Class 3A Week 3 Rankings and Selections

Hootens.com 

Class 3A Rankings

Week 3, 2026

1. ↑  2. Fordyce (1-1; beat Watson Chapel 52-18)
2. ↑ 3. Bismarck (2-1; beat Glen Rose 33-28)
3. ↓  1. Mansfield (1-2; lost to Talihina (Okla.) 61-38)
4. ↔4. Glen Rose (1-2; lost to Bismarck 33-28
5. ↔ 5. Atkins (1-1; did not play)
6. ↔ 6. Rivercrest (2-0; beat Paragould 54-43)
7. ↔ 7. Smackover (2-0; did not play)
8. ↔ 8. Walnut Ridge (2-1; lost to Southside 27-24) 
9.  ↑ 10. Newport (1-2; lost to Booneville 24-21)
10.  ↑  11. Helena (2-1, lost to DeWitt 37-18)
11.  ↑  12. Prescott (2-0; did not play)
12.  ↑  14. Rison (2-0; did not play)
13. ↔  13. Osceola (1-2; lost to Gosnell 55-14)
14.  ↑   18. Quitman (3-0; beat Conway Christian 42-19)
15.  ↓   6. Charleston (0-3; lost to Ozark 57-7)
16. ↔   16. Dumas (1-2; beat Crossett 44-40)
17.  ↑   20. Palestine-Wheatley (3-0; beat Jonesboro Westside 35-7)
18.  ↓   15. Melbourne (1-1; did not play)
19.  ↓   17. McGehee (0-1; did not play)
20.  ↑  NR. Greenland (2-1; beat Yellville-Summit 28-26)

NOT RANKED

1-3A: Paris (1-2), West Fork (2-1), Lavaca (2-1), Cedarville (3-0)

2-3A: Yellville-Summit (0-2), Mountain View (0-2), Riverview (0-3), Marshall (0-2), Salem (0-3)

3-3A: Hoxie (1-2), Harrisburg (2-1), Manila (0-2), Piggott (0-3)

4-3A: Jessieville (0-3), Danville (2-1), Perryville (1-2), Conway Christian (0-3), Two Rivers (0-2), Cutter Morning Star (0-3)

7-3A: Harmony Grove Ouachita County (1-2), Centerpoint (1-1), Parkers Chapel (1-1), Horatio (0-3), Cossatot River (0-2)

8-3A: Lake Village (2-1), Drew Central (0-2)

 HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 1 FORDYCE (1-1) at No. 11 Prescott (2-0): Prescott has owned the series dating back to 2012 as the Curly Wolves have won 6 in a row over the Red Bugs, including twice in 2023. Prescott won the regular-season battle 17-0, then outlasted Fordyce 7-6 in the second round of the playoffs. Three of the last 6 games have been decided by a total of 5 points. The Redbugs started slow against Watson Chapel last week and stormed to a 52-18 win. RB Micah Gamble and QB Cadillac Ellison are dynamic playmakers for Fordyce; Prescott counters with QB Desmond Prater and RB Tiden McKillion. These are two of the most accomplished teams in the state in recent memory and should be a great contest. Prescott has the depth advantage, but Gamble will be the difference maker in this one, with the Redbugs slipping past Prescott. 

WEEK 3 PREDICTIONS (favored teams in ALL CAPS and highlighted in Orange)

1-3A

Class 4A No. 2 ELKINS (2-0) at No. 3 Mansfield (1-2): These teams were conference foes in 2004-2005 and again from 2008-2009, and played a nonconference game in 2020 (Elkins won 62-6). The Tigers are allowing 50 points per game, and they need to improve if they want a shot at repeating as state champions. Elkins has beaten 5A opponents Pea Ridge and Dardanelle.

No. 15 CHARLESTON (0-3) at Class 4A Clinton (0-2): This is a surprising battle of traditional winning teams that are winless this fall. These teams haven’t played since the first round of the 2018 playoffs, with Charleston winning 49-0. But Charleston has been outscored 105-14 by Pottsville and Ozark over the past 2 weeks. Clinton has lost its last 2 games to Forrest City and Lamar, 86-28 combined. The Tigers are beat up right now and the 57-7 loss to Ozark in the Franklin County Feud did not help matters. Tigers have more talent, so they get the edge. 

Class 2A HECTOR (2-0) at Paris (1-2): The Wildcats can score in bunches while Paris has been shut out twice this season. Paris beat a struggling Clarksville team that was not impressive. 

No. 20 GREENLAND (2-1) at Class 4A Subiaco Academy (0-2): Junior QB Kyle Farquharson rushed for 152 yards and 4 touchdowns, and sophomore EJ Johnson added 112 yards on the ground in the win over Yellville-Summit. They should run wild against the Trojans, who are giving up 42 points per game. 

LAVACA (2-1) at Class 2A Mountainburg (1-2): The Golden Arrows made quick work of Subiaco last week and should do the same against 2A Mountainburg. 

WEST FORK (2-1) at Yellville-Summit (0-2): The Tigers pulled off a mild upset last week with a 28-20 win over 4A Lincoln. Coach Sheldon McKinzie has already doubled his win total from Year 1 and should triple it against the Panthers. Yellville-Summit lost a heartbreaker to 1-3A Greenland last week. Westin Swearingen passed for 3 scores against Greenland, all to Rusty Goodall in the loss. 

Class 4A BERRYVILLE (1-0) at Cedarville (3-0): Cedarville beat Berryville in nonconference games in 2020 and 2021. Undefeated Cedarville yields just 7 ppg. Berryville lost a shootout at Dover last week 55-48. The Bobcats gave up almost 500 yards rushing. Senior QB CT Hicks accounted for more than 250 yards and 3 TD in the loss. The Pirates are quietly one of two teams with a 3-0 record in Class 3A. They are averaging 35 points per game while allowing seven. 

2-3A

Class 5A BROOKLAND (1-1) at No. 18 Melbourne (1-1): The last time we saw the Bearcatz, Rivercrest was running up and down the field en route to a 66-28 win. Brookland played well in a 40-22 win over Pocahontas last week. 

WEST FORK (2-1) at Yellville-Summit (0-2): See 1-3A for comment. 

Manila (0-2) at MOUNTAIN VIEW (0-2): Two teams in search of a win. The Yellowjackets came up one point short against Green Forest last week. They held Green Forest scoreless until the third quarter, then lost in overtime. Manila sophomore Gabe Gonzales has passed for 208 yards and a pair of scores so far this season. 

Marshall (0-2) at Class 4A GREEN FOREST (2-0): The Bobcats have been outscored 96-6 by 2A opponents Marked Tree and Hazen to start the season. Green Forest got 3 touchdowns from Ywa Moo in the second half and overtime to beat Mountain View last week. This is a name-your-score win for the Tigers. 

OPEN Salem, Newport, Quitman, Riverview

3-3A

No. 6 Rivercrest (2-0) at Class 4A FORREST CITY (2-0): The Colts are averaging 60 points per game in their two wins. Senior QB Jayden Ralph has passed for 363 yards and four touchdowns. Junior running back Lathan Bolden has 3 rushing scores so far and is averaging 94.5 yards per game on the ground. Expect another high-scoring affair with the Mustangs getting another close win over the Colts.  

Manila (0-2) at MOUNTAIN VIEW (0-2): See 2-3A for comment. 

OPEN Walnut Ridge, Osceola, Hoxie, Harrisburg, Palestine-Wheatley, and Piggott

4-3A

No. 5 ATKINS (1-1) at Class 2A No. 3 Bigelow (2-1): The Red Devils are averaging 393 yards rushing per game behind RB Brelan Criswell with 319 yards and 3 touchdowns. QB Ethan Linboom has rushed for 159 yards and passed for 108 yards this season. Junior Cooper Goodall has 4 rushing scores to lead the team. 

TWO RIVERS (0-2) at Hackett (0-3): Two Rivers played better against Mountainburg last week, scoring 3 touchdowns. They should be able to move the ball against a Hackett defense that is allowing 37 points per game. 

OPEN Glen Rose, Cutter Morning Star, Jessieville, Danville, Perryville, Conway Christian are 

 7-3A

No. 1 FORDYCE (1-1) at No. 11 Prescott (2-0): Hootens.com Class 3A Game of the Week 

No. 7 SMACKOVER (2-0) at Drew Central (0-2): The Buckaroos have been the talk of the state with convincing wins over McGehee and Junction City. QB Trason Parlor and RBs Madison McElroy and Kieundre Billingly lead a rushing attack averaging 292 yards per game. They have combined for 7 rushing touchdowns so far with Parlor adding 3 passing scores. The Pirates have hung with 8-4A opponents Crossett and Star City. Sophomores Chase Knowles and Cameron Sanders are players to keep an eye on for Drew Central. 

Class 2A Spring Hill (1-2) at CENTERPOINT (1-1): The Knights have won the past 2 meetings against the Bears — 26-7 in 2024 and 22-18 last season. Centerpoint is averaging 216 yards per game and only 3.8 yards per carry. The defense is allowing 18.5 points per game. The Knights need the offense to find some running lanes against the Bears if they want to improve to 2-1 before conference play begins. The Knights could be 4-1 heading into their Oct. 9 showdown with Smackover. 

PARKERS CHAPEL (1-1) at Class 2A Bearden: The Trojans were off last week following a 32-6 loss to Genoa Central. Their thrilling double-overtime victory over Hampton to start the season was short-lived as their offense hit the skids against the Dragons. Bearden will offer some resistance, but expect the Trojans to get the win on the road. 

Class 2A BAPTIST PREP (2-0) at Cossatot River (0-2): Cossatot welcomes Titus Benson and the high-flying Baptist Prep offense to southwest Arkansas for their first home contest of the season. Cossatot has been outscored 114-12 through 2 games. They have a team full of underclassmen, with junior Isaiah Dixon being their best shot to gain rushing yards against Baptist Prep. 

OPEN Bismarck, Harmony Grove (OC), Horatio

8-3A

No. 1 FORDYCE (1-1) at No. 11 Prescott (2-0): Hootens.com Class 3A Game of the Week. 

No. 19 MCGEHEE (0-1) at Class 2A No. 6 Earle (1-0): The Owls have been off for 2 weeks, and the Bulldogs will be a tough test before McGehee’s gauntlet through the 8-3A starts the following week at home against Drew Central. The Owls need to get back to fundamental, sound, smashmouth football and keep the Bulldogs off the field as much as possible. Earle put up 36 points on Lake Village last week. 

Class 2A No. 2 Junction City (1-2) at No. 12 RISON (2-0): The Wildcats were off last week after running through DeWitt and HGOC by a combined score of 83-20. The Dragons have struggled offensively the past2 weeks, scoring 19 total points in losses to Smackover and Haynesville (La.). Coach Devin Ball says his team was humbled by Smackover. If they don’t show up in this one, Rison will do the same thing. 

No. 7 SMACKOVER (2-0) at Drew Central (0-2): See 7-3A for comment.  

OPEN Helena, Dumas, Lake Village