Texas high school football: 20 weirdest, wackiest, most unique stadiums

From a field flanked by a 510-foot radio tower to the set of the movie Friday Night Lights, these stadiums are truly distinct

Most high school football stadiums in the Lone Star State look pretty similar to one another. Nowadays, many of them are larger and come with a hefty price tag and modern-day luxuries, but there are still some stadiums where watching a game is a unique experience.

Whether it's size, location, history, lore, or a combination of factors, these 20 Texas stadiums offer fans a place to see high school football that doesn't feel like most other venues. 

MORE: Texas high school football stadium tour: 32 best home fields across Lone Star State

These stadiums have developed a following among fans because of the unusual nature of seeing a game at them. How many have you visited?

TEXAS' 20 MOST UNIQUE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STADIUMS

Names are in alphabetical order.

Alamo Stadium, San Antonio

Boerne and Calellen play in a UIL regional final high school football game at Alamo Stadium on Dec. 2, 2022 in San Antonio. / Lucas Boland/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Because of its size (18,500 capacity) and design (quarry stone, tile murals and flat bowl seating), Alamo Stadium has long been a favorite among football fans in the San Antonio area and beyond. Opened in 1940, the venue is still one of the most unusual-looking stadiums in Texas. It remains a great place to watch a game with its roominess and excellent sightlines.

AT&T Stadium, Arlington

Once a year, one of the world's most state-of-the-art venues experiences a prep takeover. Every team in Texas hopes to end its season with a win at the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Each year, the University Interscholastic League holds every state title football game at AT&T Stadium. It's an amazing experience to watch high school football in an 80,000-seat (expandable to 105,000) stadium with a retractable roof and one of the largest video screens in the world. For fans, it's also a great way to see a game at "Jerry World" on the cheap.

Tim Buchanan Stadium, Aledo

The home of the 11-time state champion Aledo Bearcats (more than any other program in Texas), Bearcat Stadium looks like it could not possibly be 17 years old. Opened in 2006 as Bearcat Stadium, the venue was renamed to honor Head Coach Tim Buchanan after his retirement at the end of last season. He went out in style with another state title. With its giant press box on the home side, Tim Buchanan Stadium is always packed, giving it an incredible atmosphere. The stadium's 9,155 capacity is more than Aledo's population of 5,380.

Bill Carrico Stadium, Denton

The newest venue on our list, Bill Carrico Stadium opened in 2022 on the campus of Denton Braswell. What makes the new digs so unusual is the video board configuration. The main jumbotron is above and behind the visiting stands, so it's visible head-on from the home stands. There is another video board to the right of the home stands for the visitors, giving the stadium more video board space than any high school stadium in the country.

Choctaw Stadium, Arlington

After the Texas Rangers left the former Globe Life Park in Arlington for a new stadium at the end of the 2019 season, the venue was reconfigured to host football and re-named with a new corporate sponsor. Since then, Arlington ISD teams play games on the former baseball field every week of the season. The stadium is also a regular playoff game host. It still looks strange to see football played at Choctaw Stadium, but it's one of the cooler fan experiences in the state.

Eagle Stadium, Sanderson

There might not be another stadium with better scenery than this tiny 710-seat venue in West Texas. Affectionately known as "The Pit" because it often floods after heavy rain, Eagle Stadium is surrounded by the beautiful Glass Mountains. As if the view wasn't enough to warrant a visit, Sanderson plays six-man football, so the play on the field is also unique.

Highlander Stadium, University Park

Tucked away in the north Dallas area, Highlander Stadium was one of the most impressive new stadiums when it opened in 1980. The home of the Highland Park Scots seats 9,600, and still has one of the best views with downtown Dallas visible from high up in the stands. With a lack of available land in the area, it's likely to remain home of the winningest high school football program in Texas for many more years.

House Park, Austin

Anderson and McCallum High School play in the annual Taco Shack Bowl game at House Park, Aug. 24, 2023 in Austin. Anderson won the game 42-0. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Location, location, location. House Park sits on one of the best spots for high school football in the state. Situated in downtown Austin within walking distance of the state capitol and the University of Texas campus, House Park has an electricity in the air on game nights. Opened in 1939, it's also one of the most historic venues around. Stepping into this stadium is like getting out of a time machine.

R.R. Jones Stadium, El Paso

Photo by Eric Enders

Probably the most famous high school venue in Texas, R.R. Jones Stadium is a must-see for any high school football fan. Known as "The Lady on the Hill" because it overlooks El Paso from a hill on the Franklin Mountains, this venue is like no other. Plus, the massive, 107-year-old El Paso High School bumps up to the west end zone, rising up above the stadium. It's a sight to behold on Friday nights, or during the daylight.

Lobo Stadium, Longview

Source: Longview ISD

Maybe the stadium in Texas the most ahead of its time, Lobo Stadium opened in 1977, and remains one of the most modern-looking venues in the state. The design of the home of the Longview Lobos sets it apart from others, with an attached athletic facility that includes the football press box. The stadium seats 9,250 fans and has a grass sculpture spelling out Lobos behind the south end zone.

Memorial Stadium, Mesquite

There are two things to note about Memorial Stadium: One is that it's the largest capacity for a high school stadium in Texas at 19,400. But the biggest reason is the enormous Mesquite Tower, a 510-foot radio tower that dominates the view of the south end zone. Rising high above the field, Mesquite Tower opened in 1990. It's an amazing sight to see. It also adds to the personality and uniqueness of the stadium.

Munson Stadium, Denison

Not far from the Oklahoma border sits one of the oldest active stadiums in Texas. Munson Stadium opened in 1940 and was built by the Works Progress Administration. Although the old home stands were removed and replaced to modernize the stadium in 2014, the history is still alive there — especially when it hosts the annual "Battle of the Ax" rivalry game with neighbor Sherman, which dates back to 1901. Sherman ISD is in the process of replacing Bearcat Stadium, which opened in 1940.

Mustang Bowl, Sweetwater

The Sweetwater football team works out on the first day of fall practice Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 at the Mustang Bowl. / Joey D. Richards/Abilene Reporter-News via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Another of the most unusual-looking stadiums in the state, the Mustang Bowl offers a very different viewing experience and lots of history for fans. Opened in 1939, all 7,500 seats in the venue are dug into the ground, giving the Mustang Bowl its unique look. Although Sweetwater's most famous football alum, Sammy Baugh, never played in the venue, his retired number hangs there.

Ratliff Stadium, Odessa

Ratliff Stadium taken from a TV showing the 2004 movie "Friday Night Lights." / Shad Powers/The Desert Sun

No high school stadium in Texas comes close to having the pop culture significance of Ratliff Stadium. The venue was prominently featured in the "Friday Night Lights" book and movie, giving the nation a glimpse of Texas high school football via the 1988 Odessa Permian Panthers. It's also one of the largest high school football venues in the Lone Star State with 19,000 seats. There aren't many places better to be on Friday nights in the fall.

Rogan Field, San Saba

One of the most famous stadiums in Texas, Rogan Field is known as "The Graveyard." Cool nickname, right? Check out why it's called that: Rogan Field was built on a cemetery in 1935. Apparently, none of the graves were moved to make room for the stadium, so the tiny 2,559-seat venue has one of the most interesting histories of any stadium in the Lone Star State. The home of the Armadillos is also famous for supernatural occurrences from time-to-time on Friday nights. Spooky. 

R. Clinton Schulze Memorial Stadium, Mason

For Mason Punchers fans, the proper name of their team's home field is an afterthought. It's called "The Puncherdome." Named for the unusual overhang that covers the top of the home stands, this Central Texas venue might have the most interesting aesthetic in the state. The giant overhang, which has "Puncherdome" painted in purple letters on it, is a former grandstand from a horseracing track.

Sams Memorial Stadium, Brownsville

This Texas high school stadium is almost a Mexico high school stadium. Located less than two miles from the Mexico-United States border, this South Texas gem features throwback-looking stands with palm trees and an orange roof over the press box. The stadiums seats 10,300, so there's plenty of room for fans to watch a game at this amazing venue.

The Star, Frisco

In addition to hosting title games at AT&T Stadium, the Dallas Cowboys regularly have Frisco ISD and playoff games at their 12,000-seat, indoor practice facility. Opened in 2016, the Star has become a favorite spot for high school football teams to play — especially in the postseason when weather can be a factor. It's a special — and loud — environment to see a game.

Toyota Stadium, Frisco

Another Frisco venue that regularly hosts Frisco ISD football games, Toyota Stadium is home to FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. It also houses the National Soccer Hall of Fame and has hosted the NCAA FCS Championship Game since 2010 and the Frisco Bowl. It's a spacious place to see high school football, but it also gives the game a special, big-time vibe.

Ram-Wildcat, Wildcat-Ram Stadium, Lake Highlands

How about a high school football stadium with two names and a nickname? Richardson ISD's 8,811-seat venue changes its name based on whether the home team is the Lake Highlands Wildcats or the Richardson Berkner Rams. For Lake Highlands home games, it's Wildcat-Ram Stadium; for Berkner home games, it's Ram-Wildcat Stadium. The venue, nicknamed "The Bone Yard," is a great place to catch a game with its cozy setting that puts fans on top of the action on the field. The district's other stadium name is the same way. Eagle-Mustang Stadium, Mustang-Eagle Stadium is home to Richardson and Richardson Pearce.

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2024 Texas high school football preview

Stay with SBLive's preseason coverage in the lead up to the 2024 Texas high school football season.

We're taking a position-by-position look at the top players returning in the Lone Star State this fall, starting with 50 quarterbacks, 70 running backs, 40 wide receivers and 25 tight ends.

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-- Chuck Cox | @sblivetx