It’s been a big week for Texas college football fans. The University of Texas and Southern Methodist University will both compete in the College Football Playoff.
And in high school sports, a number of North Texas teams are making waves as they inch closer to winning championships.
It’s not all that sunny in Arlington, but the Cowboys are having a pretty disappointing season.
Dallas has been rocked by injuries, most notably Dak Prescott, who this year became the highest-paid player in NFL history, going down with a hamstring injury. The Cowboys, who are 5-8, appeared to have momentum going into the final game against the Bengals, but mistakes late in the game put them in a deficit.
Still, there are reasons to be excited about the world of Texas sports.
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Mustangs remain undefeated in ACC play
After announcing the move last year, there were some questions about how quickly SMU could adjust to the level of competition in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In fact, Florida State University at one point filed a lawsuit over SMU and other teams joining the conference, arguing that the Mustangs would reduce the level of competition.
The Seminoles finished last in the ACC, and while SMU remained undefeated in conference play, it wasn’t the perfect development.
SMU had a much better season this fall than anyone expected and made it to the College Football Playoff, but it wasn’t without some controversy. Alabama fans cried foul as the Mustangs defeated Alabama to take the final at-large spot. However, the selection committee’s judgment was correct. The Mustangs entered last week three spots ahead of Alabama and lost a close 34-31 game to Clemson on a last-second field goal in the SEC Championship. Meanwhile, Alabama finished 9-3, didn’t play at all during the conference title weekend, and suffered its second loss to a 6-6 team against Oklahoma and Vanderbilt. Without any of those, our chances of qualifying would definitely have been higher.
Instead, SMU will face Penn State in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday, Dec. 21. Of course, the Mustangs aren’t the only team in Texas to survive. Despite suffering their second loss to Georgia in the SEC title game, the University of Texas Longhorns will host Clemson again on Dec. 21 in Austin.
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AP photo
High school football state semifinals could be the game of the year.
This weekend is also a big one for local high school sports. Seven Dallas-area teams will advance to the state semifinals in the state’s four largest divisions, with all teams competing for a coveted spot in next week’s state championship game at AT&T Stadium.
Among the featured games is probably the most-watched North Texas game of the year, 6A Division I’s Duncanville vs. North Crowley. Duncanville will be looking for its third straight state title, while North Crowley will be looking for its first title since taking it all back at state. 2003.
Duncanville quarterback Kieron Russell was also just named Gatorade Player of the Year. The 6-foot-4 senior averaged 12.7 yards per attempt with 3,652 passing yards, 52 touchdowns and just two interceptions, while also rushing for 254 yards and two touchdowns. He led them to an undefeated season.
Duncanville, 13-0, will play North Crowley, 14-0, on Saturday at Eagle Stadium in Allen.
Texas Rangers on the move
It may feel like it’s all about football this time of year, but there’s a few other things going on in the North Texas sports world.
So it’s been an eventful week for the Rangers, even though the season is still several months away. They waived star pitcher Nathan Eovaldi on a three-year, $75 million contract. Eovaldi was a key player in the Rangers’ championship season just two years ago, winning a decisive Game 5 of the World Series.
The team also acquired power bat Jake Berger from the Miami Marlins in exchange for three minor league prospects. Berger hit 29 home runs last season and could be a designated hitter or corner infield. And they signed reliever Jacob Webb to a one-year contract worth up to $1.5 million.
The Rangers suffered from a huge World Series hangover last season, missing out on the playoffs altogether, but they still have many of the core players who helped them win, and they’re looking to make one or two key additions. I didn’t hesitate. Return to World Series contenders in 2025.
Okay, but what about the Cowboys, really?
Admittedly, the Cowboys aren’t very good this year. And frankly, it’s difficult for them to even try to make the playoffs at this point, especially after their disappointing play last game against the Bengals, which was reminiscent of Leon Lett’s botched play in the 1993 Thanksgiving game. It’s going to be a battle.
But while their playoff chances are grim at this point, the bright side is that they play in the NFC, which is by far the worst of the two conferences this year. That leaves them with the narrowest path to making the playoffs, but they will have to overcome yet another injury. Demarvion Overshawn has suffered a serious knee injury and could miss the entire 2025 season. Micah Parsons was also visibly upset after the loss and left the field early.
So it doesn’t look too good for Dallas, but look on the bright side. They will play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. This team is one of the few in soccer with a worse record. So stay a positive Cowboys fan.
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