When does football season start (when is generally considered football season) including high school, college, NFL
JRZY NEWSROOMMay 26, 20264 MIN READ
2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 155th season of college football in the United States organized by the NCAA at its highest level of competition, the FBS
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Number of teams
134
Duration
August 24, 2024 – December 14, 2024
Post-season Duration
December 20, 2024 – January 20, 2025
When Does Football Season Start?
Football season is a highly anticipated event in the sports calendar, spanning across high school, college, and professional levels. While the exact start and end dates vary slightly by league, the core months of the football season are consistent.
High School Football Season
High school football seasons typically begin in late August and run through late November or early December. The exact start and end dates can vary by state, but the general timeline is as follows:
- First Practice: Late July or early August
- First Games: Late August
- Playoffs Begin: Early to mid-November
- State Championships: Late November or early December
For example, in Oklahoma, the high school football season begins with the first practice on August 7 and the first games on August 24. The playoffs start on November 10, with the state championships held on December 1-2 and December 8-9.
College Football Season
The college football season also generally starts in late August and concludes in early January with the College Football Playoff National Championship game. The key dates for the 2024 college football season are:
- Week Zero: August 24, 2024
- Week 1: August 31, 2024 (Labor Day weekend)
- College Football Playoff Semifinals: January 9 and 10, 2025
- CFP National Championship: January 20, 2025 (in Atlanta, Georgia)
The college football regular season runs from late August through late November or early December, followed by conference championship games, bowl games, and the College Football Playoff.
NFL Season
The NFL season typically begins in early September and runs through late December, with the playoffs extending into January and the Super Bowl in early February. The key dates for the 2024 NFL season are:
- Week 1: September 5, 2024 (Thursday)
- Week 17: December 29, 2024
- Super Bowl: February 2, 2025
The NFL regular season consists of 17 weeks, with each team playing 16 games. The playoffs then feature 14 teams, with the Super Bowl championship game played in early February.In summary, football season is generally considered to start in late August for high school and college, and in early September for the NFL. The seasons run through late November or early December for high school and college, and late December for the NFL, with the professional playoffs and championship game extending into the new year.
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