The second round of the UIL offers some delicious matchups this weekend, and that's nothing new. This is often a round where powerhouses meet, because district champs can now run into each other.
Here are 10 of the most exciting second-round games from the last 10 years:
2014 6A DIVISION I
Allen 25, DeSoto 22: I had to include this one, because the teams will meet again late Friday night. Allen trailed 22-14 with nine minutes left, but quarterback Kyler Murray ended up running for 194 yards and three touchdowns, and and he set up Sawyer Williams' winning 25-yard field goal on the final play. (Full column on this game here.)
2013 5A DIVISION I
DeSoto 34, Coppell 30: This was one of the most entertaining games I've covered. DeSoto trailed by three with less than a minute left, but DeSoto made the most of its final chance. Quarterback Desmon White rolled to his left, and with a defender on his heels, lofted a pass into the back of the end zone. Kevin Thomas pulled it in and got his left foot inbounds for a 19-yard touchdown that completed DeSoto's win.
2011 5A DIVISION I
Euless Trinity 28, Allen 21: In a collision of undefeated powerhouses, the game in front of 30,000 fans at what was then called Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium) came down to one split-second collision. It was Allen quarterback Alec Morris vs. Trinity linebacker Chris Fonokalafi and defensive lineman Safari Bolden. Morris tried to get in the end zone on fourth-and-goal, but Fonokalafi and Bolden stopped him just short. A year later, Allen's championship streak began.
2009 5A DIVISION II
Southlake Carroll 35, Allen 34 (2 OT): Allen quarterback Matt Brown threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Chase Gambill on the final play of regulation to force overtime, butCarroll's defense made the clinching stop in front of 40,000 fans at Cowboys Stadium.Allen tried to win with a two-point conversion in the second overrtime, but Carrollsafety Justin Agnew stopped Brown on a quarterback keeper.
2009 5A DIVISION I
Skyline 41, DeSoto 36: A couple of hours before the Allen-Carroll game, Skyline's Mike Davis was stellar at SMU's Ford Stadium. Davis caught four touchdown passes as a receiver, picked off two as a defensive back, and made the game-clinching play to help Skyline run out the clock. On a third-and-5 at the Skyline 27-yard line, Davis beat double coverage for an 11-yard reception.
2008 5A DIVISION I
Euless Trinity 42, Plano 35: Plano running back Rex Burkhead rushed for 142 yards, scored three touchdowns and intercepted a pass as a linebacker, but Trinity pulled off the win with a big pass at Texas Stadium. Quarterback Denarius McGhee, who had more than 300 yards passing in the game, connected with Tyree Tucker for a 26-yard touchdown with 15 seconds left.
2007 5A DIVISION II
Hebron 50, DeSoto 44 (4 OT): Hebron forced overtime with a 60-yard pass from Tanner Marsh to David Crawford and a two-point conversion with two minutes left at the Birdville Fine Arts/Athletic Complex. Absalom Jones' 4-yard run gave Hebron the lead in the fourth overtime, and linebacker Alex Norman clinched the win by batting down Cyrus Gray's fourth-down pass.
2006 5A DIVISION I
Southlake Carroll 22, Euless Trinity 21: One of the greatest games ever featured 46,339 fans and would've attracted more if not for a massive traffic jam around Texas Stadium. Trinity led 21-16 when it tried a fake punt and failed with 2:30 left. Carrolldrove 35 yards for the winning touchdown, capped by Riley Dodge's 2-yard run with 37 seconds left.
2006 5A DIVISION II
Garland 24, Longview 21: Shortly after Garland's Malcolm Williams ran past the midfield star at Texas Stadium on a 96-yard kickoff return, he became an even bigger star. With the score tied late in the fourth quarter, Williams stripped Longview's Jazmon Moon of the ball and recovered the fumble to set up Mladen Bjelica's 42-yard game-winning field goal.
2005 4A DIVISION II
Wylie 41, Woodrow Wilson 38: In an amazing comeback, Wylie rallied from a 31-3 halftime deficit to stun Woodrow Wilson at Kincaide Stadium. Sergio Kindle rushed for 323 yards and five touchdowns for Woodrow, but Wylie roared to life after halftime, and Zach Abbott connected with Max Boe for the winning 22-yard touchdown with 2:51 left.
Twitter: @mattwixon