OHSAA Announces Changes to Football Playoff Format

Top 12 teams in each region will qualify for playoffs; first three rounds will be hosted by higher-seeded teams

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Several significant changes highlight the 2025 Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoff regulations that were approved Thursday by the OHSAA Board of Directors. The number of qualifiers per region will be 12 instead of 16, with the top four seeds in each region earning a first-round bye. In addition, the first three rounds of the postseason will be hosted by the higher seeded team instead of the first two rounds.

From 1999 through 2019, eight schools per region qualified for the playoffs, which was a five-week tournament. In early 2020, the OHSAA approved a proposal from the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association to expand to 12 qualifiers per region, which added a week to the postseason. Shortly after that, the Covid-19 pandemic greatly affected high school sports, and the OHSAA allowed every school to participate in the 2020 playoffs since schools played a varying number of games. The positive feedback from schools that season prompted the OHSAA to expand from 12 to 16 qualifiers per region from 2021-24.

“For the last few years, we have been pleased that more schools experienced the football playoffs, and there were some lower seeds that won playoff games,” said Doug Ute, OHSAA Executive Director. “But over the last year, we have received feedback from our schools, with a slight majority favoring 12 qualifiers per region, and we had many conversations with stakeholders around the state that led us to make this proposal to our board. We appreciate the feedback we received and will continue to gather comments moving forward. Like we do with all of our sports, we want to make sure the student-athletes are our No. 1 priority.”

With the top four seeds in each region receiving a first-round bye, the first-round parings include the No. 12 seed playing at the No. 5 seed, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 and No. 8. In the second round, the No. 1 seed will host the winner of No. 12 vs. No. 5, the No. 2 seed will host the winner of No. 11 vs. No. 6, the No. 3 seed will host the winner of No. 10 vs. No. 7, and the No. 4 seed will host the winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9.

There are no changes to the 2025 divisional breakdowns and regional assignments announced by the OHSAA on May 1. The 2025 divisions and regions are posted at: https://www.ohsaa.org/Sports-Tournaments/Football/Football-2025

2025 OHSAA Football – Report Showing All Schools (706)

2025 OHSAA Football Divisional Breakdowns

Division Adjusted Enrollment Number of Teams

I 592 and more 72

II 378 to 591 104

III 268 to 377 107

IV 202 to 267 105

V 157 to 201 106

VI 112 to 156 106

VII 111 and less 106

Total Teams 706

2025 OHSAA Football Calendar

Summer Period: May 12 through July 31 (13 practices permitted, plus five days for acclimation)

Practice Begins – August 1

Regular-Season Begins – Week of August 18 (first Friday is August 22)

Regular-Season Ends – Saturday, October 25

Playoff Qualifiers Announced – Sunday, October 26

Regional First Round – Friday, October 31

Regional Quarterfinals - Friday, November 7

Regional Semifinals – Friday, November 14

Regional Finals (at neutral sites) – Friday, November 21

State Semifinals (at neutral sites) – Friday, November 28

State Championships – December 4-6, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton

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