Wildcats Ranked No. 8 In Preseason Poll

We’ve just now technically reached the start of summer, and for some, the start of the 2026 Texas High School Football Season very much feels like it’s forever away. Many fans spend their summer days waiting for anything football related. Any kind of news that will make them feel like there’s light at the end of the tunnel. 

For many football nerds, the release of the annual Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine is a huge milestone. In it, they get to see how their team fares, and where (or if) they rank in the preseason poll. 

For Sulphur Springs Wildcats fans, Christmas came early. They didn’t have to wait until the release of the magazine to see where they ranked in the preseason poll, thanks to an instagram post from Dave Campbell’s. 

Earlier this month, the magazine posted a teaser picture, revealing part of the long awaited release of their preseason poll. The post showed a portion of their Top 10 poll, and the Sulphur Springs Wildcats happened to be one of the teams revealed, coming in at No. 8. 

The reveal is exciting news for the Wildcats and their fans, for many reasons. Not only are they one of the highest ranked teams in the state, but their position at No. 8 is the highest they’ve been ranked in the Preseason Poll, coming in one spot higher than their No. 9 ranking entering the 2025 season. 

Their No. 8 ranking comes after their second consecutive 10-win season. The Wildcats have continued to show improvement each year in the Faircloth Era, starting with their 7-4 debut season in 2022 (which followed an 0-10 2021 season before they arrived). Since Faircloth and Co. took over, the Wildcats have gone 35-12 and have made the playoffs in each season. 

They followed their seven-win season with an eight-win season, making the playoffs but falling in the first round each time. The Wildcats then made an even bigger jump in years three and four of the Faircloth Era, taking things to the next level. 

Over the past two season’s the Wildcats have gone 20-5, including a postseason record of 3-2, winning at least one playoff game each year. That brings us to now, the No. 8 preseason ranked 2026 Wildcats. 

The No. 8 preseason ranking gives Wildcats fans a ton to be excited about, but it’s far from the only thing bringing them excitement. Coach Faircloth and his Wildcats return a ton of electric talent, including dual threat quarterback Deuce Timmons. 

Timmons enters his Senior season with a very decorated resume, including being named Newcomer of the Year in 2024. The dual threat senior enters his final campaign with over 2,200 total yards and 43 touchdowns under his belt, and is looking to have a huge bounce back season, after missing the back half of 2025 due to injury. 

The Wildcats also return just shy of 1,000 rushing yards last year from just the duo of Timmons and running back Dobson Martin, who is also entering his senior season. The exciting returning offensive talent doesn’t stop there, however. 

Sulphur Springs also has one of the most exciting returning groups of pass catchers in the state, featuring wide receivers Jaxon Virgel and Deacon Carpenter, along with senior tight end Quin Harris. The trio of pass catchers enter this season combining for over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. 

They each played huge roles in 2025, despite it being the debut campaigns for Virgel and Carpenter, and each of them will be expected to play even larger roles this fall. The return of that many electric, experienced skill position players plays a huge role in the Wildcats entering the season ranked No. 8, along with a coaching staff that has proven themselves to show improvement year-after-year. 

This fall is one with a ton of excitement for the Sulphur Springs Wildcats and their fans. Entering the season ranked No. 8 is just one of the many things to be excited about. 

The Wildcats open their season in another exciting way, beginning the year on a Thursday night rather than a Friday night. Their season opener is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 27, on the road against Mount Pleasant. They follow that with their home opener on Friday, Sep. 4 against Pleasant Grove. 

The rest of the 2026 schedule for the Wildcats is: 

• Friday, Sept. 11 at Whitehouse 
• Friday, Sept. 18 vs Gilmer 
• Friday, Sept. 25 vs Kaufman 
• Friday, Oct. 2 at Ferris 
• Bye Week 
• Friday, Oct. 16 vs Paris 
• Friday, Oct. 23 at Life Waxahachie 
• Friday, Oct. 30 vs Caddo Mills 
• Friday, Nov. 6 at Mabank