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 a perfect 12 out of 12 playoff picks correct in 2A Division II.

Roscoe separates from its normal Big Country district foes; can the Plowboys be the top dog out west in District 3?
Can Haskell hang with Windthorst and give the Trojans a run for their money in District 6?
Goldthwaite joins Albany, Cross Plains, Hamlin, Miles, Stamford, and Winters in an absolutely brutal District 7. Who will end up at the top?

Roscoe avoids the district of doom featuring Albany, Stamford, Goldthwaite, etc., and ends up in Region I after realignment.

The Plowboys lose a big senior class, but they should be in title contention right away. Tahoka, who went two rounds deep last season, looks to be the biggest competition, but the Bulldogs will be a young team as well in 2026.

Tahoka is the only team in the district that had a winning record last year, although Roscoe and Lockney did make the playoffs with losing records.

The Plowboys and Bulldogs meet in week nine in Tahoka in a game that should be key in deciding the district title.

BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL

1. Roscoe
2. Tahoka
3. Lockney
4. Crosbyton
5. Big Spring Pathway Academy
6. Ralls

Haskell has the ingredients back to make a run at a district title this season, but the competition they’ll be facing will make it hard. Windthorst checks in at number seven in the preseason rankings and will be tough to beat with seven starters back on both sides of the ball.

The Indians have 13 returning starters, including quarterback Haegen Pinkerton and linebacker Beaux Shaginaw, who return after putting up huge numbers as juniors.

Munday hopes to return to its winning ways in year one under Jeff Ward. They’ve started 3-0 the past two seasons and came up shy of the postseason in the end. The Moguls have as good of a shot as anyone to compete for one the last playoff spot out of the district.

BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL

1. Windthorst
2. Haskell
3. Petrolia
4. Munday
5. Archer City
6. Seymour
7. Electra

This district will be fun to follow but a tough one to prognosticate.

Albany (6), Goldthwaite (13), and Stamford (17) are all in Dave Campbell’s preseason top 25, and you could make good arguments for each to end up as district champs.

Albany is Albany, and they just about always win the district. They return some great pieces and will be tough to beat.

Goldthwaite comes back to a Big Country district after playing the likes of Mart and Bremond in Region III the past two years, games that have no doubt toughened the Eagles up.

Stamford has plenty of returning talent and speed, and they’re in Division II now just two seasons after playing for the 2A DI state championship.

Hamlin was a playoff team a year ago, and Cross Plains and Miles look to bounce back after missing out on the postseason in 2025. Those three will likley be battling it out for the final playoff spot from District 7.

Winters will be facing depth issues, but the Blizzards may catch some folks by surprise as they continue to build in year two under Ryan Pannell.

BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL

1. Albany
2. Stamford
3. Goldthwaite
4. Hamlin
5. Cross Plains
6. Miles
7. Winters

Educated Guesses: 2A Division II

BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL

BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL

BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL

Cooper vs. Permian Scrimmage Photos

BIG COUNTRY BLITZ