Originally Published: December 27, 2006

Texas: No. 1 football state

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TEXAS' NATIONAL RANK
No. 4 pro | No. 1 college | No. 1 high school
Earl Campbell

NFL
No. 4 Texas

<<< No. 3 Florida · No. 5 Ohio>>>

For all of the Cowboys' accomplishments, Sunday games sometimes are the third priority of fans in Texas. Note that Lamar Hunt took his Texans to Kansas City, Mo., and renamed them the Chiefs, and Bud Adams moved his Oilers to Tennessee. Still, the star burnished by players such as quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, coaches Jimmie Johnson and Tom Landry, running backs Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett, and exec Tex Schramm shines brightly. "America's Team" has been to eight Super Bowls. Even Houston is back in business with the latest Texans.
• Join the Texas debate | Submit your opinion on pro football

COLLEGE
No. 1 Texas

No. 2 Florida>>> · No. 3 California >>>

Texas runs over, through and past the competition with no better example than running back Earl Campbell, who was born in Tyler, won a Heisman for the Longhorns and built his Hall of Fame credentials with the Oilers. The Horns hooked three national titles under coach Darrell Royal (184 wins) and another in 2005 with quarterback Vince Young and coach Mack Brown. Texas A&M calls for the 12th man advantage with Yell Practice. Plenty of NFL greats got their start at Texas colleges, including quarterback Sammy Baugh (TCU), cornerback Darrell Green (Texas A&I), defensive tackle "Mean Joe" Greene (North Texas) and halfback Doak Walker (SMU).
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Jeff Standiford
Aggie fan Jeff Standiford: You're right. In Texas, football is life -- integrity, hard work, strength and trust are all taught here. It doesn't matter where you work or what your title is -- cooler talk is always football. The saying is everything is bigger in Texas -- the only problem with that is that whoever wrote it left off "and better." Read more from Jeff

HIGH SCHOOL
No. 1 Texas

No. 2 California>>> · No. 3 Florida>>>

Texas football reigns supreme. Anyone who has ever spent a Friday night in the state can't help but be in awe. Stadiums and weight rooms are as impressive as the teams. Any doubters should pick up the book "Friday Night Lights" (not the show, not the movie, but the book). Spring 2006 D-I signees: 262. Fall 2006 high school football teams: 1,141.
• Join the Texas debate | Submit your opinion on prep football

Bryan Gibbs
Southlake Carroll fan Bryan Gibbs: What time of year do I look forward to the most? March Madness, NFL playoffs, MLB postseason play? Nope, high school football playoffs. Nothing more pure in sports, and you will be hard-pressed to find better play than that in Texas. Teams have to play six games in the playoffs to win it all. Read more from Bryan


POLL QUESTION

1) Which day of football is bigger in Texas?

Friday (high school football)
Saturday (college football)
Sunday (NFL football)

Hashing out the best football state

football, baby
ESPN.com has teed up the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Now the football is in your hands. Pull on your gameday jersey, tape up those writing fingers and hit back with your opinion. We'll print the best fan signal callers on our pages. Submit your opinion

States' overall football rank
1. Texas | Conversation
2. California | Conversation
3. Florida | Conversation
4. Pennsylvania | Conversation
5. Ohio | Conversation
6. Georgia | Conversation
7. Michigan | Conversation
8. Louisiana | Conversation
9. New Jersey | Conversation
10. Wisconsin | Conversation
11. Illinois | Conversation
12. Alabama | Conversation
13. Virginia | Conversation
14. North Carolina | Conversation
15. Missouri | Conversation
16. New York | Conversation
17. Maryland | Conversation
18. Tennessee | Conversation
19. Oklahoma | Conversation
20. Indiana | Conversation
21. Nebraska | Conversation
22. Colorado | Conversation
23. Washington | Conversation
24. Minnesota | Conversation
25. Mississippi | Conversation
26. Iowa | Conversation
27. Massachusetts | Conversation
28. Arizona | Conversation
29. Arkansas | Conversation
30. District of Columbia | Conversation
31. West Virginia | Conversation
32. South Carolina | Conversation
33. Oregon | Conversation
34. Nevada | Conversation
35.Hawaii | Conversation
36. Kentucky | Conversation
37. Utah | Conversation
38. Kansas | Conversation
39. Connecticut | Conversation
40. Idaho | Conversation
41. New Mexico | Conversation
42. New Hampshire | Conversation
43. Rhode Island | Conversation
44. Wyoming | Conversation
45. Delaware | Conversation
46. North Dakota | Conversation
47. South Dakota | Conversation
48. Maine | Conversation
49. Montana | Conversation
50. Vermont | Conversation
51. Alaska | Conversation

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