Crandall Pirates • 2026 Season Preview
Crandall Football: 2026 Game-by-Game Predictions
By Merv Moore
Crandall enters 2026 with enough returning offensive talent to contend for the District 7-5A Division I championship, but the Pirates will be tested immediately.
The first three games are all non-district matchups against teams capable of reaching the playoffs. After that, Crandall opens a seven-game district schedule in which West Mesquite and Tyler look like the biggest obstacles standing between the Pirates and a title.
Here is a game-by-game breakdown, with predictions, for every matchup on Crandall’s 2026 schedule.
Schedule at a Glance
| Date | Opponent | Site | Prediction |
| Aug. 28 | Denton Braswell | Away | Crandall 34, Braswell 24 |
| Sept. 3 | Rowlett | Away | Rowlett 31, Crandall 27 |
| Sept. 11 | Terrell | Home | Terrell 35, Crandall 31 |
| Sept. 17 | at Sunset | Away | Crandall 42, Sunset 14 |
| Sept. 25 | Bryan Adams | Home | Crandall 45, Bryan Adams 17 |
| Oct. 2 | Bye | — | — |
| Oct. 9 | North Mesquite | Home | Crandall 35, North Mesquite 24 |
| Oct. 16 | at Tyler | Away | Crandall 38, Tyler 34 |
| Oct. 23 | Mesquite | Home | Crandall 37, Mesquite 21 |
| Oct. 30 | at West Mesquite | Away | West Mesquite 31, Crandall 28 |
| Nov. 5 | W.T. White | Home | Crandall 38, W.T. White 20 |
Aug. 28 — at Denton Braswell
Braswell went 2-8 last season, but that record undersells a Class 6A program entering a new era under head coach Justen Evans, who previously built Corpus Christi Miller into a consistent playoff contender.
Zahir Trufant — RB
| RUSH YDS | TD |
| 627 | 8 |
Braswell also returns safety Emmanuel Fuller, who recorded 95 tackles last season, giving the Bengals experience on both sides of the ball to pair with their new coaching staff.
Crandall should still have more proven offensive production entering opening night.
Sept. 3 — at Rowlett
Rowlett presents a tougher matchup. The Eagles reached the Class 6A playoffs last season and return an experienced quarterback, several receiving threats and much of their defense. Playing on the road just six days after the opener makes this an early test for Crandall.
Sam Loera — QB
| PASS YDS | PASS TD | RUSH TD |
| 2,428 | 16 | 9 |
Figures carried over from prior research citing Dallas Morning News statistics; not independently re-verified in this session.
Sept. 11 — Terrell
Crandall gets a chance to respond to last season’s 63-13 loss to the Tigers. Terrell went 12-1 and remains one of the stronger Class 5A Division II teams in the state. The Tigers must replace their entire starting offensive line and several defensive standouts, but enough talent returns to keep them dangerous.
Julian Ashley — RB
🏆 District 6-5A Division II MVP
| RUSH YDS | RUSH TD | TOTAL TD |
| 1,466 | 21 | 26 |
Ashley’s 26 total touchdowns included two punt returns and a kickoff return in addition to his work at running back, and he did it all as a sophomore.
This should be much closer than last year’s meeting.
Sept. 17 — at Sunset
The district opener gives Crandall a chance to reset after a difficult non-district slate. Sunset finished 4-6 last season and is projected near the bottom of District 7-5A Division I. Quarterback Shia-Mikel Valerio threw for 1,048 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, and receiver Langston Newhouse led the team with 31 catches for 638 yards and six touchdowns. Crandall should have a clear advantage at the skill positions.
Sept. 25 — Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams went 2-8 last season and also enters 2026 near the bottom of preseason district projections. Dimera Smith led the Cougars with 234 rushing yards and also threw for 632 yards, while Greg Nash Jr. paced the receiving corps with 33 catches for 584 yards and seven touchdowns. Crandall gets the Cougars at Pirate Stadium before its bye week.
Oct. 9 — North Mesquite
North Mesquite reached the playoffs last season and shouldn’t be treated as an automatic win. Terrence Collins rushed for 1,022 yards and 17 touchdowns, and Julien Simpson added 839 yards and 15 more scores, giving the Stallions one of the more productive backfield duos on Crandall’s schedule. Still, this is a game the Pirates need to win at home if they expect to finish among the district’s top two teams.
Oct. 16 — at Tyler
This is the first real upset pick against a preseason projection. The Dallas Morning News projects Tyler to win the district outright, while Dave Campbell’s has the Lions third. Tyler has high-end talent at running back and receiver but must replace an experienced quarterback and improve defensively.
CaDarius McMiller — RB, Oregon Commit
| RUSH YDS | RUSH TD |
| ~940 | 17 |
Figures carried over from prior research; not independently re-verified in this session.
Crandall’s veteran offense could be the difference in a close road game.
Oct. 23 — Mesquite
Mesquite’s 1-9 record from last season likely understates its 2026 potential. The Skeeters have young talent and are projected to compete for a playoff position, led by quarterback Jaiden Clayton, who threw for 1,048 yards with six touchdowns, and receiver Jerome Broadus, who caught 34 passes for 391 yards and three scores. Much of that group still has to prove itself at the varsity level. Crandall gets the game at home.
Oct. 30 — at West Mesquite
This is the game most likely to determine whether Crandall wins the district championship. West Mesquite went 11-2 last season and is Dave Campbell’s pick to finish first in District 7-5A Division I.
Damarian Robinson — RB
| RUSH YDS | RUSH TD |
| 1,473 | 17 |
Quarterback Jaylen Dotson also contributed 274 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground to go with 1,195 passing yards and 19 touchdowns through the air, giving West Mesquite one of the more balanced attacks on Crandall’s schedule. The Wranglers return 13 starters but have a new head coach and must settle their quarterback situation.
Crandall should have enough offense to stay close, but beating West Mesquite on the road is the toughest district assignment on the schedule.
Nov. 5 — W.T. White
Crandall closes the regular season at Pirate Stadium. W.T. White finished 5-5 last season and is projected in the lower half of the district. Quarterback Andrew Paredez threw for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns, and Ben Ebeke led the ground game with 1,528 yards and 18 touchdowns of his own. By this point, Crandall could be playing for a home playoff game and possibly a share of the district championship.
Our Prediction: Second Place
A 7-3 regular season would match Crandall’s win total from 2025, but a 6-1 district record would represent real progress in the Pirates’ first year in Class 5A Division I.
| 1. | West Mesquite |
| 2. | Crandall |
| 3. | Tyler |
| 4. | Mesquite / North Mesquite |
The biggest swing game is Tyler. If Crandall wins there, the Oct. 30 trip to West Mesquite could decide the district championship outright. The Pirates have enough offense to make that scenario realistic — the biggest question is whether the defense can produce enough stops against the better teams on the schedule.
