Southern Utah University hosted the Utah High School Activities Association and Special Olympics Utah state football championships at Eccles Coliseum on Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, 2026, following the expansion of the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games into football programming that began in June 2025.
High School Championship Matchups
The championship schedule for Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, included matchups for four of the smallest high school classes. The scheduled games were: No. 1 Morgan versus No. 3 Logan at 10 a.m. for the 3A class; No. 1 San Juan versus No. 2 Delta at 1 p.m. for the 2A class; No. 1 Rich versus No. 2 Milford at 4 p.m. for the 1A 8-player class; and No. 1 Duchesne versus No. 3 Beaver at 7 p.m. for the 1A class.
Special Olympics Flag Football
The Special Olympics Utah Southern Utah Unified Flag Football Championship, presented by the Las Vegas Raiders, took place on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. This event marked the inaugural hosting of Unified Flag Football on the SUU campus and featured teams from across southern and central Utah. The tournament began at 9:30 a.m. at Eccles Coliseum and continued until mid-afternoon.
Summer Games Football Origins
The inclusion of football in the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games began during the 2025 program year, marking the first time the Games included any form of football. The initial 7-on-7 tournament, presented by the Las Vegas Raiders, kicked off pool play on Monday, June 9, 2025, and featured 21 teams from three states, totaling 425 athletes and coaches.
Raiders Partnership
The Las Vegas Raiders served as the presenting sponsor for the 7-on-7 event and the Special Olympics Unified Flag Football Championship. According to the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games, the partnership with the NFL organization helped the Games enter the football market. SUU football staff also partnered with the Summer Games to officiate and coordinate the sports.
Institutional Mission
SUU Assistant Vice President for Sports and Destination Engagement Jon Oglesby stated that hosting these championships is an honor and serves the institutional mission of providing venues for rural and southern Utah to experience opportunity and success.
Future Games Registration
Registration for the 2027 Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games is scheduled to open on Tuesday, Dec. 1, according to the organization's website.
