In the highly anticipated Dave Campbell’s Texas Football preseason rankings, the Bearcats are one of three teams from District 3-5A Division I. Denton Ryan is No. 3 and Richland is No. 14.
“It’s nice to be recognized as one of the top teams in the state, but the preseason rankings aren’t what matters,” Bearcats coach Robby Jones said. “It’s the rankings at the end of the season that matters. Our kids recognize that and have worked hard this off-season to have a better outcome at the end of this season.”
The Bearcats have finished at top the final poll that Jones is referencing a state-record 12 times, including two seasons ago when they went 16-0 in his first season as head coach. It was their 11th state title since 2009, coinciding when Jones became the offensive coordinator through 2022 — Tim Buchanan’s final season at the helm, and, of course, they sent him out with a state championship.
Aledo is coming off a 12-2 season in which the two losses were 35-30 at Denton Guyer and 31-21 to Ryan in the 5A Region I final at Crowley.
In placing the Bearcats at the top of the rankings, the magazine stated, “The Bearcats’ line play should be the best in all of 5A.”
Overall, Aledo returns six offensive and seven defensive starters.
Guyer, which returns three offensive and seven defensive starters, enters this season No. 15 in Class 6A, coming off a 10-4 campaign in 2024 in which they reached the Class 6A Division II quarterfinals. Their win to end Aledo’s 30-game winning streak gave them a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series and was the first time the home team won in the series.
The Bearcats open the season by hosting Guyer on Aug. 29.
Once again the Bearcats play in one of the toughest districts around and will have to face two state powers on the road. Ryan and Richland each return seven offensive and five defensive starters from teams that went deep in the 2024 postseason.
Ryan is coming off a 13-2 campaign in which they eliminated Richland, 48-35 in the regional semifinals, and Aledo. Richland finished 10-3.
In the 2024 regular season, when the teams met in Aledo, Ryan held a 27-8 lead late in the first half before the Bearcats came storming back to win 42-27. In the playoffs, Ryan returned the favor, rallying from a 21-10 deficit by scoring 21 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes.
Ironically, Aledo is 3-0 against Ryan in the regular season, but the Raiders are 3-0 against the Bearcats in the postseason in their series.
When Richland came to town for their first ever regular season meeting (and only second ever overall, with Aledo previously winning 43-7 in a 2017 playoff), the Royals gave the Bearcats quite the scare. Twice they led by 14 points before Aledo prevailed 49-42 in overtime to keep alive what is now a national-record 127-game district winning streak dating to 2008.
Aledo visits Ryan on Oct. 3 and travels to Richland on Oct. 24.
About Ryan, the magazine wrote, “The Raiders’ defensive front is a game-wrecking unit.”
About Richland they commented, “Headliners may have graduated, but the cupboard ain’t bare.”
Entering a season with Aledo and Ryan both in the top five has become commonplace in recent years.
“One of the area polls has us at No. 3 and Denton Ryan at No. 1, so that will be another big game this year,” Jones said. “With Ryan being No. 3 (in Dave Campbell’s) and Richland No. 14 it shows you how tough our district is and that we will have to be at our best each week.”
Aledo hasn’t lost a league game since starting 0-2 in 2008 with narrow losses to Stephenville (31-28) and Everman (35-28). They are seeking an 18th consecutive district championship.
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