The state football championships could be played a week later this year if Navy hosts the American Athletic Conference championship at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis on Dec. 3.
The state finals are scheduled to be played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for the first time after being moved from M&T Bank Stadium because the Ravens installed a natural grass field over the summer. The games are now set for Dec. 1, 2 and 3.
However, if Navy's football team, which is in first place in the West Division of the AAC, hosts the conference championship, the state finals would be moved to Dec. 8, 9 and 10. Advancing teams would have two weeks to prepare for the finals.
The Class 3A final would be played Thursday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. The Class 4A final would be Friday, Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. The Class 1A final would be Saturday, Dec. 10 at 3:30 p.m., followed by the 2A final at 7 p.m.
Andy Warner, executive director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, said after Navy's 42-40 win over Tulsa on Saturday that he started talking with Navy representatives, the state football committee and other MPSSAA officials about publicizing the contingency plan.
"Navy has two games left on their schedule and they hold the tiebreaker [to host the conference final] right now," Warner said, "so it was looking more and more like a possibility and with it being just two weeks out, we thought, 'Let's make sure everyone knows what the contingency plan is.'"
The MPSSAA has had to adjust the schedule for other state tournaments, including basketball and baseball, and having state finals at a college facility means adjustment will be necessary if the college team hosts a postseason game.
For more information about the state football playoffs, go to the MPSSAA web site.