Texas 5A/6A high school football: Top teams, games, players and prospects ahead of 2020 season

By Aaron Williams Sep 21, 2020, 2:15pm

Shadow Creek bumps up in classification, opens the season against two-time defending champion North Shore.

It's just about time. In July, the UIL moved back the start of the state's largest high school football divisions in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

While the lower divisions have been playing for as many as four weeks, it's time for the big schools to get rolling. An opening-week marquee matchup between two-time defending 6A champion North Shore (Houston) and defending 5A-I champion Shadow Creek (Pearland), which bumped up to 6A this season, highlights an exciting kickoff. In addition to that game, the national matchup of the year sees Florida's IMG Academy travel to the Lone Star State to play state No. 1 Duncanville.

The playoffs for Class 6A and Class 5A, which were slated to begin Nov. 12 now will commence Dec. 3. The state championship games, originally scheduled for Dec. 16-19 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington will be pushed back to an undetermined January date.

In advance of season openers, here's a look at what you need to know about Texas 5A and 6A football in 2020.
Quinn Ewers, Carroll (Southlake)
Quinn Ewers, Carroll (Southlake)
File photo by Kenneth Murphy
Top games



IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) vs. Duncanville, Oct. 10 at Globe Life Park
Guyer (Denton) at Carroll (Southlake), Oct. 16
DeSoto at Duncanville, Nov. 13

Top 6A teams

1. Duncanville
2. North Shore
3. Guyer (Denton
4. Katy
5. Carroll (Southlake)

Top 5A-I teams

1. Ryan (Denton)


Defending champions



6A-I: North Shore (Houston)
5A-I: Shadow Creek (Pearland)
5A-II: Aledo

Top recruits

Based on 247 Sports individual rankings

Ja'Tavion Sanders, ATH, Ryan (Denton), (17 overall)
L.J. Johnson, RB, Cy-Fair (Cypress), (31)
Billy Bowman, ATH, Ryan (Denton), (35)
Camar Wheaton, RB, Lakeview Centennial (Garland), (45)
Cody Jackson, WR, Foster (Richmond), (50)

Returning 6A stat leaders

Passing
Braedyn Locke, Rockwall | 268-455 (59%), 4,305 yds., 52 TD
Quinn Ewers, Carroll (Southlake) | 291-402 (72%), 4,003 yds., 45 TD

Rushing

Aaron Dumas, Americas (El Paso) | 343 car., 3,148 yds., 36 TD
Brian Benavides, United South (Laredo) | 292 car., 2,217 yds., 34 TD

Receiving
Jordan Hudson, Garland | 80 rec., 1,285 yds., 19 TD
Joseph Manjack, Tomball Memorial (Tomball) | 69 rec., 1,246 yds., 15 TD

Returning 5A stat leaders



Passing
Garret Rangel, Lone Star (Frisco) | 279-403 (69%), 4,855 yds., 50 TD
Eddie Lee Marburger, Pioneer (Mission) | 286-433 (66%), 4,505 yds., 58 TD

Rushing
Noah Garcia, Cooper (Abilene) | 221 car., 2,451 yds., 33 TD
LJ Butler, Wagner (San Antonio) | 2256 car., 2,349 yds, 30 TD

Receiving
Jojo Earle, Aledo | 84 rec., 1,601 yds., 15 TD
Eric McAlister Jr., Azle | 71 rec., 1,451 yds., 16 TD