Lee did not need much time to establish its identity in Plano. On the Rebels’ second offensive snap of the season, quarterback JP Reyes escaped pressure and found Ja’Braylen Anders for a 74-yard touchdown. It was the first of four Lee scores covering at least 43 yards in a 41-33 victory.

The home opener against El Paso Franklin offers a different test. Lee has already shown it can create chunk plays. Now it must show that its young team can play with greater control when the Cougars visit Astound Broadband Stadium on Friday.

Reyes completed 21 of 35 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns at Plano. He threw two interceptions, including one late in the fourth quarter that helped Plano pull within 35-33, but Lee answered immediately. Hayes Hamm finished the next possession with a 43-yard touchdown run with 61 seconds left. Hamm carried 26 times for 156 yards and finished with 193 yards from scrimmage.

Anders, a junior receiver, caught nine passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Jordon Shields added four receptions for 82 yards, and Kameron Norman caught a 21-yard touchdown pass. Maddox Marquez supplied another explosive play with a 91-yard kickoff return.

That production was not merely cosmetic. Lee outgained Plano 537-297 and paired a 300-yard passing night with a 150-yard rusher. The concern is that two turnovers and a defense that allowed Plano to stay within one possession late kept a statistically dominant performance unsettled until the final minute.

There were encouraging defensive pieces. Strong safety Tyler Day made 13 tackles. Linebacker David Ihediwa recorded 10 tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles, while Gavin Hernandez had three tackles for loss. Those players now face a Franklin offense that moved the ball through the air even in a 39-14 loss to El Paso Chapin.

Franklin quarterback E. Barrientos completed 13 of 23 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, according to the MaxPreps box score. S. Perez caught five passes for 103 yards. The Cougars managed only 31 rushing yards from their listed leading rusher, K. Green, and the larger problem was keeping pace: Chapin quarterback J. Chavez threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

Lee and Franklin are familiar from the postseason. The Rebels beat the Cougars 56-14 in the 2024 bi-district round and 62-42 in the 2025 bi-district round. Friday is not a playoff game, but Franklin has recent evidence of how quickly Lee can turn space into points.

The Rebels’ task is to make the game less volatile than the opener. Sustaining Hamm’s production can keep Franklin’s passing game off the field. Protecting the ball can prevent the Cougars from getting the short-field opportunities that helped Plano stay close. And defensively, Lee must make Barrientos work underneath without allowing Perez to reproduce his 100-yard opener.

Lee’s trip to Plano was the programs’ first meeting since the Rebels beat the Wildcats in the 1983 Class 5A state semifinal. The result showed that this offense has range. The home opener should reveal whether it also has the week-to-week discipline to match.

WHAT TO WATCH

- Lee’s turnover margin after Reyes’ otherwise productive two-interception debut.
- Whether Franklin can slow Hamm without opening favorable matchups for Anders and Shields.
- Lee’s coverage against Barrientos and Perez after Franklin generated 209 passing yards in defeat.

GAME INFORMATION

- Teams: El Paso Franklin Cougars (0-1) at Lee Rebels (1-0)
- Date: Friday, Sept. 4, 2026
- Kickoff: 7 p.m.
- Location: Astound Broadband Stadium, Midland