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
