BENSALEM, Pa. – These are strange times.
So, it comes as no surprise the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football rankings will have a different format and feel when they are released on Thursday, July 30 and then moving forward.
With the COVID-19 novel coronavirus reconstructing the landscape of high school sports, especially schoolboy football, we’ve decided that two Elite 25 football rankings are needed. We’ll explain but it starts with two seasons, including one playing at an unconventional time.
First, the original Elite 25 rankings featuring teams from 12 states will be featured in the preseason. That’s considered business as usual, but there’s a new wrinkle. That’s because some states and conferences have decided to play in the winter/spring over pandemic concerns. Earlier this week, Nevada and Washington Catholic Athletic Conference opted to push their gridiron seasons into 2021. Undoubtedly the recent uptick and the spread of the coronavirus made state association directors reconsider when the ball is teed up.
The WCAC and Nevada join Virginia, California, District of Columbia, New Mexico and Washington—all of whom decided to start in February or March. That could be a dilemma for some high-profile recruits, who would skip their senior seasons and enroll early in college. A few student-athletes have already announced they are forgoing that final season and get ready for the 2021 season. On July 29, Illinois said it would also play in the spring.
So, how does that affect the Elite 25? It’s complicated but here goes.
After careful thought, we release the Blue Star Media Elite 25 overall rankings. That will morph into the Fall Ball Elite 25 with 18 teams from the Elite 25 competing (starting in August) until early January when Texas’ two largest classifications (Class 6A and 5A) play for state titles. We’ll backfill the Elite 25 Fall vacancies starting after Labor Day with those teams that are currently in action. Texas’ four lower classes will start on time and finish before Christmas (that’s the UIL norm).
Then starts Spring Session 2021 with the aforementioned states and WCAC (plus any others that may decide after the Elite 25 are released this week). Depending on how many states are playing in late winter/spring, we’ll go with 12 or 15 teams until the close. Only then will an Elite 25 final rankings, melding the fall and spring rankings, get released. Figure sometime in mid-April. The High Five Regional rankings will remain intact in the fall but the Far West Region showing little or no movement because California, Nevada and Washington will play in springtime.
Things look grim but cheer up because Utah is starting as planned on Aug. 13 and 21 other states will kick later that month. Colorado, Delaware, Tennessee, North Carolina, Maryland, Hawaii and Illinois are undecided on start dates but are listed for either August or September.
Ultimately there will be one Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champion crowned. It all starts with the Blue Star Media Elite 25 preseason rankings that were released this week.
The high school football season will continue to be fluid. Blue Star Media will have the major updates. Follow us on Twitter @clawlor. Until July 30, stay safe! – Christopher Lawlor
