DENVER — Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures.
Colorado high school football will have co-state champions at each classification for the 2020-21 season, provided some teams from each group decide to play 'Season A' fall football and others play 'Season C' spring football.
One day after announcing fall football was a go, CHSAA released several details about the season on Wednesday afternoon, including the revelation there will be multiple state champions.
"There will be somebody that's declared a champion in both seasons. We want to give those kids every opportunity to go play, compete and be named a champion in the end," CHSAA Assistant Commissioner Adam Bright told 9NEWS' Arielle Orsuto.
"I don't believe it's equitable for us to say that because your school district said you had to play in (Season) C, because they're not face-to-face learning yet, that you're just a leftover thought and we're just going to let you go play and nobody cares," Bright continued. "You're still important to us, you're still a high school team and you're still playing a great sport. We're going to go acknowledge that and have some fun with it."
Here's everything you need to know about football in 2020-2021, per CHSAA:
- Schools can choose to play in either Season A (fall) or Season C (spring). Those selections are happening now, and schools must declare which season they will play in by Monday at 8 a.m. Declarations are for the entire program, including sub-varsity teams.
- Schools can only play in one season.
- The season structure will be identical in each season.
- There will be a champion named in each season.
- Teams will play a 6+1 season, meaning all teams will play a six-game regular season. Teams that miss the playoffs can schedule a seventh game against another non-qualifier in Week 1 or Week 2 of the postseason. Teams that make the playoffs will play at least seven games.
- Teams must play four of the six regular-season games in order to be eligible for the postseason.
- Playoffs will be an eight-team bracket, which is set and seeded by the CHSAA Seeding Index (RPI, MaxPreps, CHSAANow coaches poll, and Packard Rankings).
- If possible, leagues will be kept intact if 50% of a league remains playing in a given season. However, leagues may need to be redrawn as needed to allow for six games.
- All schools, in Season A or Season C, will have a schedule built by the CHSAA office due to the short amount of time prior to the start of the season.
- Schools have been sent COVID-specific guidelines and will continue to receive further information about these restrictions.
Season A dates:
- Start of practice: 9/24
- First game: 10/8
- Round 1 of playoffs: 11/21
- Semifinals: 11/28
- Championships: 12/5
Season C dates:
- Start of practice: 2/25
- First game: 3/11
- Round 1 of playoffs: 4/24
- Semifinals: 5/1
- Championships: 5/8
Watch the Prep Rally this Saturday and Sunday morning on 9NEWS for plenty more reaction to the CHSAA decision on fall football.