North Crowley to start season against Lancaster in Jerry Jones Classic at The Star

North Crowley will start its high school football season against Lancaster in the fourth-annual Jerry Jones Classic at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on Saturday.

The game, presented by Whataburger, will be televised on channel 21, and kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. CT. The North Crowley Panthers and the Lancaster Tigers will face off for the first time in 20 years.

“What an honor it is to have two storied Texas high school football programs compete here to open the season,” said Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones in a press release. “The tradition that has been established with this game is something that is very special to me, my family and our entire organization. High school football is the bloodline of our sport, and we are proud to continue hosting high school games all season long at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco.”

Ed Nelson, Whataburger president and CEO, said in a press release that Whataburger and Friday night football will go hand in hand.

“We’re honored to be part of this great tradition and are excited to kick off the football season with these two amazing teams,” Nelson said.

North Crowley made a deep run in the Class 6A D1 playoffs last season, reaching the state semifinal and falling to Duncanville, the eventual state champion. The Star-Telegram’s 2023 Player of the Year , Chris Jimerson Jr., returns to lead the North Crowley offense following a junior year with 4,197 yards and 52 touchdowns.

The North Crowley Panthers will begin the season at No. 1 in the Star-Telegram’s Fort Worth-area Class 6A rankings .

Tickets are on sale at SeatGeek and can be purchased for $15.