COLUMBUS — The Ohio High School Athletic Association state football championship games return to Ohio Stadium this week with seven state title games over a three-day span.

Ohio Stadium hosted 47 OHSAA playoff games from 1972-1989 with 37 of those being state championship games.

When natural grass was installed in Ohio Stadium in 1990, the OHSAA was asked to move its football state championships to another location. The OHSAA found a home in Stark County, with Canton Fawcett Stadium and Massillon Paul Brown Tiger Stadium sharing the state championship games for the last 24 years.

When FieldTurf was installed in Ohio Stadium in 2008, the conversation began to have the games return to the famous “Horseshoe” stadium.

The OHSAA state championship games in 2014 and 2015 will be hosted in Ohio Stadium. The location of the finals after 2015 has not yet been determined.

State Championships Tickets

Single-Game Tickets: Purchase at one of the participating schools for $10, at Gate 5 of Ohio Stadium before the game, or online at:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/Ohsaa-Boys-State-Football-Finals-tickets/artist/1979202?tm_link=seo_bc_name

All-session ticket packages for the state championship games in Ohio Stadium went on sale last summer and are available from the Greater Columbus Sports Commission (www.ColumbusSports.org) and TicketMaster.com. A $105 all-session ticket package includes a ticket to all seven games in a chair-back seat and access to the Huntington Club in the stadium between games. An $84 all-session ticket is available without a chair back or access between games. Single-session tickets will go on sale November 30.

State Championships Schedule

Home Team Listed First

Thursday, Dec. 4

7:30 p.m. – Division III: Athens (14-0) vs. Toledo Central Catholic (12-2)

Friday, Dec. 5

10 a.m. – Division IV: Cleveland Benedictine (13-1) vs. Kettering Archbishop Alter (14-0)

3 p.m. – Division VI: Kirtland (14-0) vs. Minster (11-3)

8 p.m. – Division II: Macedeonia Nordonia (14-0) vs. Cincinnati LaSalle (13-1)

Saturday, Dec. 6

10 a.m. – Division VII: Norwalk St. Paul (13-1) vs. Maria Stein Marion Local (14-0)

3 p.m. – Division I: Huber Heights Wayne (13-1) vs. Lakewood St. Edward (12-2)

8 p.m. – Division V: Canton Central Catholic (14-0) vs. Coldwater (12-1)