Third Annual Texas Football Kicks Off

Third Annual Texas Football Kicks Off

AUSTIN, TX — FOX Sports Southwest (FSSW), in conjunction with the University Interscholastic League, today announced the return of Texas Football Days during a press conference at the Texas High School Coaches Association’s annual Coaching School and Convention in Houston. Texas Football Days, presented by Jack in the Box, will begin Sunday (Aug 25).

Headlining the week-long gridiron celebration are exclusive live broadcasts of two Texas high school football games on Thursday (Aug 29) and Friday (Aug 30). The featured marquee matchups will be Wall at Mason at 7:00 pm CT on Thursday. It will be followed by the “Battle of the Axe” rivalry game between Denison and Sherman from Bearcat Stadium at 7:30 pm CT on Friday.

“We created Texas Football Days to celebrate football and its positive impact on communities throughout our state,” said FOX Sports Southwest Sr. Vice President/General Manager Steve Simpson. “We are proud to work with our partners at the UIL, THSCA, and the THSADA to make it a highly anticipated signature event. New for our third year, we are expanding our live Texas high school football broadcast coverage over two days to showcase the unmatched passion for the sport.”

Texas Football Days has been a wonderful celebration and start to the football season for the past two years,” said Dr. Charles Breithaupt, UIL Executive Director. “FSSW does an excellent job highlighting Texas high school football and all the diverse communities and unique stories across the state. We are thrilled to partner with FSSW for this one-of-a-kind event.”

Texas Football Days officially launches Sunday (Aug 25) at 10:00 am. CT with the replay of the 2017 UIL 5A Division I Championship thriller between Dallas Highland Park and Manvel with the High School Spotlight season preview show debut at 10:30 pm.

Additionally, replays of high school football classics will be featured throughout the week leading up to the live telecasts.

FSSW live coverage will kick off Thursday (Aug 29) with Texas Football Days one-hour pregame show hosted by Erin Hartigan with coaching legend Ken Purcell and Texas Football Managing Editor Greg Tepper adding analysis. Coverage begins from the Mason Puncher Dome at 6:00 pm CT.

Mark Followill will handle play-by-play for the Wall-Mason game alongside Shea Walker, who will provide analysis, with CT Steckel and Katie Engleson reporting from the sideline.

The broadcast team on-site at Sherman Bearcat Stadium for the Denison-Sherman game will include FSSW’s Ric Renner as host with Tepper and coach Purcell as pregame and halftime analysts. The one-hour pregame show starts at 6:30 pm CT.

Craig Way will be play-by-play with Gary Reasons as an analyst, and Sarah Merrifield and Jason Spells will serve as sideline reporters.

Also, besides the two marquees Texas high school football matchups on Aug. 29 and 30, FSSW will deliver live look-ins at 11 games across the state, capturing the local pageantry, fanfare and game updates throughout the night:

Katy at Galena Park North Shore, Argyle at Stephenville, Plano West at Frisco Reedy, Cedar Park at Austin Vandegrift, Brownsville Hanna at McAllen Memorial, Mission at Mission Veterans Memorial, Ira vs. Crowell, Amarillo Tascosa at Abilene, Anton at Jayton, Longview at Lufkin, and Kerrville Tivy at Dripping Springs.

FSSW’s signature High School Scoreboard Live show will serve as the postgame show and wrap up the night from Sherman. The two-hour show returns for its 24th season with Renner, Way, and Tepper delivering complete recaps of Friday night football in Texas with statewide scores, highlights, and game reports.

The Texas Football Days celebration will continue Saturday, Aug 31 with the start of college football season. Games on FSSW and FSSW Pus will show features recapping the Friday night high school celebration.

FSSW will engage football fans and communities across Texas through a series of events including appearances at select Jack in the Box locations in August as part of the Texas Football Days Bus Tour.

FSSW’s Texas Football Days coverage will also be available on FOX Sports GO. That is the live streaming platform that showcases FOX Sports’ events and studio programming through pay-TV providers.