2004: GHSA to Spend Thanksgiving Weekend at the Dome

October 23, 2003

At its State Executive Committee meeting earlier this month, the GHSA approved two football changes, in addition to reclassification, beginning with 2004. The most significant change is the overall varsity schedule. The season will end two weeks earlier than this year, with the state championship games played December 3-4.

Semifinal games at the Georgia Dome will be played November 26-27, the Friday and Saturday of Thanksgiving week. That should help the fans of those teams playing on Friday. Regular season will start August 20 and end October 30, with 10 games played during those 11 weeks. Practice will start July 19.

The other change involves Junior Varsity games. Beginning in 2004, JV games will feature 10-minute quarters. If there is an 8th grader on the JV team, then 8-minute quarters must be played (per NFHS rules).