NRG Stadium in Houston to host UIL football title games
The UIL said Monday that the 2015 football state championship games would be played here at NRG Stadium.
All 11-man UIL football games will be played Dec. 17-19 at NRG Stadium. Houston last hosted the UIL football championship games for Class 5A (now 6A) in 2008 at the same facility, formerly named Reliant Stadium.
The announcement was made at the Texas High School Coaches Convention.
“NRG is a phenomenal facility,” UIL deputy director Jamey Harrison said. “It’s a world class facility we believe will offer a world class state championship experience that all our schools have come to expect.”
AT&T Stadium had served as the site since 2011, but the NFL scheduled a Dallas Cowboys home game at 7:25 p.m. on Dec. 19. The Alamodome in San Antonio had also bid for the 2015 games.
“Bringing the UIL football championships back to NRG is something we’re worked real hard for,” said Kevin Hoffman, executive director of Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. “High school football is huge. It’s going to be a great opportunity for our student-athletes. It’s going to be a great opportunity for our community.”
NRG will use artificial turf for the high school games, as is done for college games. The NFL’s Houston Texans play on grass at NRG, which is stored and maintained at the Astrodome.
“The UIL football state championships are truly a marquee event with a legion of fans dedicated to the best football in Texas,” UIL executive director Charles Breithaupt said. “The League looks forward to bringing the football finals to Houston’s NRG Stadium for a great championship experience.”
The 2015 football state championships will mark the fifth year all 11-man championship football games will be played at one pre-determined location. The UIL has determined the site for the largest class football state championship games since 2006.
“We are only talking about 2015 at the current moment,” Harrison added. “The football championships are an ongoing discussion.”
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UIL Football State Championship Schedule
NRG Stadium, Houston
Dec. 17
Class 2A Division I – 10 a.m.
Class 2A Division II – 1 p.m.
Class 3A Division I – 5 p.m.
Class 3A Division II – 8 p.m.
Dec. 18
Class 4A Division I – noon
Class 4A Division II – 4 p.m.
Class 5A Division I – 8 p.m.
Dec. 19
Class 5A Division II – noon
Class 6A Division I – 4 p.m.
Class 6A Division II – 8 p.m.
This story was originally published July 20, 2015 at 4:48 PM with the headline "NRG Stadium in Houston to host UIL football title games."