Two teams with aspirations of playing for a Texas state title square off in a non-district game Friday night.
Kilgore, which played for the UIL 4A Division I title last season, journeys up to Texarkana to take on Pleasant Grove. It’s also the only matchup of two ranked teams in the latest edition of The Sporting News Texas Top 25, with the Bulldogs coming in at No. 19 and the Hawks at No. 22.
The Bulldogs enter play at 2-1, having lost to defending 4A DII champ Carthage before two impressive wins against Whitehouse and Gilmer. Pleasant Grove comes in at 3-0, and the Hawks have allowed a grand total of 16 points in three decisive wins.
Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from Texarkana.
Scroll down for live score and game updates from kickoff to the postgame. Refresh this page for the latest.
KILGORE 18, PLEASANT GROVE 6 FINAL
Refresh for latest
POSTGAME
- Kilgore moves to 3-1 with a strong defensive effort in a road win, while Pleasant Grove drops to 3-1.
FOURTH QUARTER
- Kilgore intercepts a pass with more than two minutes to go and it looks like the Bulldogs are going to come away with the road W.
- FIELD GOAL KILGORE. PG went for it on fourth down at its 40 but failed to convert. The Bulldogs then get another field goal from about 30 yards out and they're now up by 12. (Kilgore, 18-6 | 3:08, 4th)
- FIELD GOAL KILGORE. Bulldogs get a huge two-score lead with a field goal from about 35 yards out. (Kilgore, 15-6 | 9:28, 4th)
- Kilgore has the ball inside the PG 35 as the final quarter gets under way.
THIRD QUARTER
- PG faces a fourth down near the Kilgore 25 and goes for it. But a pass to the end zone falls incomplete and the Bulldogs hold midway through the third.
- Nick Bells breaks off a huge run, and PG has the ball inside the Kilgore 30.
- Kilgore gets into PG territory but the Bulldogs eventually have to punt. Hawks take over four minutes into the third.
- Kilgore receives the ball to start the second half.
HALFTIME
- We're at halftime, and after giving up a long TD play, Kilgore scored two points off a blocked PAT return and has added 10 more points to lead at the break.
SECOND QUARTER
- FIELD GOAL KILGORE. Bulldogs go from their 1 to inside the PG 10 before the drive stalls. But they get a 23-yard field goal in the closing seconds to extend their lead to six. (Kilgore, 12-6 | :05, 2nd)
- Kilgore putting together a solid drive and the Bulldogs are near the PG 15 as Kayson Brooks scrambles on third down to move the chains. Less than a minute to go in the half.
- Pleasant Grove pins Kilgore at the 1 on a punt. Less than five minutes remaining in the half.
- TOUCHDOWN KILGORE. Bulldog QB Kayson Brooks gets a tush push into the end zone from a yard out, and the Bulldogs take their first lead of the night. (Kilgore, 9-6 | 9:22, 2nd)
- Pleasant Grove with the ball as the second quarter gets under way.
FIRST QUARTER
- Pleasant Grove forces a Kilgore punt and takes over in the final seconds of the period.
- TOUCHDOWN PLEASANT GROVE. Receiver Jamarion Richardson, a Baylor commit, takes a pass to the house for an 87-yard score. But the PAT is blocked, and ran back by Kilgore for two points. (Pleasant Grove, 6-2 | 3:42, 1st)
- Pleasant Grove faces a third-and-short and tries a pass. Receiver is open but the QB overshoots him a tad and the Hawks punt it away. Scoreless with 5:24 left in the period.
- Pleasant Grove marches inside the Kilgore 15 before the drive stalls. Hawks attempt a field goal of nearly 28 yards, but it is missed and the Bulldogs hold.
- Pleasant Grove receives the opening kickoff, and here we go.
PREGAME
- Live from Hawk Stadium in Texarkana, Kilgore’s Bulldogs get set to face the Hawks of Pleasant Grove.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS NEWS
How to watch Anna (TX) at Lucas Lovejoy (TX): Live stream, kickoff time for key district game
Undefeated Humble Summer Creek moves into Texas high school football top 25
The Sporting News 2025 High School Football Top 25 — Week 6: September 16
Streak Busters: Stewartville's 30-game run ends and No. 1 Mater Dei finally loses to Centennial
FINAL — TSN No. 20 Centennial [CA] stuns TSN No. 1 Mater Dei [CA] in 43-36 upset