How will Georgia’s delay affect Alabama HS football teams?

Birmingham, AL – The Georgia High School Association (GHSAA) voted Monday to delay the start of their 2020 football season two weeks due to the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. Peach State prep squads were scheduled to kickoff their season the weekend of August 21 – they are now slated to return to the gridiron September 4th.

Georgia’s decision to move back the start of their season will likely affect several Alabama teams including the Hoover Bucs and Gardendale Rockets.

Oxford QB Trey Higgins passes during the 2019 6A state title game. Brant Berry | PrepsNet

The Bucs were slated to face-off against the Lowndes High Vikings in the annual Corky Kell Classic in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That matchup, which was relocated last week to the campus of Mill Creek High School in suburban Atlanta, will now likely be scrapped. According to reports, Hoover has begun reaching out to in-state teams, including the Opelika Bulldogs, who were set to play Georgia’s Calloway High in week one, to gage their interest in filing the void in the Bucs’ schedule.

6A Gardendale was set to travel to Gordon County to face the Calhoun Yellow Jackets. The Rockets will likely have to find another opponent to suit-up against in week one before stepping into a tough four week slate that includes road trips to region foes Pinson Valley and Clay-Chalkville followed by home matchups with Jasper and Shades Valley.

Piedmont head coach Steve Smith celebrates the Bulldogs 2019 state championship win over Mobile Christian at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Brant Berry | PrepsNet

Smitty Grider’s Dothan Wolves were slated to face three Georgia teams in 2020. The 7A Wolves had road trips to Bainbridge (August 28th) and Tift County (October 2nd) and a home game against Calloway to look forward too on September 25th.

The GHSAA’s schedule shakeup will likely affect several other in-state teams who were set to cross into the eastern timezone for matchups this fall.

In class 7A, Central-Phenix City was scheduled to welcome Peach County (Fort Valley) to Garrett-Harrison Stadium on August 20th. Smith’s Station was set to host the Columbus Blue Devils on August 28th.

In addition to Gardendale in 6A, Opelika was scheduled to travel to Hoganville to take on the Calloway Cavaliers in week 0 and Paul Bryant was to visit Loganville to face the Grayson Rams on September 18th.

Gardendale’s Goose Crowder survey’s the field in the Rocket’s 2019 win at Clay-Chalkville. Brant Berry | PrepsNet

In 5A, Headland was slated to play host to Seminole County (Donaldson) on September 4th while Early County (Blakely) was scheduled to travel to Troy to face the Charles Henderson Trojans on September 11th.

4A Cleburne County was to host Mt. Zion (Jonesboro) on August 28th. Cherokee County was set to travel 30 minutes east to Rome to face the Coosa Eagles on September 25th.

Class 2A North Sand Mountain would have traveled to Trenton to face off against the Dade County Wolverines on August 28th.

Georgia squads will begin practice July 27th with plans for a full 10 game regular season with all playoff and championship games intact.

Georgia became the 14th state to delay the start of their high school football season due concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hoover running back Anthony Hays rushes during the Bucs 2019 win over Spain Park. Brant Berry | PrepsNet

The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has tentatively decided to maintain its current calendar, with practice scheduled to begin July 27th. The Sunshine State is currently set to allow schools to opt out of scheduled games if the pandemic delays the start of the season in their area.

Texas’ University Interscholastic League (UIL) announced that conferences 1A through 4A will maintain their current schedule with practices starting on August 3rd and games beginning August 27th. Conferences 5A and 6A however will delay their seasons about a month with practice getting underway on September 7th and games kicking-off on September 24th. As a result, over 100 games among different conferences will be effectively canceled.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) announced that, barring an extension of the state’s emergency order, practices will begin August 30th with plans for an eight game regular season to kickoff September 18th. The Volunteer State’s shortened regular season will be followed by a postseason with only region champions and runner-ups advancing to the playoffs.

Central-Phenix City’s Javion Cohen takes the field during the 2019 Super 7 Championships at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Brant Berry | PrepsNet

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has pushed its fall sports season to 2021. The CIF is calling for practices to begin in December with playoffs scheduled to be held April 17. Basketball is slated to be moved from the winter to the spring with both football and basketball championships being crowned regionally rather than statewide.

The Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) is scheduled to hold a press conference Thursday afternoon at 1:00 PM to announce it’s plans for a return to play. The AHSAA is expected to affirm plans to start fall sports as scheduled.

PrepsNet will bring you up to the minutes updates concerning the AHSAA and the beginning of the high school football season around the nation.