The latest edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine has released its 2026 preseason projections, spotlighting a cluster of Coastal Bend programs that are poised to dominate their respective districts.
Preseason Rankings
Among the standout forecasts, Refugio, Sinton, Calallen and Gregory‑Portland are each highlighted as favorites to win their districts, a testament to the depth of talent returning to the area.
The magazine also notes the significance of the 2026‑28 realignment cycle, which reshapes classification boundaries and forces traditional rivals to meet in new configurations.
Class Shifts
Sinton, fresh off a Class 4A Division II semifinal run, will drop to Class 3A, while London, a program making its first foray into Class 4A, is slated to compete at that level for the first time.
Other notable movements include Rockport‑Fulton, Bishop, Veterans Memorial and Flour Bluff, all of which enter the season with high expectations despite staying in their current classes.
New Coaches and Fresh Faces
A wave of new coaches will greet the season, most prominently Craig Charleton, the former Ray coach, who returns from retirement to lead IWA, while Roland Ramirez continues his tenure at John Paul II.
Annapolis Christian Academy is expected to ride a talented young core to another strong campaign, adding another layer of intrigue to the preseason landscape.
Statewide Rankings
The magazine's poll places six Coastal Bend teams across different divisions, with Flour Bluff ranked No. 25 in Class 5A Division I, Gregory‑Portland at No. 13 in Class 5A Division II, Calallen at No. 14 in Class 4A Division I, Sinton at No. 5 in Class 3A Division I and Refugio at No. 12 in Class 2A Division I.
District Outlook
District forecasts further detail the projected hierarchy, with Flour Bluff projected atop District 15‑5A Division I, Gregory‑Portland leading District 16‑5A Division II, Calallen topping District 15‑4A Division I, Rockport‑Fulton heading District 16‑4A Division II, and Sinton dominating District 15‑3A Division I.
Meanwhile, lower‑division projections see Bishop leading District 16‑3A Division I, Cotulla topping District 16‑3A Division II, La Villa heading District 16‑2A Division II, and Refugio again positioned as the top pick in District 16‑2A Division I.
These predictions set the stage for a competitive season, as coaches, players and fans alike anticipate how the new alignments and rankings will translate into on‑field results.