What started out as a 192- team playoff field is now just 12 teams as the Alabama High School Athletic Association prepares for the Super 6 state football championships at Birmingham's Legion Field.

The championship event kicks off on Thursday afternoon with defending Class 3A state champion Cordova (11-3) taking on Leeds (14-0) at 3 p.m. The Class 4A finals are Thursday night at 7 with Cherokee County (14-0) meeting UMS-Wright (12-2).

Friday's schedule has Sweet Water (13-1), the 2007 state champs, going for the its fourth state title in the last five years in a 3 p.m. match-up with Speake (12-2). The Friday night game pits unbeaten Vigor (14-0) and Russellville (13-1) in the Class 5A title contest at 7.

Saturday's doubleheader gets underway at 11 a.m. with Class 2A defending champion Leroy (14-0) facing Sulligent (12-2), followed by the Class 6A clash between Prattville (12-1) and Hoover (13-1) at 3 p.m. Prattville has won the last two state crowns while Hoover has won five since 2000.

This year' playoffs mark the 25th year since the six-classification format was introduced in 1984. A four-class format was used during the first 20 years of the playoff that began in 1966. It is also the 13th year that all six championship games have been played at a neutral site, all games at Legion Field during this time except for four games in the 2004 season at the Hoover Met after Hurricane Katrina forced moving the season back one week.

The games will be telecast live by CSS Cable System and broadcast live via the AHSAA Radio Network.

Complete pairings at Legion Field:

THURSDAY, DEC. 4 Class 3A Leeds (14-0) vs. Cordova (11- 3), 3 p.m. Class 4A Cherokee County (14-0) vs. UMS-Wright (12-2), 7 p.m. FRIDAY, DEC. 5 Class 1A Sweet Water (13-1) vs. Speake (12-2), 3 p.m. McIntosh (7-2) at McKenzie (9-1) Class 5A Vigor (14-0) vs. Russellville (13-1), 7 p.m. SATURDAY, DEC. 6 Class 2A Leroy (14-0) vs. Sulligent (12-2), 11 a.m. Class 6A Hoover (13-1) vs. Prattville (12-1), 3 p.m.