WHY IS TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SO SPECIAL?

In Texas, the passion people have for football is as big as the state.

Only those who live in Texas understand what it’s like to be engulfed in the atmosphere of a Texas high school football game.

In fact, football is so popular that in the town of Decatur, Halloween had to be moved one year by a day so it wouldn’t interfere with the final game of the season.

High school football is so important in the small towns of Texas that you’ll find the entire population of the towns cheering at a stadium on any given Friday night this fall.

Even popular high school football TV shows and movies like “Varsity Blues” and “Friday Night Lights” are based on this Texas passion.

What makes Texas high school football so much bigger? The decades-long rivalries, the “bigger is better” mantra and the love of the game play a part.

RIVALRIES

Texas football rivalries span the state and are long-lasting.

El Campo and Bay City is one of the state’s longest-running rivalries. Starting in 1911, these schools have left everything on the field when it comes to football. El Campo holds a 64-44-9 lead in the all-time series. Over the years, the schools have changed districts and moved up and down in rankings, but when these two meet on the field, none of that matters.

In East Texas, you can find a rivalry that started over a century ago. Longview and Marshall began their rivalry in 1909, and this year will face each other for the 112th time.

And right here in Ellis County, the “Battle of 287” which began in 1921 between Ennis and Waxahachie will celebrate its 100th year.

These are just a few of the iconic matchups you can find across the state.

BIGGER IS BETTER

It’s often said, “Everything is bigger in Texas,” and when it comes to high school football stadiums, that statement holds true.

Texas is home to some of the biggest and most expensive high school football stadiums in the country. Even the smaller stadiums at some Texas high schools are equipped with high-definition scoreboards that one might think are reserved for professional sports.

Allen Eagle Stadium (Allen) has a seating capacity of 18,000 and a price tag of $59.6 million.

Alamo Stadium (San Antonio) nicknamed “The Rock Pile,” seats 23,000 and underwent a $35 million renovation before the 2014 season. The stadium was updated with new turf, added seating, a new press box and a digital scoreboard.

The newest addition to Texas’s mega stadiums is Katy Legacy Stadium, outside of Houston, which is currently the most expensive high school football stadium in the country. It carries a $72.1 million price tag and 12,000 seating capacity.

COMMUNITY EVENT

In Texas, fall Friday nights are meant for one thing and one thing only – and that’s high school football.

No matter what the weather conditions are or who is playing, you can find a high school game packed full of fans cheering. The love Texans have for the game is something that can’t be fully described but only felt through the experience of Texas high school football.

The games are a community event where almost all members of the community come together despite their varying religions, political views, economic backgrounds and race.

This sport is for family and friends – where kids can run around while eating a snack and adults can have polite conversations in or around the stands.

And where your local pastor, your kid’s teacher, grocery store workers and mechanics are all present in the stands cheering.

In Texas – even years after leaving high school – people still identify with their high school football teams by referring to them as “our team”. This is the team spirit that makes the people of Texas still experience the excitement even when thinking about the game.