THURSDAY’S GAMES 

Class 5A

Palo Duro (0-0) vs. Tascosa (0-0), 7 p.m., Dick Bivins Stadium
For you who like history, this is the 62nd meeting of this city rivalry with Tascosa owning a 35-25-1 advantage having won the last 11 meetings in a row. A lot of new faces in this one as both rosters have changed a lot from last year including PD sophomore Duece Reece making his first career varsity start. Tascosa coach Ken Plunk is a career 16-1 against PD. Make it 17-1. … Tascosa 35, Palo Duro 14

Amarillo High (0-0) at Odessa High (0-0), 7 p.m.
Amarillo High hits the road to play the first of three away games all season long. This game truly has loads of question marks around it as Amarillo High coach Chad Dunnam has to replace a stout senior class that included QB Will Flamming and running back Pius Vokes. Odessa lost a bunch as well returning five starters on each side of the ball, however, one is senior QB Mikey Cora back as a starter.  Tough one to call. Could it be another crazy one like last year with Odessa winning 36-35? … Amarillo High 36, Odessa High 35.

Class 3A

Canadian (0-0) at Elk City, Okla. (0-0), 7 p.m. 
A new look Wildcat team ventures across state lines for a showdown with a very talented Elks squad wanting revenge for last season’s loss. Expect a competitive contest with Canadian pulling away in the end. … Canadian 28, Elk City 20. 

Class 2A

Sundown (0-0) vs. Shamrock (0-0), 7 p.m., Happy State Bank Stadium 
These two teams have become quite familiar with each other over the years in season openers. The Irish need slowdown the Roughnecks and light up the scoreboard with points. … Sundown 34, Shamrock 21. 

Class 1A

Crowell (0-0) vs. McLean (0-0), 6 p.m., at Jayton 
The Tigers aren’t flashy, but they are gritty and willing to get after you. Looks like the heat won’t be a huge factor as it often is at the Jayton Gridiron Classic. … McLean 50, Crowell 38.

Silverton (0-0) at Boys Ranch (0-0), 7 p.m. 
It’s the inaugural game for the Roughriders in Six-Man action.  They picked a solid squad to open up against which won’t make landing a victory easy. Zaden Ortiz will be just too much for Boys Ranch to handle. … Silverton 72, Boys Ranch 50.

Rankin (0-0) vs. Happy (0-0), at Klondike, 7:30 p.m. 
Both teams look considerably different from last year, but the Cowboys return more of their nucleus. Happy will be looking to make a statement early in the season but it won’t be easy. … Happy 48, Rankin 36.

FRIDAY’S GAMES 

Class 5A

Dumas (0-0) at Caprock (0-0), 7 p.m., Dick Bivins Stadium
Know this, a whole lot of orange will be on the field in this one. With Rowdy Freeman’s passion and the players commitment in the off-season, year two for The Rock under Freeman will no doubt see improvement over last year’s 1-9. But Dumas under Aaron Dunnam is on a mission to reverse last year’s 4-7 season. With eight starters returning on defense the Demons will hang their hat on that side of the ball as well as bask in the talents of returning starting sophomore QB Colton Mills. … Dumas 28, Caprock 14.

– Lance Lahnert

Class 4A 

Canyon (0-0) at Perryton (0-0), 7 p.m.
These two schools, who have shared a district in every sport except football the last two years and will do so again this year, open their respective 2024 gridiron seasons against each other. Both are looking to improve on last year when they reached the area round of the postseason. Canyon’s defense, anchored by linebackers Jacob Burris and Tripp Wright, and the offense led by running back Colt Cruth, has the edge in depth. … Canyon 28, Perryton 13.

Bushland (0-0) at Borger (0-0), 7 p.m.
With 15 returning starters, Borger has reason to be optimistic, but perennial 3A contender Bushland provides a stout early test. The Bulldogs have nine returning defensive starters led by lineman Maverick Lopez. Bushland’s strength also looks defensive with linebackers Jaxon Fetsch and Colton Reynolds. The difference is the Falcons also have more offense, an area where Borger is still developing. … Bushland 35, Borger 10. 

Plainview (0-0) at Randall (0-0), 7 p.m.
Randall returns all but three starters in coach Dan Sherwood’s second season, so the Raiders are more apt to hit the ground running to open the season at home. Running back Dylan Ray and receiver Collin Miller lead a strong contingent of skill players offensively. Plainview will present a challenge defensively, but the Bulldogs don’t have enough weapons offensively to win. … Randall 24, Plainview 14.

West Plains (0-0) at Seminole (0-0), 7 p.m.
These former District 2-4A Division II rivals open the season against each other as realignment moved West Plains up to Division I. The Wolves will face more of a challenge after being hit hard by graduation, but third-year starter Reid Macon at quarterback will help settle things. Both teams have big-time offenses, but West Plains seems to have an edge in intangibles. … West Plains 26, Seminole 20.

Lubbock High (0-0) at Hereford (0-0), 7 p.m.
Hereford returns 15 starters from last season and the Whitefaces will be particularly strong on offense with quarterback Kalub Ramirez and running back Brylyn Lopez, as good as any in the area. Lubbock always seems to be in a rebuilding mode, and this year looks no different. That translates into a rough opener for the Westerners and a nice start for the Herd. … Hereford 42, Lubbock High 10. 

Pampa (0-0) at Iowa Park (0-0), 7 p.m.
In their first game under new coach Floyd White, the Harvesters face the challenge of a lengthy road trip to open the season. With offensive skill players like running back Max Neff, quarterback Jarren Hill and wide receiver Bryce Lynn, Pampa can score plenty of points. Look for the Harvesters to do that in this one and build some much-needed confidence early. … Pampa 28, Iowa Park 27. 

– Lee Passmore 

Class 3A 

Sanford-Fritch (0-0) at River Road (0-0), 7 p.m.
River Road is a much deeper team full of veteran leadership than a year ago. A win in the season opener against a new-look Eagles team could get coach Bryan Welps’ team the confidence to get things rolling. … River Road 34, Fritch 14. 

Muleshoe (0-0) at Brownfield (0-0), 7 p.m.
There is a lot of hype surrounding the Mules especially on the offensive side of the ball. Look for QB Nathan Martens and the offense to light up the Cubs. … Muleshoe 40, Brownfield 18. 

Dalhart (0-0) at Levelland (0-0), 7 p.m.
I don’t think the Lobos are ready for what QB Kyler Read brings to the table. Dalhart rolls to a victory. … Dalhart 35, Levelland 13. 

Friona (0-0) at Slaton (0-0), 7 p.m.
Here’s two teams built on speed at the skill position. Both Friona and Slaton also love to run the football. In the end, the Chieftains tame the Tigers. … Friona 30, Slaton 20. 

Floydada (0-0) at Tulia (0-0), 7 p.m.
New head coach Fred Jordan makes his debut for the Hornets. Expect Tulia to make strides throughout the year, however, the Whirlwinds are a tough Week 1 opener. … Floydada 28, Tulia 14. 

Midland Greenwood (0-0) at Childress (0-0), 7 p.m.
Here’s one of the more competitive season openers across the Texas Panhandle. The Rangers are always a contender as are the Bobcats. The game changer in this game is Childress QB Drake Rabe. … Childress 23, Greenwood 21. 

– Kale Steed 

Class 2A 

Stratford (0-0) at Abernathy (0-0), 7 p.m.
You got to love this matchup of two small school powers that have lofty expectations year in and year out. There is a lot of eyes on Stratford this season and for good reason. The Elks start of 2024 at 1-0. … Stratford 29, Abernathy 16.

Dimmitt (0-0) at Memphis (0-0), 7 p.m.
An experienced Bobcat team led by Jack Lunsford head to Memphis to take on a Cyclone team that is trying to get things turned around. … Dimmitt 34, Memphis 12. 

West Texas High (0-0) at Lockney (0-0), 7 p.m.
Cayde Winters is back and healthy after missing all of last season. The junior is a dual-threat QB you want to keep an eye on. Comanches get the road victory. … WT High 35, Lockney 21. 

Clarendon (0-0) at Panhandle (0-0), 7 p.m.
Here’s a classic matchup of two teams that exceeded expectations a year ago. The Panthers are flat out stacked. Clarendon can play also but will they have enough in the end. … Panhandle 39, Clarendon 19. 

Hooker, Okla. (0-0) at Sunray (0-0), 7 p.m.
This is a great test for a highly anticipated Bobcat team that will have a lot of eyes on them throughout the year. The schedule only gets harder from here, but a very good Bulldog squad is a good tune-up for what’s to come. … Sunray 49, Hooker 23. 

Spearman (0-0) at Gruver (0-0), 7 p.m.
What a way to kick off the season between Hansford County rivals separated by 12 miles with zero love-loss for one another. The Greyhounds have had a lot of momentum recently while first-year head coach Brandon Reagan hopes to get the Lynx an upset. … Gruver 36, Spearman 20. 

Wheeler (0-0) at Highland Park (0-0), 7 p.m.
The Mustangs bring a lot of experience back while the Hornets are replacing a ton of veterans from last year. If Wheeler can run the ball, it will be a long night for Highland Park. … Wheeler 27, Highland Park 21. 

Farwell (0-0) at New Deal (0-0), 7 p.m.
This is a matchup more fitting for a Friday night in November but here we are starting off 2024. Both teams will bring the physicality to establish their dominance. … Farwell 28, New Deal 22. 

Texico, N.M. (1-0) at Bovina (0-0), 7 p.m.
Texico already has a game under its belt getting a 50-0 shutout against Santa Rosa. Bovina isn’t Santa Rosa and will provide a much stiffer challenge. … Bovina 32, Texico 26. 

Crosbyton (0-0) at Vega (0-0), 7 p.m.
Head coach Jason Porton returns a much more experienced group ready to put last season in the past. Friday will be a great starting point. … Vega 40, Crosbyton 14. 

Wellington (0-0) vs. Alpine (0-0), 7 p.m., at Hardin-Simmons University 
This a long drive for both teams to meet up halfway. The Skyrockets are going up a classification but will still walk away one game better in the win column. … Wellington 28, Alpine 14. 

– Kale Steed

Class 1A

Borden County (0-0) vs. Valley (0-0), 6 p.m., at Jayton 
This won’t be an easy opening game for new head coach Crockett Gilmore. The Coyotes are a traditional power led by a coach who has a state title under his belt. Braden Steele and company will just be too much for the youthful Patriots. … Borden County 60, Valley 32.

Whiteface (0-0) vs. Follett (0-0) 7 p.m., at Happy
What a matchup at the Cowboy Corral. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 to start the season. Both teams are big and physical, but the Antelopes look to be too much for the Panthers to handle. … Whiteface 46, Follett 28.

White Deer (0-0) at Groom (0-0), 7 p.m. 
A scrappy Tigers team is looking to start the season off on the right foot and that’s exactly what they will do. Look for Greyson Peet to have a big night. … Groom 66, White Deer 50.

Miami (0-0) at Booker (0-0), 7 p.m.
Another big-time matchup on the schedule in Kiowa Country. Booker has quickly become a team to watch while the Warriors still have plenty of talent back from last year’s state quarters team. In a back-and-forth affair the home team lands the last blow. … Booker 45, Miami 38.

Claude (0-0) at Motley County (0-0), 7 p.m.
Going to Matador in week one is no easy task and the Mustangs head south with an inexperienced squad. Look for the Matadors to be rude guests in this one. … Motley County 56, Claude 28.

Lefors (0-0) at Wildorado (0-0), 7 p.m.
Entertaining. That would best describe this game as both teams possess talent on offense. Don’t linger at the concession stand as you might miss multiple scores in a high-flying affair. In the end, the Pirates will sail out as winners as Joe Johnson captains the ship. … Lefors 78, Wildorado 64. 

Hedley (0-0) at Amarillo PCHEA (0-0), 7 p.m.
Can the Owls make the trip north on 287 for the win? Despite small numbers give me the green and white. … Hedley 36, Amarillo PCHEA 30.

Wichita Christian (0-0) at San Jacinto Christian (0-0), 7 p.m.
The NFL Patriots are in for a long season but this Patriots team has high hopes. A young Stars team will find out why the San Jacinto faithful are looking forward to this year. … San Jacinto 50, Wichita Christian 36. 

– Craig Sperry 

SATURDAY’S GAMES 

Class 1A

Lazbuddie JV (0-0) vs. Holy Cross Catholic Academy (0-0), 11 a.m., at Glenwood Park. 
It’s been several years since Lazbuddie fielded a squad so it’s good to see the Longhorns
back on the gridiron. However, look for the Mustangs to gallop to victory Saturday
morning. … Holy Cross 34, Lazbuddie JV 22. 

Garden City (0-0) vs. Nazareth (0-0), 5:30 p.m., at Jayton
Replacing Zane Schulte won’t be an easy task but there’s still plenty of talent at Nazareth. Garden City is rebuilding which doesn’t bode well against this physical Swifts squad. … Nazareth 42, Garden City 30.

– Craig Sperry