Surprises are an important part of football, and the intrigue they provide is the biggest source of interest the game has. Admit it, if you picked 100 percent every week and never got to use the word “upset,” how fun would it all be?
Well, true to form, the Big Country Preps coverage area supplied us with our share of head-turners in Week 1 — several, in fact, that point to an even more interesting season than some of us anticipated.
There were upsets, dazzling comebacks, stunning blowouts and an assortment of other unexpecteds.
Let’s take a quick look at the five Week 1 games that surprised me the most.
5. Jim Ned 42, Lubbock Estacado 21 — Entering its season opener against Class 4A DII Lubbock Estacado as a 4-point underdog, Jim Ned was considered to be (more or less) on equal footing with the Matadors on Friday.
That was the case last year in a 14-7 Estacado win and at halftime on Friday, that viewpoint looked rock-solid with the teams knotted at 21-21.
Then it happened: The Indians, behind new quarterback Cash Gwinn, tallied three unanswered second half touchdowns to win going away against a club that swept its district and went two rounds deep in the 4A DII playoffs last year.
“We were frustrated coming in at halftime,” Jim Ned coach Jonathon McClure said. “in the second half, we executed quite a bit better and got a little pressure on the QB.
“Defensively and offensively we kind of stuck to what we were doing and put some more points on the board.”
Already, that Jim Ned-Wall matchup on Sept. 12 is looking quite big.
4. Santo 30, Electra 6 — Facing an Electra team expected by many to reach postseason play, Santo was a slight favorite to open with a win on Friday night.
Instead, they rushed for 267 yards in a physically dominating performance that sent a message to the entire area: The Wildcats are to be taken seriously in 2025 — quite seriously.
“It was our first time playing a home opener in two years, so we didn’t want to take that for granted,” Santo coach Devon Mann said. “Our kids flew around on both sides of the ball and really limited them.
“I was knotted up and nervous, but that comes with every season. I didn’t know what to expect.”
Being a fan of the option, one thing I’m already liking about this Santo club is a trio of effective fullbacks in Jackson McKinnerney, Colt Bridges and Justin Hollingsworth — all three of whom double as linebackers and rotate to keep each other fresh. Keep an eye on that group.
3. Coahoma 60, Forsan 8 — The fact that Coahoma defeated Forsan didn’t stun me. The enormity of it did.
The annual Howard County Bowl is generally one of those games where you can throw everything out the window. So Friday’s lopsided Coahoma win was cause for a doubletake.
CHS rolled up nearly 500 yards in total offense and according to coach Chris Joslin, the Bulldogs were chomping at the bit to get to the stadium.
“Our kids came out ready to play,” Joslin said. “They were ready to play the whole week. They couldn’t wait.
“As a matter of fact, we got on the bus and got over there 30 minutes early because they couldn’t wait to get there.”
2. Sweetwater 44, Idalou 22 — A three-score win for Sweetwater over perennial power Idalou in what was expected to be a close game is enough to raise some eyebrows. But when you toss in the fact that the Mustangs were already down two players to injuries when the game started and two more by the end of the first quarter, it forces you to take notice.
Add the fact that Sweetwater lost the turnover battle and at one point trailed 22-6 and you’ve got a genuine reason to say … wow!
As of now, two of Sweetwater’s players are expected to return from their injuries, but two others are likely gone for the season. One can only hope that’s not an omen after coming off an injury-plagued 2024 campaign.
In the meantime, the Mustangs get an A+ for overcoming adversity in Week 1.
“I was very proud to see the way these kids stepped up,” first-year coach Brian Hodnett said. “We were behind and looking sloppy and teams in that position at times can shut it down. But I was really proud of the way our guys fought and never quit.
“As we continued to battle, good things just started happening and they did a great job of finishing.”
1. Merkel 38, Ballinger 26 — I think most of us knew that Merkel would be better in 2025. But how many of you expected a two-score win on the road with more than 300 yards passing from a sophomore to snap a 10-game losing streak?
The sophomore (Easton Malone) has in one game, demonstrated that he is one of the top underclassmen in the area. His favorite receiver, Kaden Blubaugh (six catches, 190 yards, four TDs) has suddenly emerged as a weapon so dangerous, that Ballinger had to adjust its coverage during the game to stop him.
Where will this all lead? I don’t know yet, but the Malone-Blubaugh combo is no longer a secret so opponents will of course, adjust to slow it down.
Nonetheless, at this point, there is good reason for some genuine excitement in Merkel. And after an 0-10 campaign a year ago against one of the most ridiculous schedules ever concocted, they’ve earned it.
“You try to think of some of the most inspirational things you can tell the kids after a win like that,” Merkel Coach Wes Wood said. “I just told them ‘thank you’ because it’s hard to play this game.
“It’s hard to go through all of those practices, it’s hard to push through adversity and it’s hard to lay it all on the line out there and come up short. So I just told them thank you. Y’all did it and y’all deserved it.”