GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida High School Athletic Association’s Drive to December will conclude this weekend at Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, on the campus of Florida A&M University. Once again partnering with Visit Tallahassee, football state champions will be crowned in all nine classifications over this three-day event. Games will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the start times scheduled for 10 a.m., 3 p.m., and 8 p.m. each day (all times are EST).

There are many story lines to follow this week, which will be the final week of high school football in Florida. Beginning right away on Thursday, action kicks off with a rematch of the 2022 title game in Class 1M. Perennial power Chaminade-Madonna are seeking their third straight championship and eighth overall as they face Clearwater Central Catholic, who is still searching for their first title in school history. The afternoon matinee in Class 3S matches St. Augustine against Mainland (Daytona Beach), who is making a return trip to the title game after falling in 2022. Both teams are seeking their school’s second overall state championship. Thursday’s final game of the day in Class 1R will pit defending champion Hawthorne against Madison County in a rematch of the 2021 title game. The Cowboys of Madison County went on to win that contest, taking home their sixth state championship in school history. Meanwhile, the Hornets of Hawthorne broke through in 2022 for their first state title, but with Thursday’s matchup are still making their fourth consecutive championship game appearance.

Friday’s matchups also offer a multitude of story lines. After defeating their state championship game opponent from 2022 in the state semifinal game, Trinity Catholic (Ocala) will seek their third overall state title as they take on Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota) in Friday’s Class 1S championship game. The Cougars of Cardinal Mooney are making their first appearance in the state title game since they won it all back in 1972. Friday afternoon’s matchup in Class 4M is a rematch of the 2018 state championship game between Mandarin (Jacksonville) and Columbus (Miami). On that date, the Mustangs of Mandarin outlasted the Explorers of Columbus to claim their school’s first and only title. Since then, Columbus has made two more title game appearances in 2019 and 2022, and won both, and are the current 4M reigning state champions. The final matchup on Friday has another power in Cocoa, taking on Bradford (Starke) in Class 2S. The Tornadoes of Bradford are making their first title game appearance since 1985 after achieving a thrilling and gutsy overtime victory in their semifinal game. The school has two state championships overall, with the last coming in 1966. On the other side, their opponent, Cocoa, is the defending Class 2S state champions and will be seeking their sixth overall championship in what is their ninth title game appearance since 2008.

Saturday, the final day of the 2023 state championship event will kick off right away with a Class 2M matchup that most may not have seen coming earlier in the year. Both Berkeley Prep (Tampa) and Miami Norland had to take down teams in their state semifinal games that had made a combined 18 title game appearances over the last decade. Their reward is now the opportunity to face each other with the hopes of securing the third overall championship in history for Miami Norland, or the first overall championship in school history for Berkeley Prep. The penultimate game of the week takes place Saturday afternoon and will be another rematch of a 2022 title game. Defending champion St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) once again matches up against Homestead, as the Raiders of St. Thomas Aquinas seek their fifth straight title, and state leading fifteenth overall. Homestead will once again attempt to claim their school’s first state championship. The concluding matchup of the week, which will close out the 2023 football season, is another rematch of a 2022 title game but this time in Class 4S. Defending champion Lakeland and Venice each took different playoff paths to the state championship game but were on a collision course all year long. The Dreadnaughts of Lakeland will be seeking their ninth overall championship while the Indians of Venice seek their fourth.

Tickets for the event are currently on sale and are being sold by game for an advanced purchase rate of $17.00, and a day of price of $20.00. Tickets are available through both Ticketmaster.com, where convenience fees will be charged, and through the FAMU Box office where tickets can be purchased at their campus location. Parking will not be charged onsite, and instead is already included in the cost of admission. Fans in attendance are encouraged to arrive early for the games so they can visit the FAMU campus and partake in some of the event’s enhanced fan opportunities taking place around the stadium. During select hours, the One Blood mobile will be onsite offering rewards and goodies for those who take the time to donate and save a life. The school with the most fan donations will also receive a special gift from the FHSAA.

For additional event and venue information, including broadcast and streaming opportunities via Bally Sports for those who are unable to attend in person, please see the information below or visit the football sport page.

2023 Florida High School Football State Championships – Bragg Memorial Stadium (Tallahassee)
 
Thursday, December 7

• Class 1M State Championship, 10 a.m.
  • Clearwater Central Catholic vs. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood)
     
• Class 3S State Championship, 3 p.m.
  • Mainland (Daytona Beach) vs. St. Augustine
     
• Class 1R State Championship, 8 p.m.
  • Madison County (Madison) vs. Hawthorne

Friday, December 8

• Class 1S State Championship, 10 a.m.
  • Trinity Catholic (Ocala) vs. Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota)
     
• Class 4M State Championship, 3 p.m.
  • Mandarin (Jacksonville) vs. Columbus (Miami)
     
• Class 2S State Championship, 8 p.m.
  • Bradford (Starke) vs. Cocoa

Saturday, December 9

• Class 2M State Championship, 10 a.m.
  • Berkeley Prep vs. Miami Norland
     
• Class 3M State Championship, 3 p.m.
  • Homestead vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale)
     
• Class 4S State Championship, 8 p.m.
  • Lakeland vs. Venice

Know Before You Go:
Where: Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium (Tallahassee)
When: Thursday-Saturday, December 7^th - 9^th
Host: Visit Tallahassee
Tournament Brackets & State Championships Schedule: 2023 Tournament
Admission: $17.00 per game with advance purchase and $20.00 day of (via Ticketmaster and the FAMU Box Office located at the Al Lawson Center)

• This is a General Admission Event
• Gates 9 (NE Gate) & 13 (E Gate) will be open for all Ticketed Entry
• State Series Passes, Media & Other credentialed individuals will need to enter at Gate 8 (NW Gate)
  • Away Team (West Stands)
  • Home Team (East Stands)

Parking: No parking fee onsite, already included in the cost of admission with all fees retained by the facility. General Parking is available in the adjacent stadium parking lots, as well as the parking garage located off of Whanish Way. Perry Street access to stadium lots will not be available for spectator parking. 
Facility Information: Clear bag policy & Prohibited Items Policy | Stadium Map | FAMU Campus Map
Lodging Information: list of hotels nearby (provided by host organization)
Live Broadcast: Watch and stream State Championship games on Bally Sports and the Bally Sports app (Broadcast Replay schedule)
Official Merchandise: Team IP
Blood Donation Signup: One Blood mobile