A day after announcing that it’s moving high school football back to the Fall sports season (Season A), the Colorado High School Activities Association announced details for the regular season and playoffs. The CHSAA also announced that for teams that decide to play during the Spring sports season (Season C), they’ll also have a chance to compete for a state title.
Read: Colorado reverses decision on Spring-only football
Fall practice begins next Thursday with the first games in a six-game regular season starting October 8. The Spring season will start games March 11.
Below are all of the details for both seasons from the CHSAA:
- Schools can choose to play in either Season A (fall) or Season C (spring). Those selections are happening now, and schools must declare which season they will play in by Monday at 8 a.m. Declarations are for the entire program, including sub-varsity teams.
- Schools can only play in one season.
- The season structure will be identical in each season.
- There will be a champion named in each season.
- Teams will play a 6+1 season, meaning all teams will play a six-game regular season. Teams that miss the playoffs can schedule a seventh game against another non-qualifier in Week 1 or Week 2 of the postseason. Teams that make the playoffs will play at least seven games.
- Teams must play four of the six regular-season games in order to be eligible for the postseason.
- Playoffs will be an eight-team bracket, which is set and seeded by the CHSAA Seeding Index (RPI, MaxPreps, CHSAANow coaches poll, and Packard Rankings).
- If possible, leagues will be kept intact if 50% of a league remains playing in a given season. However, leagues may need to be redrawn as needed to allow for six games.
- All schools, in Season A or Season C, will have a schedule built by the CHSAA office due to the short amount of time prior to the start of the season.
- Schools have been sent COVID-specific guidelines, and will continue to receive further information about these restrictions.
Season A dates:
- Start of practice: 9/24
- First game: 10/8
- Round 1 of playoffs: 11/21
- Semifinals: 11/28
- Championships: 12/5
Season C dates:
- Start of practice: 2/25
- First game: 3/11
- Round 1 of playoffs: 4/24
- Semifinals: 5/1
- Championships: 5/8
