Buckaroos’ 2024 football schedule includes new opponents after UIL realignment
By Tony Pilkington and Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan
With the UIL’s recent realignment of high school sports districts, Breckenridge High School will be facing some new opponents in the upcoming fall sports season.
BHS remains in the 3A conference (3A Division I for football), as well as in the same districts, District 3 for football and District 8 for volleyball and basketball. However, some of the teams that make up those districts have changed. According to the UIL’s website, conference 3A for football includes 201 schools ranging in enrollment from 254 to 544. It is divided into two divisions. Division I has 101 schools ranging in enrollment from 369 to 544; Division II has 100 schools ranging in enrollment from 254 to 368.
In football, District 3-3A Division I will include Breckenridge, Clyde, Comanche, San Angelo Texas Leadership Charter Academy, Sweetwater and Jim Ned (Tuscola). Breckenridge, Clyde and Jim Ned are returning to the district, but the other three have changed conferences. Sweetwater has moved down from conference 4A Division II, and Comanche and San Angelo Texas Leadership have moved up from 3A Division II. For the past two years, the Buckaroos have played Bowie, Iowa Park, Vernon, Clyde and Jim Ned.
The realignment has the Buckaroos playing more games to the west, rather than more north and toward the Metroplex, as they have the last couple of years.
“I think that’ll be better for our people,” said Casey Pearce, Breckenridge Independent School District athletic director and head football coach. “I think it’s a more traditional schedule that people are used to in Breckenridge, instead of driving toward the Metroplex for ballgames, so that’s a good thing.”
The Buckaroos last played Comanche in pre-district in 2019. The last district game against Comanche was in 2013, and the Buckaroos faced the Comanche Indians in 2016 in a playoff game, with Breckenridge advancing after a 14-7 victory. BHS played SATLCA in district games in 2020 and 2021. The Buckaroos last played Sweetwater in 2015 in pre-district play. From 2006-2009, Breckenridge and Sweetwater were in the same district.
The 2024-25 Breckenridge volleyball and basketball teams will be in District 8-3A, which will include Breckenridge, Comanche, Dublin, Early, Eastland, Millsap, Peaster and Tolar. The district is similar to that of the past two years, except that Brock has been moved up to 4A and out of Breckenridge’s district; and, Tolar moved into the district, up from 2A.
Last week, Pearce released the 2024 football schedule. Following the annual Watermelon Scrimmage and scrimmages against Castleberry, Gainesville and Wall, the Buckaroos will play non-district games against Holliday, Childress, Cisco, Eastland and Tolar. After an open date on Oct. 4, they will start district play at home against Clyde. The season will also include away games at Jim Ned and SATLCA, and home games against Comanche and Sweetwater. See the complete schedule below.
“I think our non-district schedule will for sure get us ready. When we open with a regional finalist and then finish with a state finalist in non-district, that’s that’s pretty good non-district schedule,” Pearce said. “We’re gonna be young, but we’re gonna have to grow up fast and learn how to compete and play on Friday nights.”
2024 Buckaroo Football Schedule
Click the following link to download a PDF of the schedule: 2024 BUCKAROO FOOTBALL SCHEDULES – 2024 BUCKAROO FOOTBALL COMPOSITE
Cutline, top photo: Buckaroos Head Football Coach Casey Pearce talks to the team during the 2023 game against Jacksboro. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
