DeSoto's football season will begin under the national spotlight, with the reigning Texas state champion heading to Florida for a heavyweight matchup against one of the country's most decorated high school programs.
ESPN will broadcast DeSoto's Aug. 29 season opener against St. Thomas Aquinas on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. from Fort Lauderdale, according to The Dallas Morning News. DeSoto is the only Texas team included in ESPN's seven-game high school football kickoff package.
DeSoto Gets A National Stage To Start 2026
ESPN's high school football kickoff has become an annual showcase for nationally ranked teams and major college recruits, with games airing across ESPN platforms. The 2025 edition featured six matchups and dozens of players ranked in ESPN's national recruiting lists, as outlined by ESPN Press Room.
DeSoto enters the matchup after a championship season powered by running back SaRod Baker, who rushed for 3,096 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior. Texas Football called Baker one of the breakout stars of the 2025 season after he helped lead the Eagles to their third Class 6A Division II title in four years.
The Eagles are ranked No. 33 in the MaxPreps preseason national rankings and finished 2025 on a 10-game winning streak, The Dallas Morning News reported. DeSoto is also moving to Class 5A Division I under the state's latest realignment, adding another wrinkle to a season that already begins with a cross-country measuring stick.
St. Thomas Aquinas Brings Its Own Recruiting Firepower
St. Thomas Aquinas finished last season 14-1, scored 605 points and averaged 40.3 points per game, according to MaxPreps. The Florida powerhouse also has a deep collection of college-bound talent, including four-star Notre Dame pledge Julius Jones, four-star Ohio State pledge Wyatt Smith and five-star Texas A&M pledge Mark Matthews.
The matchup gives DeSoto an immediate test against a program that has won seven consecutive state titles and is ranked No. 3 nationally entering the season. For North Texas fans, it is also a rare chance to see the defending state champions measure themselves against an elite Florida roster before the Eagles begin their new classification campaign.
