Through the Years: Football 1975-2015

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

August 9, 2016

Another football season kicked off Monday with first practices across the state, so it's a perfect time to take a look back at what is annually our most attended MHSAA tournament series. 

High schools in this state have played football for more than a century. The first MHSAA champions were awarded in 1975, and the playoffs have continued to evolve to now recognize a total of nine champions over two formats, 11 and 8-player.

This feature is from the spring issue of benchmarks, built and written by Rob Kaminski. Scroll to the bottom of the page for a link to our previous installments. We'll continue to look at more MHSAA postseason events every Tuesday and Friday this fall.

Previous installments 

August 5: Girls Volleyball - Read
August 2:
Boys Soccer - Read
July 30:
Boys Cross Country - Read
July 26:
Girls Cross Country - Read
July 22:
Boys/Girls Lacrosse - Read
July 19:
Boys/Girls Tennis - Read
July 15:
Boys/Girls Golf - Read
July 12:
Girls Soccer - Read
July 8:
Boys Track & Field - Read
July 5:
Girls Track & Field - Read
July 1: Baseball - Read
June 28: Softball - Read

Be the Referee: 11-Player Finals Replay

By Paige Winne
MHSAA Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

November 26, 2024

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – 11-Player Finals Replay - Listen

During the 11-Player Football Finals, coaches will have the ability to challenge plays. But there are some limitations to what they can challenge.

First, a team must have a timeout available and call it to initiate a review.

Second, there are a limited number of items that can be reviewed. Those include catch or no catch. Ball carrier in or out of bounds. Forwards or backwards pass. And a handful of others.

If successful, the coach will be given back the timeout.

In overtime, coaches can challenge once, no matter how many overtime periods are played – and only if they have a timeout.

All potential scoring and turnover plays will continue to be automatically reviewed.

Previous 2024-25 Editions

Nov. 19: 8-Player vs. 11-Player Football - Listen
Nov. 12: Back Row Setter - Listen
Nov. 5: Football OT - Listen
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call"
- Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18:
 Libero - Listen
Sept. 10:
 Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen