Malakoff holds off Franklin: Live score, updates of Texas high school football championship (12/14/2023)

Follow live as two-time defending champs take on undefeated Malakoff in Class 3A Division I title

Malakoff takes on two-time defending champion Franklin in the Texas high school football championship on Thursday afternoon in Arlington. 

The UIL Class 3A Division I showdown between undefeated Malakoff (15-0) and Franklin (14-1) are scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. (Central time) in the UIL Class 3A Division I state title at AT&T Stadium. 

It's the fifth of 12 UIL state championships this week at AT&T Stadium from Wednesday to Saturday, three games per day. 

Gordon beat Westbrook in 1A Division I and Benjamin beat Oglesby in 1A Division II — both six-man football — to open the week Wednesday and Albany beat Mart to repeat in 2A Division II to start Thursday. 

All games are being televised regionally by Bally Sports Southwest.

Refresh this post for  score updates and game developments below. UIL 3A Division I championship score updates and game developments below. 

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FINAL (LIVE): MALAKOFF 14, FRANKLIN 7

Malakoff QB Mike Jones takes off on his feet in the first half against Franklin in the 3A Division I Texas (UIL) state championship on Thursday at AT&T Stadium / Photos by Tommy Hays

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POSTGAME

-- Malakoff will lift up the state championship trophy for the first time in the history of the Tigers' program.

-- Malakoff quarterback Mike Jones named the Offensive Player of the Game. He was 10-of-14 passing for 140 yards and two TDs, and also led the Tigers in rushing with 103 yards on 21 carries.

-- Malakoff linebacker Parker Poteete named the Defensive Player of the Game. He led all tacklers with 13 total, and also had six solo stops.

-- Malakoff finished with 281 yards of total offense with near-balance - 141 yards rushing and 140 more passing. Franklin ends up with 224 yards total - 193 rushing and 31 more passing.

-- Malakoff wins the Class 3A Division I state title with a hard-fought 14-7 win against defending two-time state champion Franklin. Tigers finish a perfect 16-0.

FOURTH QUARTER

-- Malakoff in the victory formation with a minute left. Tigers are going to become state champions.

-- Keeper by Mike Jones gives Malakoff a first down. Franklin calls its final time out with 1:44 remaining. Tigers getting much closer to a state championship now.

-- A 4-yard run for Malakoff on first down. Franklin will take its second time out.

-- Incomplete pass for Franklin. Malakoff will take over with 1:53 left. Lions have two time outs remaining.

-- Franklin will call its first time out of the second half to discuss the fourth-down situation.

-- Incomplete pass on third down. Fourth down for Franklin at the Malakoff 15 with exactly two minutes left.

-- Third-and-long coming up for Franklin at the Malakoff 15. Clock down to 2:30 and counting.

-- Jayden Jackson gets the first down. Franklin ball inside the Malakoff 20 with less than four minutes left. Lions have converted all three of their fourth-down conversion attempts.

-- Jayden Jackson on the carry for Franklin, and he appears to be just short of a first down. Fourth-and-1 for the Lions.

-- Third-and-6 coming up for Franklin as Devyn Hidrogo runs it 10 yards on a trick play to the Malakoff 26.

-- Franklin whistled for a false start. Lions have a second-and-long coming up with more than five minutes to go.

-- A close call for Franklin as Malakoff knocks the ball loose on a fumble, but the ball lands right in the hands of quarterback Cort Lowry.

-- Malakoff flagged for a 15-yard face mask penalty. Automatic first down for Franklin at the Tigers' 30 as the clock moves inside six minutes.

-- Malakoff punts it, and Franklin's Devyn Hidrogo has a decent return to his own 49. Lions down seven with 6:37 remaining.

-- Malakoff appears to have completed another third-and-long on a catch along the sidelines, but both feet have landed on the white area. Replay review has confirmed the pass is incomplete. Tigers face a fourth-and-long and seems to be punting here.

-- Another third-and-long situation coming up for Malakoff.

-- Malakoff QB Mike Jones escapes a sack and scrambles toward the first-down marker. And he gets it. First down for the Tigers at their 30.

-- Malakoff calls its first time out of the second half with 7:59 left. Tigers facing a third-and-long.

-- Malakoff facing a third-and-long situation.

-- Malakoff converts a first down and has the ball near its own 20.

-- Franklin punts it away and the ball lands out of bounds at the Malakoff 8-yard line. There is 10:39 remaining.

-- Deep pass toward the end zone broken up by Malakoff's Mike Jones. Fourth down coming up for Franklin.

-- Franklin facing a third-and-long after being penalized for holding. Ball at the Malakoff 40.

-- Malakoff has 241 yards of total offense through three quarters (101 rushing, 140 passing). Franklin has 190 total yards (159 rushing, 31 passing).

THIRD QUARTER

-- End of three, Malakoff up by a touchdown but Franklin on the drive once more.

-- Jayden Jackson with a third-down run to the Malakoff 32. First down, Franklin, with one more play in the quarter coming up.

-- Franklin moving the ball past midfield. Halfback Jayden Jackson seems to be getting stronger as the game transpires.

-- Franklin takes over at its own 31-yard line with two minutes and change remaining in the third.

-- Malakoff fails to convert on a third-down play and Franklin is going to get the ball back. Lions have the momentum and their crowd is roaring, no pun intended.

-- And Franklin gets on the board for the first time today as Jayden Jackson runs it in from 5 yards out, completing an 11-play, 74-yard drive. Lions tack on the PAT (Malakoff, 14-7 | 3:57 3rd)

-- Franklin faces a fourth-and-8 at the Malakoff 25. Lions go for it, and they get it as QB Cort Lowry lofts a pass right in the hands of receiver Devyn Hidrogo inside the 10. First-and-goal for Franklin.

-- Malakoff stops a running play on second down, but the Tigers are going to be penalized for unnecessary roughness. Franklin gets a first down at the Malakoff 27.

-- Franklin goes for it on fourth-and-1 in its own territory and gets it as Jayden Jackson picks up a solid run just inside Malakoff territory.

-- Chauncey Hogg also getting it done in the defensive secondary for Malakoff; he used one of his hands to deflect away a deep pass attempt.

-- Right now, Malakoff has 140 yards passing. Franklin has zero yards through the air.

-- The TD pass from Mike Jones to Chauncey Hogg covered 41 yards and it was a six-play, 73-yard drive. Hogg now has seven catches for 108 yards and both Malakoff TDs. Tigers tack on the PAT for a 14-0 lead (Malakoff, 14-0 | 9:10 3rd)

-- Malakoff with a third-and-7 situation. Mike Jones with a play-action fake and launches a deep pass into the end zone. Chauncey Hogg is there wide open for the Tiger TD.

-- A 15-yard face mask penalty and a completed pass from Mike Jones has Malakoff past midfield and into Franklin territory.

-- Malakoff receives the ball to start the second half.

HALFTIME

-- Jayden Jackson is Franklin's top rusher with 41 yards on 11 carries.

-- Malakoff QB Mike Jones was 7-of-8 passing for 88 yards and the game's only TD thus far. He's also the team's top rusher with 60 yards on 12 carries. Chauncey Hogg had six of Jones' seven receptions for 67 yards, including the 32-yard TD pass.

-- Malakoff had 178 yards of total offense in the first half; 90 yards rushing and 88 more passing. Franklin with 95 yards of total offense, all of it on the ground.

-- Malakoff with a 7-0 lead at the break at AT&T Stadium.

SECOND QUARTER

-- Franklin ends the half with a strip-sack, and the Tigers make the recovery. One TD and one-near TD the difference here at halftime, with Malakoff hanging on to its 7-0 advantage.

-- Dueling time outs here. Malakoff calls its final time out of the half, and Franklin follows by calling its second stoppage.

-- Franklin's defense stuffs Mike Jones' keeper attempt, bringing up fourth-and-long. Malakoff then flagged for a false start with six seconds remaining.

-- Thus far, Malakoff has run 23 total offensive plays for 194 yards. Franklin has run 22 plays, generating 95 yards.

-- Malakoff faces a third-and-long at the Franklin 38. Tigers take a time out with 48 seconds left.

-- Malakoff has the ball in Franklin territory as the clock nears the final minute of the opening half.

-- Incidentally, if the name Cort Lowry rings a bell, he was the placekicker last season whose field goal at the buzzer gave Franklin its back-to-back state championship. Lowry kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired in the Lions' 17-14 win against Brock.

Lion Kings: Game-winning field goal lifts Franklin to back-to-back state championships

-- Franklin QB Cort Lowry elects to quick-kick it, and Malakoff takes over at its own 18 with 2:26 left in the first half.

-- Franklin pass on third down ruled incomplete. Lions face a fourth-and-9 at the Malakoff 37.

-- Big hit by Franklin defender Major Kimbrough forces a fumble, and Franklin's Devyn Hidrogo recovers. Franklin takes over inside the Malakoff 40. 

-- Malakoff forces Franklin to punt. Tigers get the ball back with less than five minutes remaining.

-- Franklin's defense stops Malakoff shy of the sticks. Lions take over at their own 13 with 7:09 left in the opening half.

-- Another third-down scramble from Malakoff QB Mike Jones, but will be a couple yards shy of the first down. Tigers decide to go for it on fourth down.

-- Malakoff faces a third-and-11 at the Franklin 22 with 8:02 left until halftime.

-- Malakoff making some noise once again. Tigers have the ball near the Franklin 20.

FIRST QUARTER

-- End of one quarter, Malakoff holds a 7-0 lead on Franklin.

-- Malakoff forces a fumble right before a Franklin ballcarrier was about to cross the goal line. Tigers recover the ball in the end zone on a touchback.

-- Franklin has a first-and-goal at the Malakoff 8.

-- Franklin converts for a first down and the Lions have the ball beyond midfield. 

-- Malakoff gets the game's opening score on the Tigers' first series, as QB Mike Jones hooks up with Chauncey Hogg over the middle for a 32-yard touchdown. Tigers add the PAT, finishing off an eight-play, 77-yard drive (Malakoff, 7-0 | 6:00 1st)

-- Facing a third down, Malakoff QB Mike Jones tries to find an open receiver and can't find one. But he finds open space to scramble, and gets it past midfield for a Tiger first down.

-- Three-and-out for Franklin's offense to begin the game, and the Lions will punt. Malakoff will begin its first series at its own 23-yard line.

-- Malakoff won the toss, will defer to the second half. Franklin will receive the opening kick.

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PHOTO GALLERY

All photos by Tommy Hays.

Photos by Tommy Hays

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PREGAME READING

-- Malakoff def. Maypearl 49-0 in bi-districts; def. Mt. Vernon 66-21 in area round; def. Grandview 42-7 in regional semifinals; def. Winnsboro 58-20 in regional finals; def. Brock 38-31 in state semifinals.

-- Franklin def. Hallettsville 50-22 in bi-districts, def. Shepherd 50-16 in area round; def. Little River Academy 52-27 in regional semifinals; def. Lorena 49-27 in regional finals; def. Edna 52-14 state semifinals.

District court postpones cases for Texas high school football championship

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MORE UIL CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL

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Benjamin defeats Oglesby: Live Texas high school football championship updates recap

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Lead photo by Tommy Hays.

-- Buck Ringgold | buck@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveTX