Final update: How each state handled high school football this fall
It’s November and here is the final count of states that played high school football this fall.
35 played tackle football in some form or another.
15 (plus the District of Columbia) did not play at all.
Here is where the map stands on high school football across the country on Oct. 19. We’ve broken states up into three basic categories: Green (35 states), Yellow (2 states) and Red (15 states, plus the District of Columbia).
Broken down a little more, 31 states (dark green) played high school football in most of the state, although every state has seen its share of game cancelations because of COVID-19 outbreaks week to week.
In West Virginia, Tug Valley had another game canceled because of COVID-19, leaving it with just three games played together – one short of required to participate in the state playoffs.
In Alaska, state championships for all fall sports have been called off. Football teams are now playing for regional titles.
Four states (light green) are playing this fall, but at least 15 percent of the schools in the state opted not to play in the fall and will play football in the spring.
And red states mean there was no fall tackle football. Vermont will replace tackle football with 7-on-7 touch this fall. Rhode Island won’t play tackle football, with no plan for a season in the spring. The remainder have a plan to play football in 2021.
Here’s a breakdown about how each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, handled the high school football season. This is the final update.
ALABAMA: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 6.
ALASKA: Season has started. Playoffs have started, but there will be no state championship this fall. Only regional titles.
ARIZONA: Season opened on Oct. 1. Two Phoenix-area school districts were unable to meet state standards to open their seasons until Oct. 23 and are playing a special season apart from the rest of the state this fall.
ARKANSAS: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 13.
CALIFORNIA: Delayed to 2021.
COLORADO: A total of 218 schools in the state (79 percent of total) opted to open a shortened six-week season on Oct. 9. Playoffs begin Nov. 20. The rest will play in the spring.
CONNECTICUT: Delayed to 2021.
DELAWARE: The state reversed course in September and moved football back to the fall, allowing for a seven-game season that started on Oct. 23.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Delayed to 2021.
FLORIDA: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 6.
GEORGIA: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 27.
HAWAII: Delayed to 2021.
IDAHO: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 30.
ILLINOIS: Delayed to 2021
INDIANA: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 23.
IOWA: Season has started; postseason started Oct. 16.
KANSAS: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 30.
KENTUCKY: Season has started. Playoffs start Nov. 13.
LOUISIANA: Season has started. Playoffs start Nov. 27.
MAINE: Delayed to 2021.
MARYLAND: Reversed earlier decision to move football to 2021 and is now allowing football to be played in the fall. Some counties have opted not to play in the fall. The rest will play a six-game schedule that opened for some on Oct. 30 with a championship set for December.
MASSACHUSETTS: Delayed to 2021.
MICHIGAN: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 30.
MINNESOTA: Season started on Oct. 9. Playoffs begin Nov. 16.
MISSISSIPPI: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 6.
MISSOURI: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 30.
MONTANA: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 30.
NEBRASKA: Season has started. Playoffs begin Oct. 23.
NEVADA: Delayed to 2021.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 30.
NEW JERSEY: Season started on Oct. 1. Playoffs begin Nov. 13.
NEW MEXICO: Delayed to 2021.
NEW YORK: Delayed to 2021.
NORTH CAROLINA: Delayed to 2021.
NORTH DAKOTA: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 23.
OHIO: Season has started, postseason started on Oct. 9.
OKLAHOMA: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 9.
OREGON: Delayed to 2021.
PENNSYLVANIA: State widely divided. Parts of the state opened season on Sept. 11. Other parts opened on Oct. 2. About 15 percent of the state has decided to delay until spring. Fall playoffs begin Nov. 6.
RHODE ISLAND: No fall football. Could be moved to 2021.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 13.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Season has started. Playoffs started Oct. 22.
TENNESSEE: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 6.
TEXAS: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 13.
UTAH: Season has started. Postseason began Oct. 23.
VERMONT: Opted to cancel fall tackle football season and replace it with 7-on-7 touch football. Teams will play twice a week between Sept. 25 and Oct. 24.
VIRGINIA: Delayed until 2021.
WASHINGTON: Delayed until 2021.
WEST VIRGINIA: Season started Sept. 4. However, COVID restrictions continues to cancel patches of game each week, impacting the postseason, which is scheduled to begin Nov. 13. Tug Valley (3-0) had another game canceled this week, meaning it will fall short of the four-game minimum to qualify for the playoffs.
WISCONSIN: Season started on Sept. 25 for some. However, one-third of the state’s teams have opted not to play in the fall and will play next spring.
WYOMING: Season has started. Playoffs begin Nov. 13.
