has to try to replace Kannon Kensing and Mason Beck, not an easy task. Gustine’s larger number of returning starters, five that were all-district, makes me give the edge for the orange and black-clad Tigers over the yellow and black Tigers from Blanket.
Mullin has some work to do in its first season under former Trent head coach Slater Isbell.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Zephyr
2. Gustine
3. Blanket
4. Mullin
Photo: Dency McClure/Texas 1A Fan
Three Way is coming off the best season in program history and will have some work to do to be a top contender in the state again.
The Braves lose some big-time talent to graduation but have some all-state performers returning as well in Cole Schrimsher and Gage Thompson. Their matchup in the season finale at home against Iredell will likely decide the district title.
The Dragons went 5-5 last season and missed the playoffs, falling to Three Way in a 28-24 classic that sent the Braves to the postseason and kept Iredell at home.
Kopperl had a winning record at 6-4 and has plenty of returning starters. The Eagles certainly have what it takes to be in the playoff mix as well.
Morgan went 3-7 in 2025, Cranfills Gap ended up 4-6, and Walnut Springs will be back in action in 2026 after having to cancel their ‘25 campaign due to low numbers.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Iredell
2. Three Way
3. Kopperl
4. Morgan
5. Cranfills Gap
6. Walnut Springs
