FOX Sports Southwest, 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 San Antonio.
FSSW’s Texas Football Days, presented by Jack in the Box, will begin Aug. 26.
Headlining the week-long gridiron celebration is an exclusive live broadcast of a Texas high school football doubleheader on Aug. 31. The featured marquee match-ups will be Brock at Brownwood from Gordon Wood Stadium at 5:30 p.m., followed by the rivalry game between Lufkin and Longview from Lobo Stadium at 8:30 p.m.
For the first time, teams involved will be competing to take home a Texas Football Days trophy to commemorate the official start to the 2018 season.
“The goal of Texas Football Days is to celebrate and capture the cultural significance of football in Texas with unique stories that highlight our communities, legends and traditions,” said FOX Sports Southwest Sr. Vice President/General Manager Steve Simpson. “Our partners – UIL, THSCA and THSADA – helped turn our vision into an award-winning reality in 2017, and we look forward to delivering Texas Football Days again this season.”
“We were thrilled with the success of the inaugural Texas Football Days last year and are very excited to see this event continue and grow,” said Dr. Charles Breithaupt, UIL Executive Director. “FSSW is committed to celebrating and showcasing Texas high school football and the Friday night experience for high schools across the state, and Texas Football Days does that in a wonderful way.”
Texas Football Days officially launches Aug. 26, with the debut of Texas High School Football Season Preview at 7 p.m. on FSSW. The 60-minute special will be hosted by Erin Hartigan, with Ric Renner and Texas Football Managing Editor Greg Tepper offering up insight and expertise heading into the 2018 football season.
Additionally, FSSW will feature programming centered on football in the Lone Star State throughout the week, complete with replays of classic high school and collegiate games including last season’s UIL 5A Division I Championship battle between Highland Park and Manvel.
FSSW will deliver a 15-hour Texas high school football broadcast marathon on Aug. 31 starting at 10:30 a.m. Included is a special edition of Football Friday that will kick off live coverage from Gordon Wood Stadium at 4:30 p.m..
Hartigan will host the one-hour show, with legendary coach Ken Purcell and Brad McCoy adding analysis and Sarah Merrifield reporting. Football Friday will lead into coverage of the live doubleheader with game previews, custom features and a look in at game day activities across the state.
Ted Emrich will handle play-by-play for the Brock-Brownwood game alongside McCoy, who will provide analysis, with Hartigan and Merrifield reporting from the sideline. The broadcast team on-site at Lobo Stadium for the Lufkin-Longview matchup will be play-by-play man Mark Followill, analyst Shea Walker and sideline reporter Jen Hale.
In addition to the two marquee Texas high school football match-ups on Aug. 31, FSSW will deliver live look-ins at 10 games across the state, capturing the local pageantry, fanfare and game updates throughout the night: Euless Trinity at Waco Midway; Galena Park North Shore at Katy; Conroe The Woodlands at Cy-Fair; Lubbock Coronado vs. Lubbock Estacado; Silsbee at Port Neches-Groves; Gilmer at Atlanta; Sherman at Denison; El Paso Parkland at El Paso Burges; DeSoto at Odessa Permian; Stephenville at Argyle.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.