The Big 33 Football Classic is an all-star American football game featuring the top high-school football players in Pennsylvania. Played since 1958, the game is often described as the "Super Bowl of High School Football."https://www.marylandfootballcoachesassociation.com/https-www-marylandfootballcoachesassociation-com-the-big-33-all-star-game-big-33big-33-newn-31-27-thriller/
History Contests currently pit players from Pennsylvania against players from Maryland, but opponents in the past have also included players from Ohio and Texas. While most earlier games were held at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the game is now played at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg.
No Super Bowl has ever been contested without a Big 33 alumnus.https://big33.org/the-game/alumni/super-bowl/
Roster makeup While the game was originally played with the best 33 players in each state (hence its name), the organizers added a 34th player to give kickers a chance to be separate of the 33 count as to give one more non-kicker a chance to be named to the Big 33. Thus, there are 34 players from each state who are invited to play in this game on the original roster. If there are players that are selected are unable to play, the staff of the team and the Big 33 will select other players to fill their places on the roster.
Historical notes In 2006, the game was moved from mid-to-late July to mid-to-late June due to the NCAA rule changes that made some coaches prohibit many players from these teams from playing in the game due to the closeness of the upcoming summer practices.
In October 2012, it was announced that Pennsylvania had dropped Ohio from the Big 33 game and replaced them with Maryland.
+ Big 33 matchups by year Home Visitor Years Pennsylvania Maryland 1985–92, 2013–present Pennsylvania Ohio 1972–76, 1993–2012 Pennsylvania Texas 1964–67 Pennsylvania Blue Pennsylvania Gray 1963 East Pennsylvania West Pennsylvania 1961–62, 1968–71, 1977–84 Pennsylvania Nation 1957–60
Game-related activities A wide variety of activities take place on the weekend of the game, typically in June or July. These activities include cheerleading exhibitions, scholarship presentations, youth clinics, and visits by the players to local hospitals, the Boys & Girls Club and other charities. Over $2 million in academic scholarships have been awarded as a result of the game and its sponsors. Each team has its own host families who host a player. The Ohio players arrive in Hershey and meet their host families Friday night (one week and a day before the game) and the Pennsylvania players arrive in Hershey and meet their host families on Saturday at the kickoff picnic that includes the host families and cheerleaders. The players visit hospitals and receive a "Buddy". Many of the players keep ties with their host families while in college and throughout their careers and the event is a very family-like event.
Notable alumni
YearNamePositionNotes1957Herb AdderleyCB3× Super Bowl Champion (I, II, VI) Pro Football Hall of Fame (1980)1961Joe NamathQBSuper Bowl champion (III) Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (1985)1973Tony DorsettRBSuper Bowl Champion XII Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee (1994)1974Joe MontanaQB4× Super Bowl champion (XVI, XIX, XXIII, XXIV) Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee (2000)1978Jim KellyQBPro Football Hall of Fame Inductee (2002)Dan MarinoQB1984 NFL MVP (AP, PFWA, NEA, SN, MX) Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (2005)1987Ricky WattersRBSuper Bowl champion (XXIX)Kerry CollinsQB2× Pro Bowl (1996, 2008)Marvin HarrisonWRSuper Bowl champion (XLI) 3× First-team All-Pro (1999, 2002, 2006) 5× Second-team All-Pro (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005)Curtis MartinRBPro Football Hall of Fame (2012)1993Jim FitzgeraldRB/FBTy LawCB2× All-Pro (1998, 2003)Orlando PaceOTSuper Bowl champion (XXXIV) 5× All-Pro (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004)1995Darnell DinkinsTESuper Bowl Champion (XLIV)1997LaVar ArringtonLB3× Pro Bowl (2001, 2002, 2003) 3× All-Pro (2001, 2002, 2003)Kyle BradyTEZach StriefOTSuper Bowl Champion (XLIV)Bob SandersSSSuper Bowl champion (XLI) AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2007)
2× First-team All-Pro (2005, 2007)Brett VeachWRKansas City Chiefs Scout1999Robb ButlerDB2000Ben RoethlisbergerQB2× Super Bowl Champion (XL, XLIII) NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (AP, Diet Pepsi, PFWA, SN) (2004)Marlin JacksonCB/SSuper Bowl champion (XLI)Anthony GonzalezWR2004Javon RingerRBBrian HoyerQBTed Ginn Jr.WRDarrelle RevisDBHaruki NakamuraWR2005Alex BooneG2005Brian HartlineWR2005Mario ManninghamWRSuper Bowl Champion (XLVI)2005Zoltán MeskóK2005Brian RobiskieWR2005Austin SpitlerLB2005Tyrell SuttonRB2005Matt TennantCJon BaldwinWRJason PinkstonG2009Fitzgerald ToussaintRB2009Micah HydeRB2010Greg ManczLT2011Joel Heath DE2012Tyrique JarrettDL2022Abdul CarterDE
See also Gatorade Player of the Year awards USA Today All-USA high school football team
References
External links Official website