High School Football Important Dates

Find key dates for the 2023 high school football season in all 50 states.

Last Updated: July 27, 2023

The 2023 high school football season is upon us. To get fans ready, High School Football America has assembled a list of key dates in every state, plus Washington D.C.

The list includes first practices, first game dates, when the postseason begins, and when state championships will be played.

Photos: AP/Ashley Landis

Related: See the latest high school football national rankings

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 — TBD

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 18
Playoffs Begin — November 10
Championships — TBD

Georgia

First Practice — August 1
First Games —August 19
Playoffs Begin —November 11
Championships — December 11-13 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium

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

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 Caesars Superdome

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 — September 1
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

Minnesota

First Practice — August 14
First Games — August 31
Playoffs Begin — October 24
Championships — November 24-25 at U.S. Bank Stadium

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 19
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 19
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

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 1 (11-man); August 8 (8-Man)
First Games — August 17 (11-man); August 24 (8-Man)
Playoffs Begin — October 20 (11-Man)
Championships — November 16-17

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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