Let the great football debate begin!
Everyone debates over which city or state has the best barbecue, best pizza or best place to get a sandwich. But you won’t hear much discussion over which state does football the best.
The hands-down answer is any small town or large city in Texas. Whether it be pee-wee, high school, college, or professional, football is king in Texas!
Football is far more than a game in the Lone Star State. It’s a lifestyle. An almost spiritual experience that brings together people from all walks of life. When the season turns to fall, the eyes of the football world inevitably turn to Texas.
We can absolutely discuss what Texas town gives you the best live football experience. Whether you’re looking for a grandiose stadium with NFL action or an otherwise sleepy town that comes alive for high school football, Texas has the best of both worlds.
Houston has it all, and then some!
Houston is an all-in-one hub for a great pro, college or high school football experience.
One could argue some of the best football in the whole state is played at Gary Kubiak Stadium, home of the St. Pius X Panthers. The Panthers have won 12, yes 12, state titles. The private Catholic school plays in TAPPS Division I and has churned out championships across four decades. It’s also produced college and pro talent.
If you head to the suburb of Cypress you can watch football in one of the most expensive stadiums in the state. Cy-Fair FCU Stadium hosts 12 teams from the metro area in its immaculate open-air venue.
The University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium isn’t too shabby either. The $128 million stadium opened in 2014 and seats more than 42,000 fans.
The Houston Texans are in the middle of a rebuilding phase at the moment. Houston’s NFL franchise is still yet to capture the magic the Oilers used to bring to town.
Before kickoff and after the final whistle there’s plenty more to do in Houston. Texas’ most populous city has more than 2.3 million residents and a wide variety of things to do including the Space Center, Houston Zoo, and Museum of Natural Science.
From Austin to the NFL in a Brees!
The state capital has seen its share of top tier talent take the field at the high school level.
West Lake High School alone has produced three prominent Super Bowl winners, including two who were starting quarterbacks in the big game: Drew Brees and Nick Foles. Not to be overlooked, Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker is booting his way to a historic pro career as the league’s most accurate kicker. West Lake hasn’t turned that talent into a complete dynasty — only winning a title in 1996 — but it has ended its season in the championship game seven more times.
Right down the road on Highway 360 you’ll find another high school powerhouse in Lake Travis.
The Class 6A Cavaliers have brought home six state titles. Baker Mayfield brought a championship home here in 2011 and wrapped up his high school career with more than 6,000 passing yards and 67 touchdowns.
The Friday night lights shine bright in Austin but there’s nothing quite like a Saturday game under the lights to watch the University of Texas play. Texas Memorial Stadium seats more than 100,000 fans at capacity and it is always at capacity in the fall. The sea of orange makes for an unreal environment for college football fans. The stadium is also undergoing renovations that will add more seating to the South Endzone and will also feature luxury suites!
Outside of football, Austin is often recognized as one of the best places in the world to live, eat, work and play. You just can’t beat the mixture of nature and a city with a small-town vibe. From its thriving arts and music scene to its growing tech and digital media industries many young professionals are flocking to Austin.
6th Street in Austin is an entertainment place in Austin. It’s located in the city’s core in downtown Austin. This 6th Street in Austin was initially called Pecan Street under Austin’s era naming convention, which had north-south streets named after Texas rivers and east-west streets named after trees.
6th Street in Austin is known as Dirty sixth locally. It plays host to many events every year, ranging from film festivals and music, for example, South by the Southwest, to biker games. A developed movement has been raised to create this 6th Street in Austin as, as an entertainment district of its own, supported toward the live music crowd.
The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro has the football!
You can’t talk about football without mentioning the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metro area. Arlington is the home of “America’s Team” the Dallas Cowboys. AT&T Stadium is a sight to behold. The Cowboys are what draws fans to their seats but this stadium is packed with much more, including a bar and lounge, and an art exhibit curated by Gene Jones herself, wife to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. Oh, and there is that massive video board, lest we forget. Regardless of your feelings about the team, this stadium is a must-visit.
Near the heart of Dallas is Earl Hayes Stadium, home of Bishop Dunne. One of TAPPS Division I’s best teams, the Falcons are five-time state champions. The stadium isn’t packed with all the bells and whistles, placing all of its emphasis on the field of play.
This Metropolitan area has more than 7 million residents. Dallas alone is filled with Texas and United States history. Some of the historical and educational sites worth touring while you’re in town include the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza — called the birthplace of Dallas — and the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
The Aggie experience is something to behold
If you are just looking to let loose with the wildest college football experience, look no further than College Station, home of Texas A&M. This is one of the loudest and craziest home fields in college football thanks to the infamous 12th man. The Aggie faithful even gather the night before home games to practice their screaming! They call it the Midnight Yell and by all accounts, it is effective, even if a few voices are worn down on Saturday.
The excitement isn’t confined to Kyle Field. The music scene has a diverse array acts from country to jazz to metal. Revolutions and Grand Stafford are just two of the premier venues to catch live performances. The Northgate District has a lively combination of nightlife and historic attractions.
College Station has a population of about 100,000 people that explodes when the students return to school.
Small Texas towns do it big under the Friday night lights!
We already know Texas is known for doing everything bigger but small towns still have a big footprint on the state’s football culture.
Aledo only had a population of 4,181 reported in 2019. When the Aledo Bearcats take the field at Bearcat Stadium it isn’t uncommon for there to be more fans in attendance than the town’s population. Aledo has won eight Class 6A state titles and is considered one of the most dominant programs in the country regardless of size. It even punished a team so bad that after a 91-0 victory there were bullying charges levied against the school.
Gilmer is a little larger than Aledo with a population of 5,015. The small school produces a lot of college and pro players though. The Buckeyes have three state titles under their belts, making Jeff Traylor Stadium a bucket list addition for an old-school Friday night visit.
