North Crowley stuns DeSoto in early Texas high school football upset of the year: 3 takeaways

Nationally ranked Eagles fall in Week 2; Is No. 5 North Crowley here to stay?

North Crowley coach Ray Gates participates in interview with SBLive in 2023. / SBLive file photo

North Crowley turned in a giant-toppling 2024 Texas high school football upset of the season on Friday night.

And it's only Week 2.

The Panthers, the No. 5 ranked team in Texas, out-shot No. 1 DeSoto 57-51 at DeSoto's Eagle Stadium on Friday night, handing the No. 4 team in the nation its first loss since 2022.

• TEXAS TOP 25 RANKINGS

DeSoto, the two-time 6A Division II defending state champ,

Here are three takeaways from the game:

Ray Gates gives North Crowley, himself signature win

Second-year North Crowley head coach Ray Gates posted a photo to his Twitter/X account after the win.

Geolocation? DeSoto, Texas.

The photo? Boxer Buster Douglas' famous 10th round knockout of Mike Tyson, then an undefeated, unquestioned heavyweight champion.

How's that for apt?

North Crowley may not have been a 42-1 underdog to DeSoto like Douglas was to Tyson in 1990, but the tremors of a Texas high school football giant were heard and felt across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the state of Texas and across the nation.

After winning the UIL 4A state title in 2004, the Panthers saw 14 consecutive losing seasons from 2006-20, including a no-win 2005 season.

Gates left his post as Cedar Hill's defensive coordinator in spring 2022 for the North Crowley head job. The team was coming off of back-to-back 7-4 seasons.

Last year, in his first season, they the Panthers went 12-1.

DeSoto is sure to fall from No. 4 in the SBLive/SI Top 25 national rankings, which update each Monday.

Now, North Crowley could debut.

Gibson, Jimerson Jr. form elite duo

Chris Jimerson Jr. may not be a stranger to Texas high school football fans, but Quinten Gibson is just arriving.

Jimerson Jr., a North Texas-committed wide receiver, was one of the state's most top quarterbacks in 2023. He threw for 3,031 yards, rushed for 1,089 more and accounted for 52 total touchdowns.

Gibson, a senior, was the fourth most productive receiver on the team as a junior, finishing with 217 and two touchdowns on 12 receptions.

He's surpassed that through two games. In North Crowley's Week 1 win over Lancaster, he hauled in three touchdowns for 76 yards and three touchdowns. Call Friday night his coming out party. Gibson had seven catches for 180 yards and four touchdowns.

Jimerson Jr. and Gibson are the state's most compelling quarterback-wide receiver connection in a state loaded with dynamic duos, from Duncanville's 5-stars Keelon Russell (Alabama) and Dakorien Moore (Oregon) to Cibolo-Steele's Chad Warner (UTEP) and Royal Capell (Oklahoma State).

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound wideout, received an offer from Stephen F. Austin after the game.

More are sure to come.

How high should North Crowley rise in state rankings?

North Crowley's preseason No. 5 billing in SBLive's Texas Top 25 wasn't a fluke by any stretch.

The one way to climb from there the Panthers could control? Beating a team above them.

So when SBLive's Top 25 is updated after Week 2, how high should North Crowley ride? And how far should DeSoto fall?

After DeSoto, Duncanville is No. 2, North Shore is No. 3 and Westlake is No. 4.

Since Duncanville's 34-12 thumping of No. 15 South Oak Cliff in its 2024 debut on Friday doesn't do much to cut into the reasons why it was No. 2 to begin with, the nationally ranked, two-time defending 6A Division I state champ Panthers have a strong case to take over the top spot.

North Shore hasn't done much to detract from its No. 8 national ranking. After handling South Oak Cliff in Week 1 more convincingly than Duncanville did in Week 2, the Mustangs beat Crowley 28-13 despite five interceptions from its fourth-year QB Kaleb Bailey.

And Westlake? After beating a solid Prosper team 35-14 in Week 1, the Chaparrals trounced San Benito 63-7 on Friday night to move to 2-0.

North Crowley's 2-0 record has the glimmer and glint of taking down a No. 1 team. That's why the Panthers will be in contention with Duncanville for the top spot.

SBLive's Top 25 Texas high school football rankings are updated on Monday.

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-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx