Which way will they go?

When the University Interscholastic League releases its biennial reclassification and redistricting at 9 a.m. Thursday, the district for the Bryan Vikings and A&M Consolidated Tigers is one of many questions that will be answered.

The district or districts, that is.

Most believe that Bryan and Consol will be moved out of what is currently 12-5A. Killeen's jump to Class 5A assures that the Kangaroos will play in a district with the other Killeen ISD schools -- Harker Heights, Shoemaker and Ellison, all currently in 12-5A. And Waco Midway's expected climb to 5A makes the Panthers the odds-on favorites to complete an eight-team district with current 12-5A members Copperas Cove, Belton and Temple.

That new 12-5A configuration is almost assumed at this point, although the UIL has a long history of turning assumptions on their ear when it comes to realignment.

"I think it's probably 40-40 that we go to Conroe or Katy," Consol head football coach David Raffield said. "Then there's that 20 percent chance that they just throw us somewhere [else]. We've heard about Round Rock. The scary part is if they make it a seven-team district, and they could do that at any of those three."

Instead of northwest, the Tigers and Vikings might head southeast. Some think Kingwood and Humble Atascocita might depart their current seven-team district in Region II's 14-5A and return to Region III. While football is the driving force behind most of the movement in realignment, track could be the impetus for that move if it happens. Humble ISD has hosted the 5A Region III track meet, annually one of the sport's best-run events. Finding quality hosts for regional meets has been a challenge for the UIL, and moving Kingwood and Atascocita into Region III could help the UIL maintain it's relationship with Humble ISD as a regional track meet host.

If Kingwood and Atascocita move out of 14-5A, Bryan and Consol could be pushed into their place, joining Conroe, Conroe Oak Ridge, The Woodlands, The Woodlands College Park and Lufkin for a seven-team district. That would require each team to take an open date during district play, which wouldn't be a first for Bryan or Consol, who played in a seven-team 12-5A when Copperas Cove was in 4A.

Based in large part on the speculation of Carl Padilla of the Padilla Poll, a Region III district made up of six Katy ISD schools and Consol and Bryan also has been mentioned.

"That's the simple solution because of them six and us two," Bryan head football coach Ross Rogers said. "But to be back in [Region III]? I'm sure it could happen for a couple of years, but it would be a two-year solution. Consolidated is going down [to 4A] after two years, so I don't see [Bryan] going back.

"If I had to choose one, we'd go with the Conroes and Lufkin, and that would be a seven or an eight, whatever they can work out. I think that fits us more."

With seven-team 16-5A likely in place for the Round Rock ISD and seven-team 14-5A currently built around Conroe, there is a chance that Consol and Bryan could be headed in opposite directions to make a pair of eight-team districts. That happened in the 1998 realignment when Bryan played in a district with Round Rock schools and Consol played with schools from Conroe and Klein.

Rudder's road trips could be reduced if the Rangers are aligned in a district with Brenham and most of the current members of the Cubs' 17-4A. If that happens, the Rangers would shift from Region II to Region III. As it stands now, the closest possible bi-district opponent for Rudder is Corsicana.

Whatever happens, Rudder's current 16-4A definitely will change. Pflugerville Hendrickson and Round Rock Cedar Ridge are expected to jump to 5A. For football, though, it's already a seven-team district, and there is a chance the Rangers could stay put.

"I've just got to believe they are going to send us south," Rudder head football coach C.M. Pier said. "With all of the movement around Austin, with people going up and going down, I think it's going to push us out of there. I see us going with Brenham and Magnolia and those people, but I've been wrong before. For the travel aspect, for the fans, it would be a better fit for us. The competition would be just as good if not better than what we just came out of."

While College Station High School will not play varsity football its first two years, the Cougars are slated to begin play in almost every other sport next school year. Playing in 3A, College Station would seem to be a good fit with the current makeup of 23-3A, which includes Navasota, Caldwell and Rockdale. Madisonville's fate will answer a lot. The Mustangs have always been a swing school, though they could easily retain their most enduring affiliation with schools to the north, which stretches from Groesbeck to Palestine.

Robertson County schools Hearne and Franklin could flip-flop their districts, although it might be almost unnoticed on the schedule. Franklin appears headed for a bump up to 2A Division I while Hearne likely will move down to 2A Division II. The UIL could effectively move each of those teams into the 12-2A division of the other team. Teague in nearby 11-2A Division I, however, is always a swing team. If the Lions are moved to the south in 2A Division I, expect Franklin's district to be east of where Hearne currently plays.

If Hearne moves out of 12-2A Division I with Cameron, it would not be a surprise if Cameron moes to Region IV. The Yoemen are already there in other sports, playing in 27-2A.

Unless the enrollment line between 2A Division II and Class A Division I moves drastically, Anderson-Shiro will make its football debut in 2A Division II. It is unlikely Anderson and Leon will be paired together in the same district, however, because Leon seems likely to move down to Class A Division I.

Normangee, meanwhile, appears headed down to Class A Division II, which means it and Bremond's district rivalry could return.

Playing in Class A Division II, Bremond can probably assume it will be on the outermost edge of its district as usual. But the Tigers could play teams to the north or south. Currently, they are the southern-most representative of 10-A Division II.

As a rare Class A Division I team in the Brazos Valley, Iola could face long trips in district play for football opponents but would seem a good bet to be aligned with Leon. The Padilla Poll's guess for one Class A Division I district has Snook, Milano, Somerville and Burton together again but with a fifth team, Louise, which has played teams in this direction before.

In Class A and 2A, separate alignments will be released for basketball Tuesday. Districts are usually the same for football and basketball in 3A, 4A and 5A.

Until this point, only verbal agreements have been made about next season's football games, and the scheduling will begin in earnest the moment coaches get their district assignments.

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The UIL will release its biennial reclassification and realignment at 9 a.m. Thursday on its website uiltexas.org.

FOX Sports Southwest will televise a special one-hour edition of High School Spotlight at 9 a.m. UIL executive director Charles Breithaupt, UIL deputy director Jamey Harrison and UIL athletics director Mark Cousins will join host Craig Way to unveil the new alignments.