Write a new simple attractive title based on the title from OPINION: Scheduling challenges comes with territory in District 2-6A and dont use quote marks

It appears that District 2-6A’s scheduling issues are part of the landscape out here in tumbleweed country.

Back in 2018-19, it seemed extreme when five of the six District 2-6A football teams scheduled week five games with teams from the Rio Grande Valley.

This year for the fifth non-district game, the odd scheduling is back as three of the four Permian Basin Class 6A teams will play out-of-state teams.

Odessa Permian (4-0) hosts 4-0 Carver Birmingham (Ala.) at 7 p.m. Friday, Legacy (1-3) meets Ruston (La.) at 2 p.m. Saturday in Arlington and Midland High (3-1) hosts Lantana (Fla.) Santaluces at 7 p.m. Oct. 4.

The remaining District 2-6A teams, that didn’t schedule out-of-state programs, set up dates with much smaller schools.  

Frenship (3-1) is visiting Midland Christian (1-3) at 7 p.m. Friday; Odessa High (2-1) is meeting former head coach Danny Servance and Class 5A Division II program Killeen Ellison (1-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday in Abilene, and San Angelo Central (2-2) is hosting Class 5A Division II program Waco High (2-2) at 7 p.m. Friday.

The reason why this is happening is because District 2-6A is one of only three Class 6A districts across the entire state that has as few as six teams. The other districts with seven or more teams are already into district play and can’t schedule District 2-6A.

Furthermore, the two other Class 6A districts with six teams are in the Rio Grande Valley, so they naturally scheduled each other.

With no 6A options available, teams either have to play a lower classification with similar district size or schedule an out-of-state or private school.

With not many 6A schools that exist between El Paso and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, this problem does not appear to be going away anytime soon.

But I do commend the coaches for trying to make the best out of a bad logistical situation.

Legacy’s opponent Ruston (3-0) appears to meet the criteria of a quality out-of-state program with a 17-game winning streak and coming off a state championship in a SEC state where football is religion like here.

Ruston beat a quality Texas program last week with a 21-10 victory over Class 6A Longview and it will play another power next week with Stephenville. Almost a third of the Bearcats’ schedule is comprised of Texas schools.  

Ruston also has Texas-quality talent, led by LSU commit Aidan Anding at cornerback and Ahmad Hudson, a 6-foot-7 tight end that is considered one of the best prospects nationally in this year’s sophomore class.

The Bulldogs also scheduled an interesting team with Santaluces (4-1), which is in one of the nation’s best hotbeds for football talent in South Florida.

The Chiefs’ most famous alum reflects that as the school claims former New England Patriots Super Bowl champion and University of Miami national champion Vince Wilfork.

Santaluces has a talented roster, too, with a pair of N.C. State commits with Jamar Browder at receiver and Caden Gordon at defensive back.

It’s hard to gauge what kind of team the Chiefs are because they don’t have any Texas opponents on their schedule, but I don’t think we’ll be seeing MHS roll to another 69-13 win next week.

The Bulldogs previously played Class 5A Division II team El Paso Andress in this slot on their schedule, so I think the Chiefs have a chance to be a better fit competition-wise. MHS outscored Andress, 136-28, in its two meetings. 

Permian 38, Carver Birmingham 21

Odessa High 49, Killeen Ellison 35

San Angelo Central 35, Waco 14

Frenship 49, Midland Christian 28