The State Champions Bowl Series is back for 2017.
Grand Canyon University will host two games on December 23 in its brand new soccer facility that seats 6,000.
Who’s eligible?
Currently, governing bodies in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Utah and Washington have approved that their members can participate in the games, which have been played in 2014 and last year.
Last year at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas, Chandler (Arizona) beat Valdosta (Georgia) 44-24 and St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) beat Bingham (Utah) 33-25.
“Grand Canyon University is thrilled to host the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series at GCU Stadium,” GCU Vice President of Athletics Mike Vaught said. “This event features some of the top high school football talent in the country for what will be incredible competition for the teams, fans, and those watching at home on ESPN. We have state-of-the-art facilities here at GCU, a great relationship with ESPN, and are excited to combine the two together for this marquee event.”
Chandler, which is currently the No. 1 team in Arizona in the High School Football America Arizona Top 10, would be an interesting invitee, if the Wolves capture their second straight Class 6A title. Chandler, currently ranked No. 38 in our Top 100 national rankings, would guarantee a good gate for one of the two games that will air LIVE on ESPNU.
I bet some will be rooting for a rematch-up between St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) and Centennial (Arizona). The two nationally-ranked teams met on September 29 with Centennial pulling-off a 12-0 shutout of the three-time defending Florida champs. STA entered the game ranked No. 5 in the nation. Centennial is currently in the Arizona 5A semifinals, while St. Thomas Aquinas in the Florida 7A quarterfinals.
Right now, St. Thomas Aquinas is ranked No. 24 in our national rankings that are created with our proprietary algorithm. Centennial is currently No. 69.
Bingham, which has participated in the first two State Championship Bowl Series games, has already captured Utah’s 6A title and could be match-up for someone with its No. 16 national ranking. Bingham is 0-2 in the series with losses coming against St. Thomas Aquinas last year and Booker T. Washington (34-28) in 2014.
Past results:
2014
- Trinity Christian (Florida) 35 Eastside Catholic (Washington) 21
- Miami Central (Florida) 37 Bothell (Washington 27
- Booker T. Washington (Miami, Florida) 34 Bingham (Utah) 28
2016
- Chandler (Arizona) 44 Valdosta (Georgia) 24
- Thomas Aquinas (Florida) 33 Bingham (Utah) 25
