The 2026 high school football season in the Texarkana metro promises a competitive and dynamic landscape for both Texas UIL and Arkansas AAA programs. Texas High, Pleasant Grove, Liberty-Eylau, and Redwater will face new challenges following the UIL realignment, while Arkansas High, Genoa Central, and Ashdown will navigate their new conference alignments.
Texas High, the area’s most successful program, continues its strong tradition with a 2025 playoff run that included a win over Crandall and a matchup against reigning state champions Port Neches-Grove. The team’s 2026 schedule reflects the realignment’s impact, with Justin Lamay returning as a key player. Texas High’s recent Spring Signing Day saw Roman Wyatt commit to Texas A&M University–Texarkana, adding depth to the program.
Pleasant Grove, a consistent 44-9 program over the last four seasons, will face a loaded District 8-4A DII schedule in 2026, including a matchup against Gilmer Buckeyes. Liberty-Eylau, a 3A Division I state champion in 2023, will look to build on that success. Redwater, though not specifically detailed in the available information, will compete in its UIL classification.
For Arkansas, the 2026 season begins with a new head coach at Arkansas High. Jerry Littleton, a 2003 graduate of Fouke High School with nearly 20 years of coaching experience, brings a strong record to the program, including four consecutive state playoff appearances at Fouke. Arkansas High’s 2025 season showed promise with wins over De Queen and Hope, but a 2-8 record and 2-5 conference finish highlighted the challenges ahead.
Genoa Central, a 7-4A program, will compete in a reshuffled 7-4A conference that includes Arkadelphia, Ashdown, Fouke, Fountain Lake, Hope, Malvern, and Nashville. Ashdown, a 7-4A program, will face similar competition in the new alignment.
The Texarkana area’s three successful UIL programs—Texas High, Pleasant Grove, and Liberty-Eylau—represent a rare concentration of excellence in a single community. Texas High’s playoff run against Port Neches-Grove, a reigning state champion, underscores the high level of competition the area’s schools face. The 2026 season will test whether these programs can maintain their success or face the challenges of realignment and tough schedules.