Gilmer, Calallen climb SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25 football rankings (Oct. 12)
With the bulk of the 2022 Texas high school football regular season officially in the books, it’s time to review and assess how the state’s best squads have performed through Week 7.
We’re taking a closer look at the state’s top private school and Class 2A-4A teams and evaluating their season-opening performances in the newest edition of SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25, which seeks to recognize the best sub-5A high school football teams across the state.
RELATED — Vote now: Who should be the next SBLive Texas High School Athlete of the Week (Oct. 3-9)?
The Gilmer Buckeyes and Corpus Christi Calallen Wildcats headlined several significant changes to the latest edition of the Texas Small School Top 25.
Both teams dominated during big Week 7 wins that propelled Gilmer into the top five, while Calallen moved deeper into the top 10 after landing there for the first time this season last week.
Corpus Christi Calallen improved to 7-0 overall and 3-0 in district play by smashing La Feria in a 71-20 road win Friday night.
The Wildcats hold a strong grip on first place in District 16-4A DI and have solidified themselves as one of the strongest teams throughout South Texas.
Calallen has it outscored its 16-4A DI counterparts 189-23 with the team's relentless rushing attack and dominant defense leading the way.
The Wildcats' defense has tallied 22 combined interceptions and fumble recoveries through its first seven games, while Calallen has also topped the 100-yard mark and score multiple rushing touchdowns offensively in every game so far this season.
Corpus Christi Calallen jumped up from ninth to seventh in this week's rankings with a massive matchup against the Alice Coyotes (5-1, 2-0) looming ahead Friday night.
Gilmer, meanwhile, improved to 5-0 by rolling to a 35-14 road win over Texarkana Pleasant Grove in their District 7-4A DII opener last weekend.
The victory vaulted the Buckeyes up to No. 5 in the latest edition of the Small School Top 25, making them the second Class 4A Division II squad to hold a spot within the top five joining Carthage.
The Buckeyes have built up one of the strongest resumes around the state with several quality wins against a number of prominent postseason contenders throughout East Texas and North Texas.
Gilmer capped off a perfect run through a difficult non-district slate with wins over Kilgore, Lindale, Paris and Tyler Chapel Hill — four teams that combined for a 36-16 record last year.
The Buckeyes have won five straight games against teams that advanced to at least the area round of the 2021 playoffs to kick off their 2022 campaign.
Gilmer has consistently put 30+ points on the scoreboard in each of its five victories this season against some of the top 4A competition in Texas.
The Buckeyes also boast a talented defense that has averaged two takeaways per game so far this season.
RELATED — Vote now: Which was the best high school football play in the country Oct. 6-8?
SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25 football rankings are compiled by Andrew McCulloch and Buck Ringgold, and will be updated weekly throughout the regular season.
Where does your squad stand in the latest edition of our statewide Texas high school football rankings?
Check out the latest, updated version of SBLive’s Texas Small School Top 25 in its entirety below:
Texas Small School Top 25 rankings: WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7
Texas Top 50 rankings: WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5 | WEEK 6 | WEEK 7 | WEEK 8
Editor’s Note: * represents teams who also hold spots in the SBLive Texas Top 50 statewide high school football rankings.
SBLIVE’S TEXAS SMALL SCHOOL TOP 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS — WEEK 8 (OCT. 12)
1. Stephenville Yellow Jackets (6-0, 0-0)*
Previously ranked: 1st
Last week: BYE
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Life Waxahachie (2-4, 0-1)
2. Dallas Parish Episcopal Panthers (5-1, 1-0)*
Previously ranked: 2nd
Last week: W 44-0 vs. Dallas Bishop Lynch
Next game: Oct. 14 at San Antonio Cornerstone (1-6)
3. Carthage Bulldogs (7-0, 3-0)*
Previously ranked: 3rd
Last week: W 49-0 vs. Canton
Next game: Oct. 14 at Rusk (4-2, 1-1)
4. China Spring Cougars (6-1, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 4th
Last week: W 59-17 vs. Alvarado
Next game: Oct. 14 at Waco La Vega (4-3, 1-0)
5. Gilmer Buckeyes (5-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 6th
Last week: W 35-14 at Texarkana Pleasant Grove
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Texarkana Liberty-Eylau (5-1, 1-0)
6. Franklin Lions (6-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 5th
Last week: BYE
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Troy (2-5, 1-2)
7. Corpus Christi Calallen Wildcats (7-0, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 9th
Last week: W 71-20 at La Feria
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Alice (5-1, 2-0)
8. Gunter Tigers (6-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 8th
Last week: W 24-14 at Bells
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Howe (5-1, 1-0)
9. Timpson Bears (6-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 9th
Last week: BYE
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. West Sabine (3-4, 2-1)
10. Shiner Comanches (6-1, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 10th
Last week: W 67-7 at Three Rivers
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Skidmore-Tynan (1-5, 0-2)
11. Bellville Brahmas (7-0, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 13th
Last week: W 48-3 vs. Brookshire Royal
Next game: Oct. 14 at Sealy (3-3, 1-1)
12. Anna Coyotes (6-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 11th
Last week: W 40-0 at Mabank
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Kaufman (5-1, 1-0)
13. Holliday Eagles (6-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 14th
Last week: W 55-0 vs. Valley View
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Henrietta (4-2, 0-1)
14. Columbus Cardinals (7-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 17th
Last week: W 35-13 at Hallettsville
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Hitchcock (7-0, 1-0)
15. Boerne Greyhounds (6-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 16th
Last week: W 62-7 vs. Uvalde
Next game: Oct. 13 at San Antonio Memorial (0-6, 0-1)
16. Bushland Falcons (7-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 18th
Last week: W 34-0 vs. Muleshoe
Next game: Oct. 14 at Amarillo River Road (2-5, 0-1)
17. Silsbee Tigers (6-0, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 15th
Last week: BYE
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Liberty (1-6, 1-2)
18. Celina Bobcats (6-1, 2-0)
Previously ranked: 20th
Last week: W 73-0 vs. North Dallas
Next game: Oct. 14 at Dallas Wilmer-Hutchins (4-3, 3-0)
19. Newton Eagles (6-1, 3-0)
Previously ranked: 21st
Last week: W 34-0 at Hemphill
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Trinity (1-5, 1-1)
20. Winnsboro Raiders (7-0, 3-0)
Previously ranked: NR
Last week: W 28-14 vs. Mt. Vernon
Next game: Oct. 14 at Pottsboro (5-1, 2-0)
21. Mt. Vernon Tigers (6-1, 2-1)
Previously ranked: 12th
Last week: L 28-14 at Winnsboro
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Emory Rains (1-5, 0-2)
22. Cuero Gobblers (5-1, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 23rd
Last week: W 56-2 at Giddings
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Gonzales (3-3, 1-0)
23. Houston St. Thomas Eagles (6-0, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 24th
Last week: W 35-18 at San Antonio Central Catholic
Next game: Oct. 14 at Tomball Concordia Lutheran (4-2, 0-1)
24. Wichita Falls Hirschi Huskies (5-1, 1-0)
Previously ranked: 22nd
Last week: W 24-14 at Graham
Next game: Oct. 21 vs. Snyder (2-5, 0-1)
25. Canyon Eagles (6-0, 0-0)
Previously ranked: 25th
Last week: BYE
Next game: Oct. 14 vs. Hereford (0-7, 0-1)
Dropped out: Texarkana Pleasant Grove (#19).
