ESPNU to Televise GEICO State Champions Bowl Series on Friday, December 23

FRISCO, Texas, Dec. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ESPNU will televise the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series on Friday, Dec. 23, at 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET, from Ford Center at The Star — the newly developed world corporate headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys in Frisco, Texas. The double-header will feature state champions from Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Utah in a premier high school football event.

GEICO State Champions Bowl Series Teams
Rankings are per USA Today (Dec. 12). State classification is represented (inside).

• Arizona: Chandler, AIA (6A) Champion
• Florida: St. Thomas Aquinas, FHSAA (7A) Champion
• Georgia: Valdosta, GHSA (6A) Champion
• Utah: Bingham, UHSAA (5A) Champion

GEICO State Champions Bowl Series Matchups:

Chandler (Ariz.) vs. Valdosta (Ga.)
6 p.m.
Shaun Aguano has already captured two Arizona state championships in only five seasons at Chandler. Alan Rodemaker has brought Valdosta back to prominence with a state title in his very first season as head coach; though it was the 24^th state championship for this storied program.

No. 11 Bingham (Utah) vs. No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.)
9:30 p.m.
There will be nine ESPN 300 ranked players from the 2017 and 2018 classes on the field when Bingham and St. Thomas Aquinas meet. A perfect season will be on the line for Bingham, while St. Thomas Aquinas will look to solidify a top five national ranking.

About GEICO State Champions Bowl Series Teams

Chandler High School (12-2)
Head Coach: Shaun Aguano
Players to Watch: WR Kolby Taylor (Oregon State), RB T.J. Green (Oregon State), WR Johnny Johnson III (Oregon)
In the Arizona 6A finals, Chandler redeemed a mid-season loss against undefeated Mountain Pointe to cap a 10-game winning streak and state championship title, their second in the past three seasons.

Valdosta (14-1)
Head Coach: Alan Rodemaker
Player to Watch: Zakoby McClain
With over 900 wins in school history and 24 state titles, Valdosta has won more games than any high school team in the nation, and was crowned "TitleTown USA" by ESPN's SportsCenter.

No. 11 Bingham High School (14-0)
Head Coach: John Lambourne
ESPN 300 (Class of 2017):

• No. 131 Jay Tufele (DT)
• No. 276 Langi Tuifua (DE)

Bingham is the only team to have participated in the State Champions Bowl Series previously; having lost a heart-breaking overtime game to Booker T. Washington, FL in 2014. They will look to keep their season perfect with a 15^th win to add to their state title, their sixth in eleven years. 

No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas High School (12-2)
Head Coach: Roger Harriott
ESPN 300 (Class of 2017):

• No. 33 Trevon Grimes (WR) Ohio State Verbal

ESPN 300 (Class of 2018):

• No. 46 Asante Samuel Jr. (CB)
• No. 53 Nikolas Bonitto (DE)
• No. 54 Al Blades Jr. (CB)
• No. 72 Elijah Moore (WR)
• No. 174 Sebastian Sainterling (OG)
• No. 221 Rocky Shelton (OLB)

St. Thomas Aquinas captured their 3rd consecutive 7A Florida state title and 10th overall.  They have outscored opponents 346-52 over their current 9-game winning streak.

The GEICO State Champions Bowl Series is produced in conjunction with Paragon Marketing Group.

For further information and ticket sales, visit www.geicobowlseries.com.

SOURCE GEICO