There is no hiding from history this week.

There are varsity football games, and then there are games that define a season. On Saturday at 1 p.m., at the Midlothian ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium, the Coppell football team steps into the second category when it faces defending state champion North Crowley in the Class 6A Division I regional semifinals.

For the past two seasons, Coppell’s playoff run has ended in Round 3, one step away from the regional finals for the first time since 2010. Last season, it was North Crowley that delivered the knockout. And now, with the bracket tightened to the best 16 teams in Texas, the Cowboys will get their rematch.

The matchup puts two of the state’s best teams against each other, with No. 10 North Crowley (11-1) averaging 49 points per game and No. 13 Coppell (10-1) averaging 35.

The Panthers enter as the defending state champions, known for their size along the defensive front and game-defining physicality on the perimeter. Coppell coach Antonio Wiley isn’t interested in downplaying the challenge.

“Every team this time of year is a good football team,” Wiley said. “Our job is to make sure we’re better.”

The Cowboys earned their place in the regional semifinals after a 38-7 win over Richardson in the area playoffs, a game defined by the rushing game and a strong defense that forced three stops in the red zone and a fumble recovery on the game’s first snap.

“If you mess up, you go home,” Wiley said. “I shouldn’t have to keep them hungry. They should be hungry themselves, chasing that next game.”

Penalties and execution will carry even more weight on Saturday, where the margin for error against a reigning champion opponent reduces dramatically.

Coppell now finds itself exactly where it’s fallen the last two years. The challenge is familiar. So is the opportunity.

The Cowboys lost 46-20 to the Panthers.