The 55th annual TSSAA high school football championships will be held this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga. The 2023 BlueCross Bowl will feature 18 teams from schools of all sizes and all parts of the state.

Brackets and rosters for the 2023 finalists series can be found at TSSAAsports.com. Fans can purchase advance tickets online through the end of the day Wednesday for $12 each. Beginning on Thursday, digital tickets purchased online through GoFan will be $15 each. Tickets are $20 at the gate.

Purchase Tickets Online

Division II-AA Championship (Thu. 11AM EST): Boyd Buchanan vs. CPA
Division II-A Championship (Thu. 3PM EST): MTCS vs. Friendship Christian
Division II-AAA Championship (Thu. 7PM EST): McCallie vs. Baylor

Class 3A Championship (Fri. 11AM EST): Alcoa vs. East Nashville
Class 1A Championship (Fri. 3PM EST): South Pittsburg vs. McKenzie
Class 5A Championship (Fri. 7PM EST): Knoxville West vs. Page

Class 4A Championship (Sat. 11AM EST) Upperman vs. Pearl Cohn
Class 2A Championship (Sat. 3PM EST): East Robertson vs. Riverside
Class 6A Championship (Sat. 7PM EST): Oakland vs. Houston

The championship games will be carried on a statewide network of television outlets. Live audio play-by-play, live stats and NFHS Network video streams can also be found at TSSAAsports.com.

BlueCross Bowl Central

Parking at Finley Stadium will be $15 per day, cash only. Parking attendants will be stationed at each entrance of the North Lot (between Main St. and the stadium). Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. A Clear Bag Policy is in effect at the stadium and individual metal detection can be expected at Finley Stadium upon entry. Please see the Finley Stadium website for a complete list of stadium policies.

We would like to thank everyone for their support this season in ensuring that our school events unfold in an atmosphere of mutual respect and cordiality. The spirit of good sportsmanship is the backbone of any great sporting event and fans can greatly enhance the overall experience, bringing out the best in the athletes and reflecting the values that each community holds dear. Remember that the competition on the field is not meant to extend to the stands. Reacting to plays with positivity, applauding good effort on both sides, and discouraging any form of intentional disruptions or misbehavior, goes a long way in promoting an welcoming and enjoyable environment for everyone.

Championship Notes

  • Oakland, CPA, McKenzie, Page and East Nashville are all in the BlueCross Bowl for their third consecutive season.
  • Houston, Upperman and MTCS are each making their first appearance in the TSSAA state finals.
  • Eleven teams (Alcoa, Baylor, CPA, East Nashville, Friendship Christian, Knoxville West, McKenzie, Oakland, Page, Pearl Cohn, Riverside) were state finalists in 2022.
  • Boyd Buchanan and CPA meet for the fifth time in the state playoffs and second time in the state championship game. The previous title bout was fought on Dec. 6, 2002 and saw CPA emerge victorious in a 26-20 contest. A win on Thursday for Boyd Buchanan would be the school's first ever victory over CPA in the state playoffs.
  • Middle Tennessee Christian and Friendship Christian's only other meeting in the state playoffs was in 2017. Friendship Christian won the state quarterfinal game, 48-6.
  • McCallie and Baylor meet for the first time in the state championship game, and third time in the playoffs. Each previous playoff meeting has taken place in the quarterfinals. Baylor carries a 2-1 playoff series edge into this season's state finals contest. McCallie's only playoff win over Baylor came in Nov. 22, 1974, film of which can be viewed on YouTube.
  • Alcoa and East Nashville meet in the state finals for the third consecutive season. Alcoa dispatched East Nashville in both previous contests, scoring precisely 45 points in each game.
  • South Pittsburg and McKenzie have met two prior times in the state finals, most recently in 2021. South Pittsburg defeated McKenzie for the 2021 state championship (24-21) and in 2007 (52-20).
  • The Class 5A Championship game is a rematch of last season's final. Knoxville West defeated Page 47-13 to claim the 2022 title.
  • Saturday's championships are all first-time playoff meetings.
  • Alcoa has state finals appearances in 17 of the last 20 years, including 10 of the last 11.
  • Page, East Nashville, Riverside, Houston, Upperman and MTCS have never won a state football championship.