The 2016 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff Begins Friday, August 26

• Three Days, Ten Games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU
• 35 Ranked Players in the ESPN 300
• Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC Commits to Participate
• 10 States Represented, Including Six 2015 State Champions

The 2016 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff will conclude Summer of Next, taking place on August 26, 27, and 28. The 10-game slate on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will feature 35 players ranked in the ESPN 300, including No. 6 Dylan Moses (IMG Academy, Fla.), and commitments from Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC. Additionally, the Kickoff will feature teams from 10 states, including six 2015 state champions. The 2016 GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff preludes the GEICO ESPN 2016 High School Football Showcase.

2016 ESPN GEICO High School Football Kickoff Schedule
Notes: All times are ET. Player rankings from ESPN 300 (Seniors in the Class of 2017)

Friday, August 26
Hillsboro (TN) vs. Oakland (TN)
8 p.m. on ESPNU from Ray Hughes Stadium, Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

• Oakland was a semifinalist (6A D1) and Hillsboro was a quarterfinalist (5A D1) in 2015 TSSAA playoffs
• Oakland ATH JaCoby Stevens is the No. 24 ranked player in the country
• This game is a rematch of a 2015 regular season game after Oakland defeated Hillsboro 36-28

Basha (AZ) vs. Pinnacle (AZ)
11 p.m. on ESPNU from Pinnacle High School in Phoenix, Ariz.

• Basha quarterback Ryan Kelley is the No. 94 ranked player in the country and the No. 5 DT QB
• Pinnacle boasts at least 8 D1 prospects in their 2017 class, and are led by Sophomore QB Spencer Rattler who has offers from UCLA, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and others

Saturday, August 27

Pine-Richland (PA) vs. St. Edward (OH)
Noon on ESPN from Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Ohio

• Edward finished #6 in the USA Today 2015 rankings after finishing 14-1 and winning the OHSAA D1 title
• Pine-Richland was a PIAA 4A state semifinalist who features junior QB Phil Jurkovec, a Notre Dame commit

Heritage (TX) vs. Lone Star (TX)
1:30 p.m. on ESPNU from The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas   

• Lone Star was 14-2 in 2015 and was the UIL 5A D2 state runner-up
• This game will be played at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, which is a first-of-its-kind venue shared by the Dallas Cowboys (practice facility and world headquarters) and Frisco Independent School District

Saguaro (AZ) vs. Valor Christian (CO)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN from Valor Stadium, Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo.

• Matchup between defending state champions from Arizona and Colorado
• Valor Christian has won the CHSAA 5A state title five of the past six years and is led by the No. 19 ranked player, QB Dylan McCaffrey, who is committed to Michigan and is the younger brother to Stanford RB and 2015 Heisman Trophy runner-up Christian McCaffrey
• Last year Saguaro won its third straight AIA D2 state title

St. John Bosco (CA) vs. St. Xavier (OH)
5 p.m. on ESPNU from Nippert Stadium at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio 

• John Bosco is the CIF Southern Section Pac 5 runner-up and were ranked No. 11 in the country last year
• John Bosco returns the No. 35 and 184 ranked players, OG Wyatt Davis (Ohio St.) and WR Terrell Bynum (Washington)
• Xavier is led by QB Sean Clifford, ranked No. 79 (Penn St.) and No. 102 OG Matt Bockhort (Clemson)

IMG Academy (FL) vs. Grayson (GA)
6 p.m. on ESPN2 from Grayson High School in Loganville, Ga.

• IMG Academy currently has twelve ranked ESPN 300 ranked players, including No. 5 Robert Beal, the No. 1 ranked DE in the country
• Grayson was a GHSA 6A semifinalist last year and currently has five ESPN 300 ranked players including No. 10 DeAngelo Gibbs, the No. 2 ranked ATH in the country 

American Heritage (FL) vs. Colquitt County (GA)
8 p.m. on ESPNU from Mack Tharpe Stadium in Moultrie, Ga.

• American Heritage is led up front by two OT’s, No. 43 Tedarrell Slaton and No. 106 Kai-Leon Herbert, as well as No. 249 CB Marco Wilson
• Colquitt County has won back-to-back GHSAA 6A state titles, finishing ranked #2 in the country according to USA Today at 15-0; they enter the season with a 30 game win streak

Bishop Gorman (NV) vs. Cedar Hill (TX)
9 p.m. on ESPN2 from Longhorn Stadium at Cedar Hill High School in Cedar Hill, Texas

• Bishop Gorman is the two-time repeating “National Champion,” ranked No. 1 by USA Today; they enter the season with a 39-game win streak
• No. 72 QB Tate Martell returns for Bishop Gorman, along with No. 112 DE Haskell Garrett, No. 151 CB Alex Perry and No. 208 S Bubba Bolden (USC)
• For Cedar Hill, No. 140 QB Avery Davis (Notre Dame) leads a talented team that looks to make another state finals appearance after missing out last year for the first time in the last four years

Sunday, August 28
Trinity Christian (FL) vs. Cocoa (FL)
2 p.m. on ESPN2 from Tiger Stadium at Cocoa High School in Cocoa, Fla.

• Trinity Christian Academy finished the 2015 season ranked No. 24 by USA Today with a 14-0 record and the FHSAA 3A State Title. They return with a talented senior class including No. 13 CB Shaun Wade (Ohio State) and No. 68 WR DJ Matthews (Florida State)
• Cocoa was an FHSAA 4A semifinalist and they return No. 286 ATH (QB) Bruce Judson

ESPN 300 Participants

Rank	Position	Player	High School	College Commitment*
No. 5	DE	Robert Beal	IMG Academy
No. 6	ATH	Dylan Moses	IMG Academy
No. 10	ATH	DeAngelo Gibbs	Grayson
No. 13	CB	Shaun Wade	Trinity Christian	Ohio State
No. 18	DE	Joshua Kaindoh	IMG Academy	Maryland
No. 19	QB	Dylan McCaffery	Valor Christian	Michigan
No. 24	ATH	JaCoby Stevens	Oakland
No. 35	OT	Wyatt Davis	St. John Bosco	Ohio State
No. 37	CB	Jamyest Williams	Grayson
No. 43	OT	Tedarrell Slaton	American Heritage
No. 48	S	Isaiah Pryor	IMG Academy	Ohio State
No. 49	QB	Kellen Mond	IMG Academy	Texas A&M
No. 53	OT	Tony Gray	Grayson
No. 57	S	Grant Delpit	IMG Academy
No. 68	WR	D.J. Matthews	Trinity Christian	Florida State
No. 72	QB	Tate Martell	Bishop Gorman	Ohio State
No. 79	QB	Sean Clifford	St. Xavier	Penn State
No. 80	OG	Robert Hainsey	IMG Academy
No. 89	OC	Cesar Ruiz	IMG Academy
No. 94	QB	Ryan Kelly	Basha	Arizona State
No. 102	OG	Matt Bockhorst	St. Xavier	Clemson
No. 106	OT	Kai-Leon Herbert	American Heritage
No. 112	DT	Haskell Garrett	Bishop Gorman	Ohio State
No. 122	ATH	Jordan Anthony	IMG Academy
No. 124	CB	Marcus Williamson	IMG Academy	Ohio State
No. 139	WR	Jhamon Ausbon	IMG Academy	LSU
No. 140	QB	Avery Davis	Cedar Hill	Notre Dame
No. 145	OLB	Breon Dixon	Grayson	Georgia
No. 151	CB	Alex Perry	Bishop Gorman
No. 184	WR	Terrell Bynum	St. John Bosco	Washington
No. 191	QB	Chase Brice	Grayson	Clemson
No. 208	S	Bubba Bolden	Bishop Gorman	USC
No. 246	TE	Tre’ McKitty	IMG Academy
No. 249	CB	Marco Wilson	American Heritage
No. 286	ATH	Bruce Judson	Cocoa

*Please note: No player has signed with a school
All ESPN 300 Rankings and Verbal Commitments are up-to-date as of June 30, 2016

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