Dave Campbell’s Texas Football website shared its Class 4A postseason predictions on Wednesday morning, and the Brownwood Lions are projected to reach to the 4A Division I Region I championship game and face Decatur.

The Lions are tabbed to repeat as District 2 champions and face District 1 fourth seed El Paso Irvin in the bi-district round again, the team Brownwood defeated 63-0 at Odessa’s Ratliff Stadium in the opening round of the playoffs in 2022.

DCTF then projects the Lions to tangle with Dumas, the runner-up out of District 3, in the second round of the playoffs.

The third round would feature a rematch between Brownwood and Wichita Falls – the team that ended the Lions’ postseason run a year ago – with the maroon and white projected to come out on top this season.

The Lions would then clash with reigning regional champion Decatur with a berth in the state semifinals at stake, with Brownwood’s season expected to end there. Brownwood will scrimmage at Decatur on Aug. 11 in its first action against an opposing squad in a possible playoff preview.

Earlier this week, DCTF also issued its Class 3A projections, which has the Early Longhorns mirroring their 2022 campaign.

The Longhorns are projected to place second in District 2 behind Wall, defeat Odessa Compass in the bi-district round, and fall to Canadian in the area round. Canadian is tabbed to win the 3A Division II state championship in 2023.

In Class 2A, the Bangs Dragons are not anticipated to reach the playoffs in the Division II.

Class A Division’s projections have May placed second to Jonesboro in District 14 and falling in the rematch in the regional final.

Meanwhile, in Class A Division II Zephyr is picked to win District 15 but fall to state-ranked Cherokee in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

DCTF does not forecast postseason berths for Blanket or Brookesmith.

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In a second DCTF post Wednesday with Matt Stepp’s Class 4A Division I Region I projections, the Lions are picked to finish second behind Lubbock Estacado in District 2.

Stepp says, “It’s a two-horse race at the top of 2-4A Division I with last year’s district runner-up Lubbock Estacado getting the edge over Brownwood. The Matadors return 16 starters and are in Year 2 under head coach Will Blaylock, while Brownwood must replace 10 starters of last year’s prolific offense. Big Spring returns a strong core as well, so give the Steers the three spot over Andrews, which suffered heavy graduation losses and is totally transitioning their offense to the Slot-T from the spread.”

Estacado is expected to reach the regional final and battle Decatur, according to Stepp.