When it comes to high school football, few rivalries burn as fiercely as the one between Texas and California. It’s not just about Friday night lights—it’s the tale of two titans that echo on social media. The Top 25 MaxPreps high school football rankings until week 15 poured gasoline on that fire, placing California’s St. John Bosco (11-1) at No. 7 and Texas’ undefeated North Crowley (12-0) at No. 9. Cue the war of words.

California’s St. John Bosco is no stranger to the national stage, boasting a powerhouse program that has produced talents and routinely faces off against fellow behemoth, the top No.1 ranked, Mater Dei. Their 11-1 record speaks volumes, with their only loss coming to the Monarchs earlier in the season—a defeat they’ll have the chance to avenge in the CIF-SS Division 1 final. St. John Bosco’s reputation for high-level play and a roster packed with talent makes their No. 7 ranking feel well-earned.

On the other side, Texas’ North Crowley stands undefeated at 12-0, dominating opponents like Permian with a jaw-dropping 72-14 victory in the area playoffs. It’s the second year in a row they’ve ended Permian’s season, cementing their dominance in the Lone Star State. While their perfect record is impressive, the debate stems from the competition disparity—Texas teams rarely meet California’s elite private schools like St. John Bosco and Mater Dei, leading to endless speculation.

Fans argue rankings like these go beyond stats. Texas programs pride themselves on being public schools with deep-rooted community ties, while California’s top teams, like St. John Bosco, are private schools with the ability to recruit talent. The dynamics fuel heated arguments and this week’s rankings became the perfect battleground.

Which school’s fanbase gets the bragging rights?

Fans from both states descended on MaxPreps’ Instagram post like it was a championship game. “Texas don’t belong anywhere over SJB,” one fan declared, quickly met by a Texan retort: “Bring a public school from Cali that don’t recruit players to have a good team come play a public school in Texas.” The clash wasn’t just about rankings but about the very structures of high school football in each state.

“Every time a Texas school plays a Cali team, Texas gets embarrassed,” claimed another commenter. While such statements are bold, the reality is that matchups between elite programs from the two states are rare, fueling hypothetical scenarios and smack talk. A California fan added humor, saying, “All these undefeated TX and GA teams, man if y’all don’t quit bsing and play each other 😂😂😂.” The sentiment captures the frustration of fans who wish for more cross-state games to settle the debates on the field.

Others raised legitimate questions about structural differences. “Will they all meet up eventually like the Cali teams or do they all just stay in their divisions? Seriously asking,” one commenter wondered. While California’s playoff system often forces Bosco and Mater Dei to battle for supremacy, Texas teams remain in separate divisions, leaving “what-ifs” to rule conversations.

The comments section turned into a microcosm of the larger debate about high school football. While Texan fans leaned on their undefeated records and community-driven programs, Californians pointed to the dominance of private schools like St. John Bosco and Mater Dei, whose ability to recruit ensures their rosters are stacked year after year. “Bring a public school from Cali that don’t recruit players to have a good team come play a public school in Texas😂that’s why the only team that can beat bosco is mater dei the only team that can beat mater dei is Bosco 😂yk why? Cause they both are private schools that recruit players to actually be good if duncanville was to recruit like MD or Bosco they’d kill them lmaoo.” This one fan summed up the Cali perspective. Well, the battle for high school football supremacy is on. Which side are you choosing?