Welcome back to another thrilling episode of The Meat Grinder, your weekly dose of High School Football in Connecticut.

And, because we live in the great state of Connecticut and because we're fast approaching the last Thursday in November AND because we love high school football, you should know what this episode is all about.

Yes, turkeys, it's Thanksgiving Football Week in Connecticut, the final regular season game of the year. It's a time to come home home, get the gang together and head out to your favorite high school football game, whatever it might be called — The Air and Speed Bowl, the Olde Canal Cup, the Turkey Bowl, the Green Bowl, the Elm City Bowl, The Battle for the Bell or the Battle for the Sword... whatever. There's always something to whet your football appetite during Thanksgiving in the Nutmeg State — especially this year, with no NFL games to really care about (sigh).

And, of course Thanksgiving week means copious amount of playoff math, which begets playoff scenarios. Thankfully, its not too hard this year, what with 33 of 48 teams qualified heading into the grand regular season finale. Still, we'll do our best to break it down for you.

Because time is precious and short, Thanksgiving Week also means our annual hybrid episode, combining the Meat Grinder with the weekly Pick'ems Podcast!

Join host Sean Patrick Bowley, alongside staffers Dave Stewart, currently in first place, and Scott Ericson, currently fending off the 8-Ball below, as we pick 20 — Twenty! — key high school football games.

So if you're not one of the lucky contestants playing this week, pull up a chair, kick back and relax. We've got everything you need to know, and then some.

Happy Thanksgiving Football 2024 to all. We do hope you will join us.

RUNDOWN

0:00 — Introduction: It's that time of year again!

2:35 — East Hartford, East Haven pull off stunners.

5:58 — The latest GameTimeCT Top 10 Football Poll

8:00 — The CIAC Playoff Formula — a refresher.

8:57 — Class LL playoff breakdown

10:29 — Class L playoff breakdown

11:48 — Class MM playoff breakdown

13:19 — Class M playoff breakdown

14:51 — Class SS playoff breakdown

16:11 — Class S playoff breakdown

17:35 — The Thanksgiving Pick 'ems Podcast!

21:22 — H-K at Valley Regional/Old Lyme

22:57 — Newington at Wethersfield

25:44 — NWC at East Catholic

27:48 — ATI at NW United

30:23 — West Haven at Fairfield Prep

33:26 — Newtown at Masuk

35:47 — Bristol Easter vs. Bristol Central

38:14 — Maloney vs. Platt

41:02 — New London at NFA

43:15 — Ledyard at Fitch

45:36 — New Canaan at Darien

48:56 — Greenwich at Staples

51:11 — Trumbull at St. Joseph

53:41 — Ansonia at Naugatuck

56:03 — Harding at Bridgeport Central

57:44 — Southington at Cheshire

59:30 — Lyman Hall at Sheehan

1:01:07 — Notre Dame-West Haven at Hamden

1:03:40 — Wilbur Cross at Hillhouse

1:05:14 — Bunnell at Stratford

1:07:16 — Wrapping up

#cthsfb #connecticut #highschoolfootball #hsfootball

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