Previously: No. 10 — Harlingen vs. San Benito / No. 9 — El Campo vs. Bay City / No. 8 — Cuero vs. Yoakum



It goes without saying that high school rivalries are absolutely vicious. Every year, the Stephenville  and Brownwood rivalry lives up to the billing. While some years feature knockout games, other years see the town playing pranks on each other, like when a group of Stephenville fans left a mound of dirt outside the Brownwood fieldhouse dressed up to look like a grave.

The rivalry began in 1937 and has since seen 75 more installments, with Brownwood taking the edge over Stephenville 46-28-2. The first game was won 7-0 by Stephenville and the series was back and forth until the legend Gordon Wood took over at Brownwood. The Lions won in Wood’s first year in 1960 and did not concede a game until 1988 (three years after Wood had retired), where the two teams tied for just the second time in the series.

“I think from Stephenville’s perspective, it was a much bigger rivalry because they went 27 years and never beat us,” Dallas Huston, a Brownwood alumnae and longtime broadcaster, said. “Brownwood had no rivalry with Stephenville until 1990. When [Art] Briles came in and turned their program around, it was really, to be honest with you, the first time in years that we were on equal footing.”

The 90’s would be a great time for this rivalry (spearheaded by Briles' run as head coach), seeing many close games and neither team winning more than two games in a row. In the first year that overtime was allowed in high school football, these teams went to triple overtime.

“Every time you play, regardless of the records, you know that you are going to get the best out of them and the best out of yours,” Mike Copeland, current Athletic Director for Stephenville ISD, said. “It’s one of the most fun games every year and what high school football is all about.”

Quick hits for "The Battle of 377":



How many years has it been played? 76

Overall record: Brownwood leads 46-28-2

Distance between schools (in exact miles): 61.9 miles

State titles won and/or appeared in for each team: Brownwood State Titles: 7 (1960, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1978, 1981). Stephenville State titles: 5 (1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2012).

Average attendance:

In Stephenville at Tarleton Memorial Stadium, 5000 people. In Brownwood at Gordon Wood Stadium, 6,000. Standing room only tends to push these numbers higher.

How much animosity is there? The fans of these two teams do not like each other. They will not refrain from pulling silly pranks on each other. However, the two towns are not necessarily that close to each other. Sources say that the fans hype up the rivalry more than the players and that even some of the players on both teams hang out during the summer.

Does the game have a nickname? What’s the story behind it? The rivalry is called “The Battle of 377.” Highway 377 runs through both towns and is the easiest way to travel between the two.

How has the rivalry changed over the years? The rivalry has sort of fizzled out post 2000. The games that used to be close are now more so complete blowouts and do not leave fans on the edge of their seats.

Any famous alumni? Coaches? Brownwood coaches: Gordon Wood: coached for 43 years and compiled a 396-91-15, which made him the winningest coach in Texas High School Football history when he retired in 1985. Also won 9 state titles in his career, including 5 at Brownwood. Players: Bob Young (two-time Pro Bowl OL with the St. Louis Cardinals), Kenny Vaccaro (current safety for New Orleans Saints and former Longhorn), Larry Elkins (two-time All American at Baylor). Stephenville coaches: Art Briles and Chad Morris. Players: Kevin Kolb (played QB for various NFL teams), Cody Davis (current safety for Los Angeles Rams), Jarrett Stidham (current Auburn QB).

How’d the first-ever game go? What is known about that one? The first game was played in 1937. Stephenville won  7-0.

Greatest game ever? There are many, but here are two classics.

The 1988 season was Stephenville’s first year under Art Briles. They had not beat Brownwood in 27 years and although the two teams tied 7-7, it proved that Stephenville had a fighting chance in the rivalry. It was the game that began the hay day of the rivalry. Overtime was introduced in 1996, and that year's game went to triple overtime, with Brownwood hanging on to win 42-39.