The 2022 high school football season officially opened earlier this week when teams in Hawaii opened Fall camps. In cooperation with NFL Play Football, we’ve put together an extensive state-by-state list of key dates for the upcoming season.
The list starts with the first official practice days in each state. It also includes first game dates, when the postseason begins and when state championships will be played.
Alabama
Alabama High School Athletic Association
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 18
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 30 – December 2nd at Auburn University
Alabama Independent School Association
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 18
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 17 at Cramton Bowl
Alaska
First Practice — July 27
First Games — August 11
Playoffs Begin — October 7
Championships — October 15 (Divisions II & III); October 21 (Division I)
Arizona
First Practice — July 25 (3A, 2A, 1A); August 8 (6A, 5A, 4A)
First Games — August 18 (3A, 2A, 1A); September 1 (6A, 5A, 4A)
Playoffs Begin — October 21 (1A); November 4 (3A, 2A); November 18 (6A, 5A, 4A); November 25 (Open Division)
Championships — November 12 (1A); Open, 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A Dates to be Determined
Arkansas
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 21 (Week 0)
Playoffs Begin — November 11
Championships — December 1-3
California
State Playoffs
Regional Bowl Championships (North/South) — December 2-3
State Championship Bowl Games — December 9-10
Central Section
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 18
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Central Coast Section
First Practice — August 5
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin —November 11-12
Los Angeles City Section
First Practice — July 25
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — November 4
North Coast Section
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 24
Playoffs Begin — November 11-12
Northern Section
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — October 28 (11-man); November 10 (8-man)
Oakland Section
First Practice — To be Determined
First Games — TBD
Playoffs Begin — TBD
Sac-Joaquin Section
First Practice — July 25
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin —November 4
San Francisco Section
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 26
Playoffs Begin — To be Determined
San Diego Section
First Practice — July 30
First Games — August 18
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Southern Section
First Practice — August 1 (11-man Week 0 start); August 8 (11-man Week 1 start); August 8 (8-man Week 0 start); August 15 (8-man Week 1 start)
First Games — August 19 (11-man Week 0 start); August 26 (11-man Week 1 start); August 26 (8-man Week 0 start); September 2 (8-man Week 1 start)
Playoffs Begin — November 4 (11-man & 8-man)
Colorado
First Practice — August 8
First Games —August 25
Playoffs Begin —November 5 (5A, 4A, 2A, 1A, A8, A6); November (3A)
Championships — November 26 (2A, 1A, A8, A6); December 3 (5A, 4A, 3A)
Connecticut
First Practice — August 20
First Games — September 8
Playoffs Begin — November 29
Championships — December 10
Delaware
First Practice — August 16
First Games — September 2
Playoffs Begin —November 18
Championships — December 11 at University of Delaware
Florida
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 24
Playoffs Begin — November 11
Championships — December 8-10 at Gene Cox Stadium in Tallahassee with classes to be announced; December 15-17 at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale with classes to be announced
Georgia
First Practice — August 1
First Games —August 19
Playoffs Begin —November 11
Championships — December 8-10 at Centre Parc Stadium at Georgia State University
Hawaii
First Practice — Underway
First Games — August 5
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 18-19
Idaho
First Practice — August 8
First Games —August 19
Playoffs Begin — October 28
Championships — November 18-19
Illinois
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — October 28
Championships — November 25-26 at University of Illinois
Indiana
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin —October 21 (5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); October 28 (6A)
Championships — November 25-26
Iowa
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 26
Playoffs Begin — October 21 (2A, 1A, A, 8-Player); October 28 (5A, 4A, 3A)
Championships — November 17-18
Kansas
First Practice — August 15
First Games — September 2
Playoffs Begin — October 27
Championships — November 26
Kentucky
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin — November 3-5
Championships — December 2-3
Louisiana
First Practice — August 1 (Schools that didn’t have spring practice); August 8 (Schools that participated in spring practice)
First Games — September 1
Playoffs Begin — November 10
Championships — December 9-10 at Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints
Maine
First Practice — August 15
First Games — September 2
Playoffs Begin — October 21 (8-Man Small); October 28 (B, C, 8-Man Large); November 4 (A, D)
Championships — November 12 (8-Man); November 19 (A, B, C, D)
Maryland
First Practice — August 10
First Games — September 2
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — December 1-3
Massachusetts
First Practice — August 19
First Games — September 9
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — To be Determined
Michigan
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — October 28
Championships — November 18-19 (8-man); November 25-26 (11-man) at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions
Minnesota
First Practice — August 15
First Games — September 1
Playoffs Begin — November 10
Championships (Prep Bowl) — December 2-3 at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings
Mississippi
Mississippi High School Activities Association
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 26
Playoffs Begin — November 4 (4A, 3A, 2A); November 11 (6A, 5A, 1A)
Championships — December 2-3
Midsouth Association of Independent Schools
First Practice — July 25
First Games — August 12 (Week 0); August 19 (Week 1)
Playoffs Begin — October 28 (5A, 4A, 3A, 2A); November 4 (6A)
Championships — November 17-19
Missouri
First Practice — August 7
First Games — August 26
Playoffs Begin — October 28
Championships — November 26 (Class 6); December 1-3 (Class 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 8-man)
Montana
First Practice — August 12
First Games —August 25
Playoffs Begin —October 28
Championships — November 18-19
Nebraska
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — October 20 (D1, D2); October 28 (A, B, C1, C2, D6)
Championships — November 18 (6); November 21-22 at University of Nebraska
Nevada
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 18
Playoffs Begin — October 27-29 (5A, 4A, 3A); November 4-5 (2A, 1A)
Championships — November 18-19
New Hampshire
First Practice — August 12
First Games — September 1
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 11 or 12 (Division III, Division IV); November 18 or 19 (Division I, Division II)
New Jersey
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 26 (Week 0), September 2 (Week 1)
Playoffs Begin — October 28
Championships — December 3-4
New Mexico
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin — October 22 (8-man, 6-man); October 29 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A)
Championships — November 12 (8-man, 6-man); November 19 (2A); November 26 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A)
New York
Catholic High School League
First Practice — August 8
First Games — September 3
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 18-19
Long Island
First Practice — August 23
First Games — September 9
Playoffs Begin — November 11
Championships — Thanksgiving Weekend (November 25-27)
New York State Public High School Association
First Practice — August 20
First Games — September 9
Playoffs Begin — October 28
Championships — December 2-4
North Carolina
North Carolina High School Athletic Association
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — December 9-10
North Carolina Association of Independent Schools
First Practice — August 1 (11-man, 8-man)
First Games — August 19 (11-man, 8-man)
Playoffs Begin — November 4 (11-man, 8-man)
Championships — November 18 (11-man, 8-man)
North Dakota
First Practice — August 4
First Games — August 18
Playoffs Begin —October 15 (9-Man); October 22 (11B); October 28 (11AA & 11A)
Championships — November 11 at FARGODOME
Ohio
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin —October 28
Championships — December 1-3 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
Oklahoma
First Practice — August 8
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — November 11
Championships — December 1-3 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, C); December 10 (2A, A, B)
Oregon
First Practice — August 15
First Games — September 1
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 18 or 19 (1A 6-man); November 25-26 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A 8-man)
Pennsylvania
First Practice — August 15
First Games — August 26
Playoffs Begin — November 18
Championships — December 8-10 at Cumberland Valley High School
Rhode Island
First Practice — August 15
First Games — September 1
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 18-19
South Carolina
South Carolina High School League
First Practice — July 29
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin —November 4
Championships — December 1-3
South Carolina Independent School Association
First Practice — July 28
First Games — August 19 (Week 0); August 26 (Week 1)
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — November 18-19
South Dakota
First Practice — August 4 (11B, 9-man); August 8 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)
First Games — August 18 (11B, 9-man); August 25 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)
Playoffs Begin — October 20 (11B, 9-man); October 27 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)
Championships — November 10-12 at DakotaDome
Tennessee
First Practice — July 25
First Games — August 19
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — December 1-3 at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Texas
University Interscholastic League
First Practice — August 1 (6A & 5A with no spring practice, plus 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); August 8 (6A, 5A with spring practice
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — November 11
Championships — December 14-17 at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys
TAPPS
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — November 11
Championships — December 1-3
Utah
First Practice — July 25
First Games — August 12
Playoffs Begin — October 21
Championships — November 11-12 (4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); November 18 (6A, 5A)
Vermont
First Practice — August 15
First Games — September 2
Playoffs Begin — October 29-30
Championships — November 13
Virginia
First Practice — July 28
First Games — August 25
Playoffs Begin — November 11-12
Championships — December 10
Washington
First Practice — August 17
First Games — September 2
Playoffs Begin — November 4
Championships — December 3
Washington, D.C.
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 26
Playoffs Begin — November 11-12
Championships — November 26 (A); December 3 (AA)
West Virginia
First Practice — August 1
First Games — August 26
Playoffs Begin — November 10-11
Championships — December 1-2
Wisconsin
First Practice — August 2 (11-man); August 9 (8-man)
First Games — August 18 (11-man); August 25 (8-man)
Playoffs Begin — October 21
Championships — November 17-18 at University of Wisconsin
Wyoming
First Practice — August 8 (4A); August 15 (3A, 2A, 1A)
First Games —August 25
Playoffs Begin — October 28
Championships — November 11-12 at University of Wyoming
