By Kevin Lonnquist
NTX Varsity Sports Columnist
The Texas High School football calendar reads that the first week of the playoffs begins on Nov. 13.
Accurate to be sure. In truth, the season has already reached that playoff mindset. The final week of the 2025 regular season begins Thursday.
This is an elimination week. This is when there are the “playoffs” to determine who will advance to the playoffs. This is when all of the work in the offseason and fall camp in August makes the difference.
For some programs, they control their destiny. Win and they are in. Others must win but also hope the team(s) they are chasing lose so they can claim the playoff spot. Or they could need something bizarre. You’ll see what that means below.
Then, there’s the convoluted angle where multiple teams chasing one or two spots are praying the district’s points-system tiebreaker will favor them if they are involved in a tie.
There would be too many brain cramps experienced to explain how positive points or positive and negative points work. But they do exist. And for the football teams and coaches who are at their mercy, they can easily recite them by now.
As we reach this “playoff round” to reach the playoffs, let’s first get you caught up on the programs in the NTX Varsity Sports area who have qualified. Then, we’ll individually break down the others who are still fighting to play next week.
These are teams who have punched their postseason tickets (11): Aledo, Krum, Graham, Eagle Mountain, Decatur, Springtown, Paradise, All Saints, Malakoff, Mildred and Glen Rose. The district champions from this group are Aledo (3-5A – Division I), Krum (5-4A – Division II), Springtown (5-4A – Division I), Paradise (4-3A – Division I); All Saints (TAPPS Division II District 1) and Glen Rose (4-4A – Division II).
Now, let’s examine the remaining teams who have more work to do:
Corsicana (6-5A – Division II): The Tigers (5-4, 3-3) have destiny in their hands. They play at Ennis (5-4, 4-2) Thursday (106.9 FM). Corsicana must win but can’t do it simply by one point. Because of theirs and Ennis’ results against Crandall (Corsicana lost by eight. Ennis won by seven.) and presuming Crandall (6-3, 3-3) beats winless Greenville in its finale, the Tigers must beat the Lions by at least eight points to gain the fourth playoff spot. Now, if Corsicana beats Ennis by 10, then the Tigers earn the fourth playoff spot. Of course, there is the third way. Crandall falls in an upset and Corsicana wins.
Boyd (4-3A – Division I): There are two paths for the Jackets (5-4, 2-3) to qualify for the playoffs. First, they can pull the upset Friday at No. 2 Paradise (8-1, 5-0) and clinch. However, the more likely scenario is if Boyd loses, then it must hope Bowie (4-5, 1-4) wins its finale against last-place Iowa Park. If that happens, that will place the Jackets, Jackrabbits and Lions in a three-way for fourth at 2-4. The district’s points system tiebreaker favors Boyd.
Mineral Wells (3-4A – Division II): It’s easy for Rams (3-6, 1-3) and their chances. They enter Friday’s finale against Burkburnett at home. The Bulldogs (1-8) are also 1-3 in district play. If the Rams win, they return to the playoffs. If they don’t, then their season concludes.
There are a couple of subplot stories to pay attention to for this final week. This involves teams, which have already clinched playoff spots but do not have their seed finalized.
Eagle Mountain (7-2, 3-1 – 5-4A Division II) plays at Graham (6-3, 3-1). This is a battle for second and of course, the second seed. That’s important when it comes to who each team would face in the opening round next week.
As for Malakoff (6-3, 4-1 – 7-3A Division I), the Tigers play host Winnsboro (8-1, 4-1) on Friday. The winner of that matchup earns the second seed from the district.
Next week, we’ll take you through all the opening round matchups. We’ll offer what to look for, anything notable and who we like advance.
It should be an exciting final week of the regular season. No senior wants to turn in his pads and uniform on Monday.