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The 2019 John Tyler High School football schedule includes seven home games, along with two Thursday night contests.

Tyler ISD athletic director Greg Priest said JT and Longview will play on Thursday, Sept. 12, instead of Friday, Sept. 13 at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler. More details about the contest will be announced later he said. It is expected to be a 7 p.m. start. The Lions will also face district foe McKinney North on a Thursday later in the season.

According to Joe Lee Smith’s TexasHighSchoolFootballHistory.com, JT and Longview have played 92 times with the Lobos leading 47-38-7. Smith, a Tyler resident, was the longtime Lamar University sports information director and he is a member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.

However, Lobohistory.com has the rivals playing 95 times with the Lobos leading 50-38-7.

Both teams have two games before the Rose City meeting and both could be ranked entering the contest.

Coach Ricklan Holmes’ Lions are ranked No. 6 in Class 5A Division I by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine. Three-time defending state champion Dallas Highland Park is No. 1, followed by Denton Ryan, Richmond Foster, Frisco Lone Star and Alvin Shadow Creek. Lufkin is No. 7.

Texas Football has JT winning District 7-5A Division I for the second straight year and advancing to the Region II final before falling to Highland Park for the second consecutive year.

Longview is also ranked No. 6 in Class 6A by the magazine. Defending Class 6A Division I state champion Galena Park North Shore is first followed, followed by D-I runner-up Duncanville, Lake Travis and Katy.

Texas Football has the Lobos winning District 11-6A and beating Spring Westfield again for the Region II title before knocking off Denton Guyer in the semifinals and Austin Westlake in the finals.

There will be also a ton of talent on the turf as JT defensive back/running back Kitan Crawford, who has committed to Texas after narrowing his choices to the Longhorns, Tennessee and Oklahoma, and Longview quarterback Haynes King, who is considering Arkansas, Auburn, Duke, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

JT opens with Mesquite Horn on Friday, Aug. 30 in Tyler, followed by the Lions playing rival Robert E. Lee on Saturday, Sept. 7.

All of JT games are 7 p.m. starts with the exception of the Friday, Aug. 23 scrimmage with Dallas Jesuit at North Forney High School in Forney. That game is set for 7:15 p.m.

Longview, the defending Class 6A Division II state champion, opens at Lufkin on Aug. 30 and will play host to Marshall on Sept. 6. Both of those games are 7:30 p.m. starts.

After the game with the Lobos, JT plays host to Class 6A No. 27 Euless Trinity on Friday, Sept. 20. The Lions open district play and celebrate homecoming against Texarkana Texas High on Sept. 27 in Tyler.

JT’s first road game comes on Friday, Oct. 4 at Wylie East (Wylie ISD Stadium) and the Lions return home on Friday, Oct. 11 for “Pink Out Night” against West Mesquite.

The Lions’ bye week is Oct. 18 before venturing to McKinney to meet McKinney North in the near $70 million McKinney ISD Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 24.

JT will conduct “Senior Night” on Friday, Nov. 1 against No. 20 Mesquite Poteet at Rose Stadium. The Pirates are ranked No. 20 by Texas Football and are led by standout running back Seth McGowan, who committed to Oklahoma over the likes of Georgia, Alabama, Arizona State and Arkansas.

The final regular season game is slated for Friday, Nov. 8 against Sherman at Bearcat Stadium.

LIONS TALES: JT will take part in the Powerade 7on7 Invitational Thursday through Saturday near Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Lions will compete with teams from 19 states and the District of Columbia. Some pool play games will be streamed on ESPN3 on Friday. The semifinals and championship game on Saturday will be broadcast on ESPNU.