2024 State Football Championship: Know what you need to know

Matt Christopher

Cocoa Tigers players celebrate during their 2023 Class 2S State Championship Game

Football
12/10/2024 11:00:00 AM

Held at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University: Wednesday, December 11 Saturday, December 14

GAINESVILLE, Fla. The Drive to 305 football playoffs conclude this week in Miami for grades 1A-7A. The 2024 Florida High School Football State Championship event will take place on South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in Miami on the campus of Florida International University. This will be the second time the Football State Championships will be played on the South Florida campus. The event begins Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. with the Class 1A championship at 7:30 p.m., and the remaining games will be played Thursday through Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (all times are EST).

With four returning 2023 champions, there will be multiple storylines in this championship week's series of matches. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood), Cocoa, Lakeland and St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) all return to the title games hoping for repeat appearances. Additionally, the 2024 season marks a return to the traditional 1A-7A classification model, as the playoffs moved away from the Metro-Suburban structure used the past two seasons.

The 2024 championships get underway Wednesday night in Class 1A with a rematch of last year's 2023 Class 1M State Championship between Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders and the Chaminade-Madonna Lions. This will be the third straight year the Marauders and Lions have faced off in the title game, but it will be the ninth straight year the Lions have played for a title. The Lions will also be looking to make an impressive four-peat if they capture a title in 2024. The Lions currently have two separate three-peat performances and will look to add to an impressive trophy case that already includes a total of eight state championships.

Thursday's matchups will see each of the remaining three returning champions in action. The afternoon matinee between the Cocoa Tigers and the Gadsden County (Havana) Jaguars will start the day as the Tigers pursue their third straight and seventh overall title after claiming the 2S classification in each of the past two seasons. The Tigers are making their fourth consecutive title game appearance and sixth overall appearance in a championship game since 2016. The Jaguars, meanwhile, will appear in their first overall title game in school history, hoping to defeat the defending champions. The evening matchup on Thursday will pit the final two title defenses of 2023 against each other in the newly constructed Class 5A. The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (formerly of Class 3M) and the Lakeland Dreadnaughts (formerly of Class 4S) will write a new chapter in their storied history against each other, which may have culminated when the teams last faced off in the boundaries of Miami-Dade County (then Dolphin Stadium) for a state championship in the mid-2000s. The stakes are high again this year as the Raiders, winners of the first five straight state championships ever, will remain aim for success in their dominance of the state record books and will look to add to their current fifteen overall titles. The Dreadnaughts, winners of the last two state championships, will be looking for their third straight title and 10th overall in school history.

Four new state champions will be crowned at the state championship event both Friday and Saturday. The Friday afternoon matinee between Osceola (Kissimmee) and West Boca Raton in Class 6A will see a relative newcomer take home a title as the West Boca Raton Bulls make their first-ever title game in football, while the Osceola Kowboys will aim for their second overall championship in their seventh title game appearance. Jones (Orlando) and American Heritage (Plantation) will face off in the 4A title game Friday night. The Tigers of Jones will make just their second title game appearance in history, while the Patriots of American Heritage will seek their sixth overall championship. On Saturday afternoon in the Class 7A State Championship, the Lake Mary Rams will make their first-ever title game appearance against a recent power in the Venice Indians, who will look for their fourth overall title in history in what will now be their fourth title game appearance on row is. In Saturday night's final, the Miami Northwestern Bulls will take on the Raines (Jacksonville) Vikings in Class 3A. The Vikings are looking for their fourth overall title in history in the first title game since 2018, while the Bulls are back in their first title game since 2019 and will be looking for their eighth overall championship in history.

Tickets for the event are currently on sale and are sold per game for an advanced purchase price of $17.00, and a daily price of $20.00. Tickets are only available via GoFan and they are all general admission seats. Parking lots open 90 minutes before scheduled game times, while spectator gates open 60 minutes before each game. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and have your tickets available on your mobile device before arriving at the gate. For additional event and venue information, including streaming options for those unable to attend in person, please refer to the information below or visit the football sports page.

2024 Florida High School Football State Championships South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium (Miami)

Wednesday December 11th

• Class 1A State Championship,7:30 PM
  • Clearwater Central Catholic vs. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood)

Thursday, December 12

• Class 2A State Championship,12:30 pm
  • Cocoa vs. Gadsden County (Havana)
• Class 5A State Championship,7:30 PM
  • St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) vs. Lakeland

Friday December 13th

• Class 6A State Championship,12:30 pm
  • Osceola (Kissimmee) vs. West Boca Raton
• Class 4A State Championship,7:30 PM
  • Jones (Orlando) vs. American Heritage (Plantation)

Saturday December 14th

• Class 7A State Championship,12:30 pm
• Class 3A State Championship,7:30 PM
  • Miami Northwestern vs. Raines (Jacksonville)

Before you go, know:
Where:South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium (Miami)
When: Wednesday, December 11^e Saturday December 14th^e
Brackets and State Championship matchup schedule:2024 Tournament
Facility information:Stadium map | Clear Bag Policy in effect |Stadium information | Map it out
Accommodation information:list of hotels nearby according to the Greater Miami Visitors & Convention Bureau
Host: FIU Athletics
Recognition: $17.00 per game with advance purchase and $20.00 on the day

• All tickets available exclusively via GoFan
• This is a general admission only event (no reserved seats)
• A $3.00 parking fee is already included in each admission ticket

Parking:surcharge included in the entrance price (parking information and map)
Official Merchandise: Team IP
Livestreaming:NFHS Network