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The first head-to-head matchup in the Great State Debate pits No. 1 Texas against No. 8 Virginia -- states with such storied football histories that they inspired two of the best movies about high school football ever made.

Texas gave us the legendary "Friday Night Lights," while Virginia set the scene for "Remember the Titans." A big underdog, Virginia may need movie fans to turn out en masse to have a chance at knocking out top-seeded Texas.

The Lone Star State seems to have it all in football, but don't underestimate the Commonwealth. The state has produced some of the nation's most exciting quarterbacks in recent years, including Ronald Curry and Michael Vick. Plus, arguably the best linebacker in NFL history -- Lawrence Taylor -- and the best defensive lineman -- Bruce Smith -- are both native Virginians.

Players from both states had a lot to say when contacted about this week's matchup.

The case for: No. 1 Texas

"Obviously Texas is the biggest state in the country, and with a bigger population, there is a better chance of having better players and competition. With more people, it makes it easier to find players who want to work hard and compete at a high level. Back in the day everything was about Dallas and Houston, but the level of play is equal throughout the state now."
-- Rockwall-Heath (Texas) QB Drew Hollingshead // Houston commit

"Texas has the best football in the country because of its fan support. The fans in Texas expect so much from the players that it makes the players want to play at a high level. This only makes the competition level extremely high, which leads to great games. Just as much Texas has the best all-around talent and depth of great football players."
-- Mesquite (Texas) DB Marcus Trice // Oklahoma commit

"Look at everyone who has come from Texas, the Vince Youngs and Cedric Bensons, Texas just speaks for itself. California and Florida are also known to have great football, but they just do not compare to Texas."
-- Garland (Texas) Naaman Forest DB Terrance Bullitt // Texas Tech commit

"Texas has the size and speed no one else has. We just ball and take football to the heart. Ain't nothing like Texas 5A football anywhere in the country."
-- Aldine (Texas) Eisenhower WR Greg Timmons // Texas commit

"Texas has the best football in the country because there is a deep passion for the game in the state. We have more athletes than anyone else and a big love for the game. In this state everyone competes, and that is what makes us the best."
-- DeSoto (Texas) DB Adrian White

The case for: No. 8 Virginia

"A lot of states get to play year-round, where we do not have the opportunity to do spring ball [here in Virginia]. Despite this, we still play a very high level of football with less time to prepare. When players from Virginia get to college, they are some of the best players in the country and compete at a very high level."
-- Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith QB Phillip Sims

"Just the talent that Virginia produces, especially quarterbacks, and they all turn out to be very good. Just look at Ronald Curry, the Vick brothers and Aaron Brooks. If we played a Texas team, we could compete."
-- Hampton (Va.) Phoebus QB Tajh Boyd // West Virginia commit

"The state of Virginia is a huge military state, so we get a lot of good players as a result of their families' getting stationed in the area. Virginia has a lot of good teams and not too many bad teams. Every team usually produces at least two Division I prospects every year."
-- Chesapeake (Va.) Great Bridge WR Logan Heastie // West Virginia commit

"Virginia football is great, and if we are compared to a big state like Texas, it's tough because of the population. Virginia is a smaller state. To see the amount of prospects that come out of the state is incredible. One big thing that helps is that there is a lot of prep schools here that good players want to attend. Overall, up and down the state, the competition is amazing. No matter where you go, the talent level does not drop."
-- Glen Allen (Va.) Deep Run ATH Antone Exum

"Virginia is one of the best football states in the country because the quality of play is tremendous. The talent is spread throughout the whole state with not one area dominating year in and year out. We send players to great in-state schools, Virginia and Virginia Tech, as well as other top programs in the country. We just take a lot of pride in our football."
-- Clifton (Va.) Centreville OL Luke Bowanko // Virginia commit

Make your case for Texas or Virginia by blogging or joining the conversation. Show your state pride by voting in the Great State Debate today -- voting closes Tuesday night. Check back Wednesday to see which team will advance. Next week's matchup will be between No. 2 Florida and No. 7 Louisiana.