2026 Dave Campbell's 7on7 State Tournament Preview
The most competitive 7-on-7 tournament in the country kicks off Thursday in the Brazos Valley. Every team in this field earned their spot - no invitations, no wildcards, no shortcuts. You qualify or you stay home. And the programs that are pulling into College Station this week did exactly that over months of State Qualifying Tournaments across every corner of the state. Three days. Three divisions. Three trophies. Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 7-on-7 State Tournament.
DIVISION I - THE MOST LOADED FIELD IN THE TOURNAMENT
THE PROGRAMS EVERYBODY IS WATCHING.
Division I is where the biggest names in Texas high school football show up - 6A and 5A programs and the top private school programs in the state all competing in the same bracket. This year's field is as deep as it has ever been and there are a handful of programs that are going to get everybody's attention from the moment pool play begins Thursday morning.
DeSoto arrives at College Station as one of the most talked about programs in the entire tournament. The defending 6A-D2 state champions who dropped to 5A-D1 under the new realignment bring a roster built with championship-level talent. Sarod Baker, LeMarcus Summers, Rickshown Hanks, and Elijah Edwards make this one of the most dangerous skill position groups in any bracket at any division. DeSoto is not coming to College Station to participate. They are coming to win.
Cedar Hill is a program that always shows up to these tournaments with physicality and purpose. The Dallas-area powerhouse has the kind of roster depth that allows them to compete at a high level from pool play all the way through the championship bracket. Cedar Hill in a 7-on-7 environment is a different kind of problem for opposing secondaries.
Allen brings five state championships of program pedigree and a roster that has been building toward a big 2026 season. The Eagles went 14-1 last year as semifinalists and their presence at the state tournament is a reminder that this program competes at a high level in every environment they walk into.
Cypress Ranch has been one of the most consistent programs in the Houston area all summer and arrives at College Station as one of the favorites to make a deep Division I run. The Mustangs have been a national-level program for multiple seasons and their 7-on-7 roster reflects that.
Lake Travis brings six state championships and one of the most decorated quarterback traditions in the history of Texas high school football to College Station. The Cavaliers went 14-1 last year and their offense in a 7-on-7 setting is capable of putting points on anyone in this field.
Austin Westlake is always dangerous in these settings. The Chaparrals are one of the premier passing programs in the state of Texas and College Station is exactly the kind of environment where their quarterback-driven offense thrives.
Argyle arrived at the state tournament fresh off a 12-2 season that ended in the quarterfinals and brings Hayes Hackney at quarterback - the transfer from Prosper Walnut Grove who threw for over 3,100 yards and 37 touchdowns last season. Hackney in his first major competitive appearance as an Argyle Eagle is one of the most compelling storylines of the entire Division I tournament.
Humble Atascocita at 26-3 last season in baseball showed the kind of program depth that exists at this school - and the football program is no different. The Eagles are one of the most complete programs in the Houston area and they are going to be competitive from pool play to the championship bracket.
Frisco Panther Creek represents Frisco ISD in Division I and their presence at the state tournament is a statement about where this program is headed heading into the 2026 season. Panther Creek punched their ticket and they are bringing a roster that has been grinding all summer to prove they belong on this stage.
North Forney is one of the more intriguing programs in the field - a team that has been rising rapidly in the East Texas corridor and whose presence at the state tournament signals that the Falcons are ready to compete at a higher level heading into the 2026 season.
Dripping Springs and Round Rock both represent the increasingly competitive Austin-area landscape that has been producing more and more talent at the 6A and 5A level every year.
Dickinson out of the Houston area has been one of the more consistent programs in their region all summer and their 7-on-7 squad reflects the kind of talent that had them jumping five spots in our preseason rankings.
Abilene Cooper headlines the West Texas contingent in Division I and their return to College Station after missing the tournament in 2025 is a major storyline for a program that has been one of the most decorated in their area for years.
Waller and Arlington both bring strong rosters from their respective regions and are programs capable of making noise in the bracket if they find their rhythm in pool play.
Colleyville Heritage is a program that has been building toward something significant and the state tournament is the perfect stage to show the rest of the state what they are capable of.
The Woodlands arrives as the defending Division I state champion. They beat South Oak Cliff 27-7 in last year's final and they are coming back to College Station with a target on their back and the confidence of a program that knows exactly what it takes to win this tournament. The Woodlands and College Park both making the field gives the Woodlands area two serious threats in Division I.
PROGRAMS TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
Pflugerville Weiss has been one of the more talked about programs in Central Texas heading into 2026. Cypress Falls brings Houston-area talent that always shows up in competitive settings. Katy Tompkins comes in off a strong regular season and represents a Katy ISD tradition that never produces weak rosters. Fort Bend Hightower is a Houston-area program with serious skill position talent that can compete with anyone in Division I on any given day. Beaumont West Brook and Beaumont United both represent a Southeast Texas region that is loaded with football talent and always competitive at the state 7-on-7 level.
DIVISION II - WHERE UPSETS HAPPEN AND LEGENDS ARE MADE
THE PROGRAMS EVERYBODY IS WATCHING.
Division II features 4A and 3A programs along with all other private school teams - and the competition level in this bracket is as high as it has ever been. The defending champion Frisco Panther Creek is gone - they are in Division I this year - which means a new program is going to claim this title and several teams have the talent to do it.
West Orange-Stark is one of the most respected programs in Southeast Texas and one of the favorites to make a deep Division II run. The Mustangs have been a consistent winner at every level and their 7-on-7 squad reflects the kind of talent that has made WO-S one of the most celebrated names in Texas high school football history.
Stephenville arrives at the state tournament off a perfect 16-0 season and as one of the most dominant programs in their classification. The Yellowjackets are ranked in our preseason top 25 and their presence at College Station is a reminder that this program is ready to compete for a state championship in football come November.
Waco La Vega is a program that has been one of the most consistent winners in Central Texas for years. La Vega brings the kind of competitive edge that makes them dangerous in a tournament format where every game is elimination and every possession matters.
Van Alstyne has been one of the more exciting programs in North Texas at the 4A level over the past couple of seasons and their state tournament appearance signals that the Panthers are ready to compete on the biggest stage their classification offers.
Sunnyvale brings a program that has been building toward something special in the Dallas-area 4A landscape. The Raiders have the skill position talent to compete with anyone in Division II and College Station is their opportunity to prove it in front of the entire state.
Corpus Christi Miller arrives at College Station representing the Coastal Bend after their quarterback Jayden Herrera has been building chemistry with a deep receiver room all summer under new head coach David McHugh. Miller did not qualify last year. They are here now. And they are not coming to lose.
Graham punched their ticket by winning their SQT bracket - beating Dallas Life Oak Cliff, Godley, Krum, and Stephenville - and arrives at College Station with the momentum of a program that has been competing and winning all summer long.
Fort Worth Southwest Christian represents the TAPPS private school contingent in Division II and is one of the more talented private school programs in the Fort Worth area.
Lubbock Christian brings West Texas private school talent that always competes at a high level in these settings. Sweetwater and Dumas represent a West Texas contingent that takes the state tournament seriously and shows up ready every single year.
Lindale out of East Texas has been one of the more consistent programs in their area and their Division II appearance is a statement about where this program stands heading into 2026. Tyler Chapel Hill gives the Tyler area two programs in Division II and reflects the depth of East Texas football talent at the 4A level.
Pilot Point is one of the more intriguing programs in the field - a North Texas program that has been on a rapid rise and whose state tournament appearance is the latest sign that the Bearcats are ready to compete at a higher level.
Decatur and Paris round out a North Texas contingent in Division II that is as deep as any region in the bracket.
DIVISION III - THE HEART OF TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
THE PROGRAMS EVERYBODY IS WATCHING.
Division III is where Texas high school football shows you its soul. Small communities. Tight-knit programs. Players who have grown up together and compete with the kind of chemistry that cannot be manufactured. The defending Division III champion is Tidehaven - who beat Ganado 34-21 in last year's final - and both programs are back in College Station looking to settle things again on the same field.
Tidehaven returns as the defending Division III champion and arrives at College Station with the confidence of a program that has already won this thing. The Hawks know what it takes to compete from pool play all the way to the championship game and that experience is invaluable in a tournament format.
Ganado is back after falling to Tidehaven in last year's final and they are coming to College Station with unfinished business. The rematch potential between Tidehaven and Ganado in the Division III championship bracket is one of the most compelling storylines of the entire tournament.
Daingerfield brings East Texas small-school talent that is always competitive in these settings. The Tigers are a program with a proud tradition and their state tournament appearance reflects the depth of talent that exists at the 1A and 2A level in East Texas.
Boling is a program that has been building quietly and whose presence at College Station signals that the Bulldogs are ready to compete on the biggest small-school stage the sport offers.
Albany and Goldthwaite represent the West Texas small-school contingent that always punches above their weight in these tournaments. Both programs have the kind of all-in community support that makes them dangerous opponents regardless of records or rankings.
Hawley and Hico join them as West Texas programs that qualified through a competitive SQT circuit and arrive at College Station representing some of the most passionate football communities in the state.
New Waverly out of East Texas and Hearne from Central Texas both bring programs that have been competitive all summer and are ready to make their mark in College Station.
Three Rivers represents the Coastal Bend in Division III alongside Agua Dulce - two South Texas programs that qualified the hard way and arrive ready to compete against the best small-school talent the state has to offer.
Tioga is one of the more intriguing small programs in the field - a North Texas community that lives for Friday night football and whose presence at the state tournament is the product of a summer of hard work and competitive preparation.
Bosqueville and Axtell represent the Waco-area small-school landscape that has produced some of the most competitive small-school football in Texas for decades.
Sonora from West Texas closes out a Division III field that spans the entire geographic footprint of the Lone Star State - from the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast, from East Texas to the Trans-Pecos. Every corner of Texas is represented and every program earned their spot.
THREE DAYS. THREE CHAMPIONS. ONE STATE TOURNAMENT.
June 25th. June 26th. June 27th. Veterans Park and Athletic Complex. College Station, Texas.
The defending champions are The Woodlands in Division I, Panther Creek in Division II, and Tidehaven in Division III. All three programs are back in the field. All three have targets on their backs. And every program that earned their way to College Station this summer is coming for those titles.
Pool play runs Thursday and Friday. Championship brackets Saturday. Three trophies get handed out before the sun goes down in the Brazos Valley on June 27th.
Pitch Threads will have full coverage of the 2026 Dave Campbell's Texas Football 7-on-7 State Tournament. Stay locked in.
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