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Texas High School Football Playoffs 2026

The UIL state playoffs begin in November. Every district champion and wildcard earns a spot. Friday Night Picks tracks every team's road to the state title game in Arlington.

How the UIL Playoffs Work

Each district sends its top finishers to the bi-district round, typically the week after Thanksgiving. Teams advance through regional quarterfinals, semis, and finals before the state championship games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in December. Six classifications (6A through 1A) each crown a champion.

AI Playoff Projections

Friday Night Picks runs an Elo-style model on every game, updated weekly off real results. The AI Top 5 playoff contenders per class are listed below, based on preseason ratings and 2026 schedule strength.

2026 AI Playoff Contenders

Class 6A

1Pearland helmetPearland2Katy helmetKaty3North Crowley helmetNorth Crowley4Klein helmetKlein5Sheldon C.E. King helmetSheldon C.E. KingFull 6A Top 10 →

Class 5A

1Gregory-Portland helmetGregory-Portland2Boerne Champion3Smithson Valley helmetSmithson Valley4Angleton helmetAngleton5Anna helmetAnnaFull 5A Top 10 →

Class 4A

1Lubbock-Cooper Liberty2Kerrville Tivy helmetKerrville Tivy3El Paso Austin helmetEl Paso Austin4Lubbock Estacado helmetLubbock Estacado5Canton helmetCantonFull 4A Top 10 →

Class 3A

1Malakoff helmetMalakoff2Idalou helmetIdalou3Hebbronville4Dallas Life Oak Cliff5Columbus helmetColumbusFull 3A Top 10 →

Class 2A

1Shiner helmetShiner2Price Carlisle3McCamey helmetMcCamey4Goldthwaite helmetGoldthwaite5Mason helmetMasonFull 2A Top 10 →

Class 1A

1Hart2Vernon Northside3Menard helmetMenard4Borden County helmetBorden County5GordonFull 1A Top 10 →
Follow your team's playoff road.
Live bracket updates, picks, and the AI playoff projection, all free in the app.
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