Key Dates for the 2023 high school football season in each state

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The 2023 high school football season is upon us.

To get fans ready, here’s a look at start dates in every state, plus Washington D.C.

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 7

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 10

Championships — December 6-8

Alabama Independent School Association

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 16

Alaska

First Practice — July 26

First Games — August 11

Playoffs Begin — October 6

Championships — October 14 (Division III); October 21 (Divisions I & II)

Arizona

First Practice — July 24 (3A, 2A, 1A); July 31 (6A, 5A, 4A)

First Games — August 18 (3A, 2A, 1A); August 24 (6A, 5A, 4A)

Playoffs Begin — October 20 (1A); November 3 (3A, 2A); November 10 (6A, 5A, 4A); November 17 (Open Division)

Championships — November 11 (1A); December 2 (Open, 6A); December 1 (5A, 4A); November 24 (3A, 2A)

Arkansas

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 24 (Week 0)

Playoffs Begin — November 1

Championships — November 30 – December 2

California

State Playoffs

Regional Bowl Championships (North/South) — December 1-2

State Championship Bowl Games — December 8-9

Central Section

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 17

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Central Coast Section

First Practice — August 4

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin —November 10-11

Los Angeles City Section

First Practice — July 24

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 3

North Coast Section

First Practice — August 7

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 10-11

Northern Section

First Practice — August 1

First Games — August 25

Playoffs Begin — November 3 (8-man); November 10 (11-Man)

Oakland Section

First Practice — August 1

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin — November 17

Sac-Joaquin Section

First Practice — July 24

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin —November 3

San Francisco Section

First Practice — August 1

First Games — August 26

Playoffs Begin — To be Determined

San Diego Section

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 17

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Southern Section

First Practice — July 31 (11-man Week 0 start); August 7 (11-man Week 1 start); August 7 (8-man Week 0 start); August 14 (8-man Week 1 start)

First Games — August 18 (11-man Week 0 start); August 25 (11-man Week 1 start); August 25 (8-man Week 0 start); September 1 (8-man Week 1 start)

Playoffs Begin — November 3 (11-man & 8-man)

Colorado

First Practice — August 7

First Games —August 24

Playoffs Begin —November 2 (5A, 4A, 2A, 1A, A8, A6); November 9 (3A)

Championships — November 24 (6-Man, 8-Man); November 26 (2A, 1A); December 2 (5A, 4A, 3A)

Connecticut

First Practice — August 19

First Games — September 7

Playoffs Begin — November 28

Championships — December 9

Delaware

First Practice — August 14

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin —November 17

Championships — December 10

Florida

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 10

Championships — To be Determined

Georgia

First Practice — August 1

First Games —August 19

Playoffs Begin —November 11

Championships — December 11-13 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons

Hawaii

First Practice — July 24

First Games — August 11

Playoffs Begin — November 10

Championships — November 24-25

Idaho

First Practice — August 7

First Games —August 18

Playoffs Begin — October 27

Championships — November 17-18

Illinois

First Practice — August 7

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — October 28

Championships — November 24-25

Indiana

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin —October 20 (5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); October 29 (6A)

Championships — November 24-25 at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts

Iowa

First Practice — August 7

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — October 20 (2A, 1A, A, 8-Player); October 27 (5A, 4A, 3A)

Championships — November 16-17

Kansas

First Practice — August 14

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin — October 26

Championships — November 25

Kentucky

First Practice — August 1

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin — November 2-4

Championships — December 1-2

Louisiana

First Practice — July 31 (Schools that didn’t have Spring Practice); August 7 (Schools that had Spring Practice)

First Games — August 31

Playoffs Begin — November 10

Championships — December 7-9 at Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints

Maine

First Practice — August 14

First Games — August 31

Playoffs Begin — October 20 (8-Man); October 27 (B, C); November 3 (A, D)

Championships — November 11 (8-Man); November 18 (A, B, C, D)

Maryland

First Practice — August 9

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 30 – December 2

Massachusetts

First Practice — August 18

First Games — September 8

Playoffs Begin — November 4

Championships — To be Determined

Michigan

First Practice — August 7

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — October 27

Championships — November 11 (8-man); November 25-26 (11-man) at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions

Minnesota

First Practice — August 14

First Games — August 31

Playoffs Begin — October 24

Championships — November 24-25 at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings

Mississippi

Mississippi High School Activities Association

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 3 (4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); November 10 (7A, 6A, 5A)

Championships — November 30 – December 2

Midsouth Association of Independent Schools

First Practice — July 24

First Games — August 11 (Week 0); August 18 (Week 1)

Playoffs Begin — October 27 (5A, 4A, 3A, 2A); November 3 (6A)

Championships — November 16-18

Missouri

First Practice — August 7

First Games — August 25

Playoffs Begin — October 27

Championships — November 25 (Class 6); December 1-2 (Class 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 8-man)

Montana

First Practice — August 11

First Games —August 24

Playoffs Begin —October 27

Championships — November 17-18

Nebraska

First Practice — August 7

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — October 20 (D1, D2); October 28 (A, B, C1, C2, D6)

Championships — November 17 (6-Man); November 20-21 (A, B, C1, C2, D1, D2)

Nevada

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 17

Playoffs Begin — October 26 (5A, 4A, 3A); November 3 (State Quarterfinals for all Classes)

Championships — November 17-18

New Hampshire

First Practice — August 14

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 10 or 11 (Division III, Division IV); November 17 or 18 (Division I, Division II)

New Jersey

First Practice — August 9

First Games — August 25 (Week 0); August 31 (Week 1)

Playoffs Begin — October 27 (Non-Public); November 3 (Public)

Championships — November 26, 27 or 28 (Non-Public); November 28-29 (Public)

New Mexico

First Practice — August 1

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin — October 21 (8-man, 6-man); October 28 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A)

Championships — November 11 (8-man, 6-man); November 18 (2A); November 25 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A)

New York

Catholic High School League

First Practice — August 8

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 18-19

Long Island

First Practice — August 23

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin — November 11

Championships — Thanksgiving Weekend

New York State Public High School Association

First Practice — August 19

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin — October 27

Championships — December 1-3

North Carolina

North Carolina High School Athletic Association

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — December 8-9

North Carolina Association of Independent Schools

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 17

North Dakota

First Practice — August 3

First Games — August 17

Playoffs Begin —October 21 (11B, 9B); October 27 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)

Championships — November 10

Ohio

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin —October 27

Championships — November 30 – December 2

Oklahoma

First Practice — August 7

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 10

Championships — December 1-2 (6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, C); December 8-9 (2A, A, B)

Oregon

First Practice — August 14

First Games — August 31

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 24-25

Pennsylvania

First Practice — August 14

First Games — August 25

Playoffs Begin — November 17

Championships — December 7-9

Rhode Island

First Practice — August 14

First Games — August 31

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 17-18

South Carolina

South Carolina High School League

First Practice — July 28

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin —November 3

Championships — November 30 – December 2

South Carolina Independent School Association

First Practice — July 27

First Games — August 18 (Week 0); August 25 (Week 1)

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 17-18

South Dakota

First Practice — August 3 (11B, 9-man); August 7 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)

First Games — August 17 (11B, 9-man); August 24 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)

Playoffs Begin — October 19 (11B, 9-man); October 26 (11AAA, 11AA, 11A)

Championships — November 9-11

Tennessee

First Practice — July 24

First Games — August 18

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — November 30 – September 2

Texas

University Interscholastic League

First Practice — July 31 (6A & 5A with no spring practice, plus 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A); August 7 (6A, 5A with spring practice

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 9

Championships — December 13-16 at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys

TAPPS

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 11

Championships — November 30 – December 2

Utah

First Practice — July 25

First Games — August 10

Playoffs Begin — October 20

Championships — November 11 (3A, 2A, 1A, 8-Man); November 17 (6A, 5A, 4A)

Vermont

First Practice — August 14

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin — October 28-29

Championships — November 11

Virginia

First Practice — July 24

First Games — August 24

Playoffs Begin — November 11

Championships — December 9-10

Washington

First Practice — August 16

First Games — September 1

Playoffs Begin — November 3

Championships — December 1-2

Washington, D.C.

First Practice — August 3

First Games — August 25

Playoffs Begin — November 10

Championships — To be Determined

West Virginia

First Practice — July 31

First Games — August 31

Playoffs Begin — November 10

Championships — December 1-2

Wisconsin

First Practice — August 1 (11-man); August 8 (8-man)

First Games — August 17 (11-man); August 24 (8-man)

Playoffs Begin — October 20

Championships — November 16-17

Wyoming

First Practice — August 7 (4A); August 14 (3A, 2A, 1A)

First Games —August 24

Playoffs Begin — October 27

Championships — November 10-11

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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.