Thursday’s games

Class 5A 

Tascosa (0-0) vs. Palo Duro (0-0), 7 p.m.
This is the oldest Amarillo ISD football rivalry started back in 1955 and will play out for the 62nd time at Dick Bivins Stadium. Both teams enter 2023 with young players having to step into new roles so mistakes will play a huge outcome in this one. PD quarterback Darien Lewis has the moxie you want in a leader. However, Tascosa with its recent impressive numbers of winning at least 10 games in four of the past five years and owning a 10-0 record in its last 10 season-openers is too much of an established program for PD to pull the upset. … Tascosa 34, Palo Duro 14

Class 4A

Clovis, N.M. (0-1) at Canyon (0-0), 7 p.m.
Canyon makes its season debut with question marks, returning only seven starters from last year. Running back Sam Johnson should be an offensive point of emphasis for the Eagles until Boston Bell finds his feet at quarterback. Clovis already opened the season in New Mexico with a 41-13 loss to Hobbs. Change of rules crossing state lines favors Canyon. … Canyon 27, Clovis 14

Class 1A

Claude (0-0) vs. Roby (0-0) at Paducah, 4:30 p.m. 
Make it two years in a row that the Mustangs start out with a win. Last year’s game against the Lions was 48-46 but this year’s Claude team is improved from a year ago. … Claude 46 Roby 32

Booker (0-0) at Anton (0-0), 6:30 p.m. 
A game full of storylines as Booker begins their foray into Six-Man action while former Red Raider Brian Duncan took over the helm at Anton just a few weeks ago. The Kiowas skill players will be the difference in this one. … Booker 58 Anton 45

Petersburg (0-0) at Silverton (0-0), 7:30 p.m. 
This should be a dandy. The Buffaloes are improved and looking to make noise while Silverton wants to stamp their name as a top 10 Division II team. Look for Petersburg to be the more physical team which bodes well for a win. … Petersburg 48 Silverton 36

Friday’s games 

Class 5A

Midland Legacy (0-0) at Amarillo High (0-0), 7 p.m.
Amarillo High and coach Chad Dunnam (sixth year) has their hands full in this season-opener from the highly regarded Legacy Rebels. Legacy QB Marcos Davila (6-3, 200) is a Purdue verbal commit and has a massive line in front of him weighing in at 300, 290 and 275. I love the way AHS QB Will Flaming plays the game and can hurt Legacy with his ability to pass and run. The formula for AHS success is simply keeping the ball away from Davila with time-consuming drives on offense. … Legacy 41, AHS 21

– Lance Lahnert 

Class 4A

Caprock (0-0) at Hereford (0-0), 7 p.m.
Both teams have something to prove in the Battle of the Cattle, with longtime assistant Rowdy Freeman making his head coaching debut for Caprock and Hereford looking to bounce back from a one-win season. The Herd has homefield advantage, but the Longhorns enter the season with more game experience and will go back home with a win. … Caprock 35, Hereford 21

Dumas (0-0) at Lubbock-Cooper (0-0), 7 p.m.
Dumas draws a tough road opener against Class 5A Cooper in a game which should be a test for both teams. This is as young a team as Dumas has had in the past few years, and the Demons will find out exactly what they need to work on against the Pirates. That might be the most important thing they come out with from this game. … Cooper 30 Dumas 17

Big Spring (0-0) at Pampa (0-0), 7 p.m.
Pampa returns the Panhandle’s leading rusher from last season in sophomore sensation Max Neff, a 2,000-yard rusher as a freshman who headlines a strong sophomore class for the Harvesters. They could use a little confidence to start the season, and they’ll take advantage of the long road trip north which Big Spring has to make. … Pampa 21, Big Spring 17

Andrews (0-0) at Randall (0-0), 7 p.m.
Like Pampa, Randall will open the season by hosting a Permian Basin team, giving new coach Dan Sherwood some comfort coming over from Caprock. The Raiders are a young team with a mere six returning seniors who will have to grow up quickly, and a quality Andrews squad is a good measuring stick. They’ll be up to it. … Randall 28, Andrews 13

Borger (0-0) at Denver City (0-0), 7 p.m.
A new era starts at Borger with new head coach Dane Hamrick, a former Tascosa assistant, taking over the Bulldogs. They’ll face a stiff road test against a Denver City squad returning 15 starters from last season. It’s about the process for Borger now, and the Bulldogs are more concerned with improvement early. … Denver City 21, Borger 16

Dalhart (0-0) at Perryton (0-0), 7 p.m.
This is an emotional home opener for Perryton as the Rangers will make their debut under new coach Cole Underwood in their first game since the town was devastated by a tornado. It’s an intriguing quarterback matchup between Perryton’s Julian Cervantes and Dalhart’s Kyler Read, but Perryton has the emotional edge. … Perryton 36, Dalhart 20

– Lee Passmore 

Class 3A

West Plains (0-0) at Bushland (0-0), 7 p.m.
What a difference a year makes. Last season the high-powered Falcons soared over the Wolves in the school’s first ever football game. But now, West Plains has grown immensely with 31 seniors in year two and look to be like legit contenders heading into 2023. Falcons Stadium will be packed with a lot of eyes anxious to see the outcome. … West Plains 35, Bushland 21 

Littlefield (0-0) at Muleshoe (0-0), 7 p.m.
This will be Littlefield’s first game on the field since the passing of head coach and Texas Panhandle staple, Jimmy Thomas, last November. Look out for this Muleshoe team who has plenty of weapons and a talented QB in Nathan Martens. … Muleshoe 38, Littlefield 16 

River Road (0-0) at Lubbock Roosevelt (0-0), 7 p.m.
The Wildcats stunned the Eagles in the opener last year in a very physical contest. Don’t expect much different of a clash again this season between two teams that like to run the ball. … River Road 16, Roosevelt 14

Abernathy (0-0) at Childress (0-0), 7 p.m.
Here’s a matchup that fans could watch in the season opener and potentially again in the playoffs come November. Two very respectable programs that love to play physical. … Abernathy 21, Childress 17 

Memphis (0-0) at Dimmitt (0-0), 7 p.m.
Both teams are hoping to get off on the right foot, especially the Bobcats who are looking for their first win since the 2021 season. … Dimmitt 28, Memphis 22 

Stratford (0-0) at Spearman (0-0), 7 p.m.
This has become a yearly staple as a season opener between two highly respected programs and now friendly rivals. The Lynx will look much different with a flexbone offense, but can the defense slow down Elk QB Bryce Braden. … Stratford 27, Spearman 21 

Canadian (0-0) at Seminole, Okla. (0-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Wildcats officially usher in a new era with Andy Cavalier taking over for the legendary Chris Koetting as the new head football coach. Cavalier and his team also get welcomed to a four hour plus bus drive deep into “The Sooner State”. … Canadian 41, Seminole 17

– Kale Steed

Class 2A 

Wheeler (0-0) at Valley Mills (0-0), 6 p.m. at Burkburnett 
The Mustangs are a year older and much more disciplined than a year ago. … Wheeler 22, Valley Mills 20 

Tulia (0-0) at Highland Park (0-0), 7 p.m.
They’ll be a lot of buzz around this battle of Hornets in the season opener. Tulia is always a tough matchup; however, Highland Park seems very improved. This should be a good one. … Highland Park 36, Tulia 34 

New Deal (0-0) at Farwell (0-0), 7 p.m.
What a Week 1 matchup that looks more like a November meeting than late August. Expect a slugfest in Farwell on Friday. … Farwell 23, New Deal 21

Shamrock (0-0) vs. Sundown (0-0), 7 p.m. at Lockney 
The Roughnecks were able to wear down a smaller Shamrock team last season under the lights of Happy State Bank Stadium in Canyon. Could that same fate happen again the 2023 season opener. … Sundown 27, Shamrock 12

Panhandle (0-0) at Clarendon (0-0), 7 p.m.
Both teams will find out a lot about themselves as much as their opponent on Friday with younger teams. Panhandle is really good up front, but the Broncos have a weapon in Lyric Smith. … Clarendon 26, Panhandle 21 

Gruver (0-0) at Sanford-Fritch (0-0), 7 p.m.
The Greyhounds and new head coach Kurt Haberthur will get a challenge against the Eagles and a new-look offense. … Gruver 19, Fritch 16 

West Texas (0-0) at Hale Center (0-0), 7 p.m.
How is this for irony. Jeff Smith’s first game as West Texas High’s head coach is against his old Hale Center team. They’ll be plenty of emotions in this one. … Hale Center 27, WT High 20

Ropes (0-0) at Boys Ranch (0-0), 7 p.m.
This is a very good test for Roughriders head coach Louis Kelley III in his first career game as head football coach. … Ropes 26, Boys Ranch 16 

Hooker, Okla. (0-0) at Sunray (0-0), 7 p.m.
The Bobcats pass attack opens the season in a big way. … Sunray 42, Hooker 20

Vega (0-0) at Bovina (0-0), 7 p.m.
The Longhorns ground game maybe too much for the Mustangs in the opener. … Vega 35, Bovina 21 

Frederick, Okla. (0-0) at Wellington (0-0), 7 p.m.
The Skyrockets have had some battles over the last couple of years with Frederick, but have come out on top. Expect the same again this year with a powerful run attack leading the way. … Wellington 32, Frederick 22 

– Kale Steed

Class 1A

Follett (0-0) at Benjamin (0-0), 6 p.m. 
Grayson Rigdon is all you need to know about this game. The Mustangs won state last year and will look to repeat behind the best player in Class 1A. A long road trip home awaits the Panthers. … Benjamin 60 Follett 14

Miami (0-0) at Hedley (0-0), 7 p.m.
Unfortunately, this game is a mismatch for the Owls. The Warriors are one of the top teams in the area and they will make short work of Hedley. … Miami 60 Hedley 6

Groom (0-0) at White Deer (0-0), 7 p.m. 
It’s new territory for the Tigers without Stephen Kuehler in the backfield but look for the air attack of Groom to be too much for the “dirty dozen” of White Deer. … Groom 72 White Deer 36

Wildorado (0-0) at Lefors (0-0), 7 p.m.
Last year was disastrous for the Mustangs and they want to get this season started in style while the Pirates are looking to take the next step with their program. Aden Woodard may be too much for Lefors, but I’ll take Cameron Armstrong’s group in a close one. … Lefors 46 Wildorado 42

Nazareth (0-0) at Whiteface (0-0), 7 p.m.
The Swifts lost a ton of talent but still have some key pieces in place to build around. However, the Antelopes under former McLean head man Clint Linman are the real deal. … Whiteface 60 Nazareth 24

Valley (0-0) vs. Motley County (0-0), 8 p.m. at Jayton 
Expectations were sky high last year for the Patriots before being derailed by injuries. Now Valley sits in the shadows but that won’t last long as John Stanaland’s team will impress at the Jayton Gridiron Classic. … Valley 52 Motley County 32

– Craig Sperry

Saturday’s games

Class 1A

Chillicothe (0-0) vs. Darrouzett (0-0), 11 a.m. at Groom 
Two teams that are evenly matched and both wanting to start the season with a win. … Chillicothe 60 Darrouzett 36

McLean (0-0) vs. Van Horn (0-0), 2:30 p.m. at Jayton 
A quality matchup in the blistering South Plains heat will test both teams. The Tigers play tough like their coach and it shows in this one. … McLean 45 Van Horn 30

Happy (0-0) vs. Klondike (0-0), 5 p.m at Jayton 
The Cougars are a talented top ten team, but the physicality of the Cowboys poses a tough matchup for Klondike. Happy has been to two straight state semifinals and they want a third. … Happy 56 Klondike 36

– Craig Sperry