High school football state championship games: Start dates, playoff bracket updates (12/7/2023)

It's a big week in high school football, with state champions being crowned from California to Florida

Mike Swanson | Dec 7, 2023

Alabama got the action going early this week in high school football state championships, with Central Phenix City ending Thompson's title reign.

Florida, California, Pennsylvania and Louisiana are also among the states that will crown high school football champions this week.

Georgia and Texas play their state championship games next week.

Read below for each state's championship schedule, plus updated playoff brackets.

Alabama

Playoffs started: Nov. 3 in AISA; Nov. 10 in AHSAA

State championships: Nov. 16 in AISA; Dec. 6-8 in AHSAA

Alaska

Playoffs started: Oct. 6

State championships: Oct. 14 (Division 3), Oct. 21 (Divisions 1 and 2)

Arizona

Playoffs started: Oct. 20 (1A); Nov. 3 (3A, 2A); Nov. 10 (6A, 5A, 4A); Nov. 17 (Open Division)

State championships: Nov. 11 (1A); Nov. 24 (3A, 2A); Dec. 1 (5A, 4A); Dec. 2 (Open, 6A)

Arkansas

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Nov. 30-Dec. 2, Dec. 9

California

Central Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

Central Section playoff brackets

Central Coast Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 10-11

Central Coast playoff brackets

L.A. City Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

L.A. City Section playoff brackets

North Coast Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 10-11

Northern Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 3 (8-man); Nov. 10 (11-man)

Northern Section playoff brackets

Oakland Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 17

Sac-Joaquin Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

Sac-Joaquin Section playoff brackets

San Francisco Section

Championship game: Nov. 23

San Diego Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

San Diego Section playoff brackets

Southern Section

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

CIF Southern Section playoff brackets

State Playoffs

Regional Bowl Championships (North/South): Dec. 1-2

Regional Bowl Championship brackets

State Championship Bowl Games: Dec. 8-9

Colorado

Playoffs started: Nov. 2 (5A, 4A, 2A, 1A, A8, A6); Nov. 9 (3A)

State championships: Nov. 24 (6-Man, 8-Man); Nov. 26 (2A, 1A); Dec. 2 (5A, 4A, 3A)

Connecticut

Playoffs start: Nov. 28

State championships: Dec. 9

Delaware

Playoffs started: Nov. 17

State championships: Dec. 10

Florida

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Dec. 7-9 at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee

Georgia

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Dec. 11-13 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Hawaii

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Nov. 24-25

Idaho

Playoffs started: Oct. 27

State championships: Nov. 17-18

Illinois

Playoffs started: Oct. 28

State championships: Nov. 24-25 at Illinois State

Indiana

Playoffs started: Oct. 20 (5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); Oct. 29 (6A)

State championships: Nov. 24-25 at Lucas Oil Stadium

Iowa

Playoffs started: Oct. 20 (2A, 1A, A, 8-Player); Oct. 27 (5A, 4A, 3A)

State championships: Nov. 16-17

Kansas

Playoffs started: Oct. 26

State championships: Nov. 25

Kentucky

Playoffs started: Nov. 2

State championships: Dec. 1-2

Louisiana

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Dec. 7-9 at Caesars Superdome

Maine

Playoffs started: Oct. 20 (8-Man); Oct. 27 (B, C); Nov. 3 (A, D)

State championships: Nov. 11 (8-Man); Nov. 18 (A, B, C, D)

Maryland

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 30-Dec. 2

Massachusetts

Playoffs started: Nov. 4

State championships: Dec. 2

Massachusetts playoff brackets

Michigan

Playoffs started: Oct. 27

State championships: Nov. 11 (8-man); Nov. 25-26 (11-man) at Ford Field

Minnesota

Playoffs started: Oct. 24

State championships: Nov. 24-25 at U.S. Bank Stadium

Mississippi

Mississippi High School Activities Association

Playoffs started: Nov. 3 (4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); Nov. 10 (7A, 6A, 5A)

State championships: Nov. 30-Dec. 2

Midsouth Association of Independent Schools

Playoffs started: Oct. 27 (5A, 4A, 3A, 2A); Nov. 3 (6A)

State championships: Nov. 16-18

Missouri

Playoffs started: Oct. 27

State championships: Nov. 25 (Class 6); Dec. 1-2 (Class 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 8-man)

Montana

Playoffs started: Oct. 27

State championships: Nov. 17-18

Nebraska

Playoffs started: Oct. 20 (D1, D2); Oct. 28 (A, B, C1, C2, D6)

State championships: Nov. 17 (6-Man); Nov. 20-21 (A, B, C1, C2, D1, D2)

Nevada

Playoffs started: Oct. 26 (5A, 4A, 3A); Nov. 3 (state quarterfinals for all classes)

State championships: Nov. 17-18

New Hampshire

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 10 or 11 (Division III, Division IV); Nov. 17 or 18 (Division I, Division II)

New Hampshire playoff brackets

New Jersey

Playoffs started: Oct. 27 (non-public); Nov. 3 (public)

State championships: Nov. 27-28 (non-public); Nov. 26-27 (public)

New Mexico

Playoffs started: Oct. 21 (8-man, 6-man); Oct. 28 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A)

State championships: Nov. 11 (8-man, 6-man); Nov. 18 (2A); Nov. 25 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A)

New York

Catholic High School League

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 18-19

Long Island

Playoffs started: Nov. 11

State championships: Nov. 23-25

New York State Public High School Association

Playoffs started: Oct. 27

State championships: Dec. 1-3

North Carolina

North Carolina High School Athletic Association

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Dec. 8-9

North Carolina Association of Independent Schools

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 17

North Carolina playoff brackets

North Dakota

Playoffs started: Oct. 21 (11B, 9B); Oct. 27 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)

State championships: Nov. 10

Ohio

Playoffs started: Oct. 27

State championships: Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium

Oklahoma

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Dec. 1-2 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, C); Dec. 8-9 (2A, A, B)

Oregon

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 24-25

Pennsylvania

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Dec. 7-9

Rhode Island

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 17-18

South Carolina

South Carolina High School League

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 30-Dec. 1

South Carolina Independent School Association

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 17-18

South Carolina playoff brackets

South Dakota

Playoffs started: Oct. 19 (11B, 9-man); Oct. 26 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)

State championships: Nov. 9-11

Tennessee

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Nov. 30-Dec. 2

Texas

University Interscholastic League

Playoffs started: Nov. 9

State championships: Dec. 13-16 at AT&T Stadium

TAPPS

Playoffs started: Nov. 11

State championships: Nov. 30-Dec. 2

Utah

Playoffs started: Oct. 20

State championships: Nov. 11 (3A, 2A, 1A, 8-Man); Nov. 17 (6A, 5A, 4A)

Vermont

Playoffs started: Oct. 28-29

State championships: Nov. 11

Virginia

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Dec. 9-10

Washington

Playoffs started: Nov. 3

State championships: Dec. 1-2 at Husky Stadium

Washington, D.C.

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Dec. 3

West Virginia

Playoffs started: Nov. 10

State championships: Dec. 1-2

West Virginia playoff brackets

Wisconsin

Playoffs started: Oct. 20

State championships: Nov. 16-17

Wyoming

Playoffs started: Oct. 27

State championships: Nov. 10-11

Wyoming playoff brackets

(Marin Catholic photo by Eric Taylor)

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports

Published Dec 7, 2023

MIKE SWANSON

Mike Swanson is the VP of Content for High School On SI. He's been in journalism since 2003, having worked as a reporter, city editor, copy editor and high school sports editor in California, Connecticut and Oregon.