The McGregor Bulldogs are legit:

The Bulldogs have officially bought into the system head coach Judd Thrash has put in place and it’s paying off.

McGregor is currently 3-0 for the first time since 2013. The Bulldogs offense is averaging 53.3 ppg, while the defense is allowing 17.6 ppg.

Sophomore QB VeAndre McDaniel has emerged as one of the most explosive players in the Central Texas area. Friday McDaniel will lead the explosive McGregor offense against 3-0 Clifton and a defense only allowing 4 ppg.

Newton can dominate in multiple divisions:

It was no secret entering the 2018 season that Newton would be really good, but their schedule would paint a picture about their full potential.

The Eagles are ranked #1 in class 3A DII by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, and after Friday’s 21-7 victory over class 4A D2 #3 West Orange-Stark, Newton proved they can dominate in multiple divisions.

Newton will have the opportunity to solidify this belief next week, when they take on another class 4A powerhouse, the Gilmer Buckeyes.

Mart will be fine:

Mart is one of those teams that will play anybody, anywhere. The Panthers put that mentality on display Friday in a 21-0 loss against class 3A DI #7 Franklin.

While Mart took a loss, they learned what they need to improve on to make a run at another state championship.

Franklin used six different running backs to attack the Panthers defense, this is something that Mart won’t see at the class 2A DII level. Mart wasn’t able to get on the board, but coach Hoffman will be able to use that as a learning experience for his Panthers.

Gilmer is in unfamiliar territory:

In what sent shockwaves across the state of Texas, Gilmer fell to Paris 27-21 on Friday night.

The Buckeyes defense struggled to stop Paris RB Dorian Williams, who ran through Gilmer for three of the Wildcats four touchdowns.

Gilmer made a late surge, as Darryl Bush found the end zone three times in the second half, but the damage had already been done.

The Buckeyes now face back-to-back #1 ranked opponents in Carthage and Newton and the unfamiliar fate of a three game losing streak.

Iredell is intriguing:

Almost every coach would love to make their alma-mater a state title contender, for Iredell head coach Luis Guereca, this is a reality.

The Dragons dominated Blum on Friday 60-14 and they have outscored opponents this season 108-14.

Iredell is ranked #2 in class 1A DII by Sixmania.com and with the opportunity to defeat teams like Jonesboro and Gordon still on their schedule, expect the Dragons to take over the #1 spot.

Hallsville is hot:

In the past two seasons Hallsville has won a total of three games, now in 2018 the Bobcats sit at 3-0.

Momentum is on the Bobcats side and the schedule seems favorable, but every win will difficult.

Hallsville will be looking for their fourth win in a row on Friday, when they host 2-1 Pine Tree. The two teams have victories over mutual opponents (Kilgore and Bullard), so this game should be one to keep an eye on.