Key High School Football Dates in all 50 states

key dates for the 2022 high school football season
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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

Related: Reigning 2021 state champs in all 50 states

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About the Author

Jeff Fisher
Jeff is an award-winning journalist and expert in the field of high school sports, underscored with his appearance on CNBC in 2010 to talk about the big business of high school football in America.Jeff turned to his passion for high school football into an entrepreneurial venture called High School Football America, a digital media company focused on producing original high school sports content for radio, television and the internet.Jeff is co-founder and editor-in-chief of High School Football America, a partner with NFL Play Football.