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Florida to host first H.S. football champions bowl series

When high school teams talk about winning a national championship, they are often referring to ending the season at the top of the national rankings. Rarely, if ever, do state champions face other state champions.

That all changes this December, as Florida, Washington and Utah will send teams to the inaugural Burger King State Champions Bowl Series. Florida agreed to host the series in October, but it took another month to get other states to sign on. The series was expected to be officially announced on Wednesday.

Six teams will play three games (one each) at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla., on Dec. 27. All three games will be televised on ESPNU.

(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)

It's a well-marketed event that is starting to receive some hype, but it should not be confused with a national championship series. Teams from several of the strongest football states, including Texas and Georgia, never considered participating.

Officials in California told Yahoo Sports in October that the series was being organized too late in the year. Even some schools in Washington have said that they will turn down the opportunity.

“I am sure it is a great event and a great situation, but we have already played two out-of-state games,” Bellevue, Wash., coach Butch Goncharoff told USA Today. “If we make it to the state championship, we will have played 14 games. It just seems like a lot to me."

Other coaches said it's a great opportunity and they are trying to make sure their players are cleared to start basketball and wrestling seasons without compromising their spot in the series.

With so many teams already traveling out of state for games during the regular season, it's hard to see what they will gain from participating in the bowl series. For some teams, it could come down to the bonuses attached, including monetary awards for the schools and apparel for the players.