This season, the top-12 teams in each region will qualify for the playoffs, with the top four seeds getting a first-round bye. All games will be held at the higher-seeded team until the regional finals.
Here’s an early look at where area teams may play in next week’s football playoffs (NOTE: All rankings are unofficial final computer points are released by the OHSAA):
Division I
Middletown (8-2), Troy (8-2) and Springboro (7-3) all earned first-round byes, earning the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 seeds in D-I, Region 2, respectively.
No. 5 Springfield (6-4) will host No. 12 Marysville (5-5).
No. 6 Wayne (6-4) will host No. 11 Westland (5-5) and No. 10 Fairmont (5-5) will travel to No. 7 Lebanon (7-3).
Region 4 will see several Greater Miami Conference rematches.
No. 6 Lakota East (7-3) will host No. 11 Oak Hills (4-6). The Thunderhawks won the first matchup 14-7.
No. 7 Lakota West (6-4) will host No. 10 Hamilton (4-6). The Firebirds won the first game 38-6.
No. 8 Fairfield (5-5) will host No. 9 Mason (5-5). The Indians won the first matchup 14-13 in overtime.
Division II
In Region 8, No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (6-3) and No. 4 Xenia (8-2) each earned first-round byes.
No. 10 Butler (6-4) will travel to No. 7 Lima Senior (8-2) and No. 8 Piqua (6-4) will host No. 9 Withrow (8-2).
If Cin. Hughes (4-5) beats Cin. Aiken (5-4) on Saturday night, No. 12 Edgewood (4-6) will play at fifth-seeded La Salle (7-3). However, Aiken would leap frog Edgewood into the final playoff spot with a win over Hughes.
Division III
Unbeaten Tippecanoe (10-0) is the No. 2 seed in Region 12, while Badin (8-1) fell to the No. 3 seed after a 17-10 loss to Cincinnati McNicholas. Both earned first-round byes.
No. 6 Alter (7-3) hosts No. 11 Bellbrook (6-4) at a site to be determined and No. 7 Talawanda (9-1) hosts 10th-seeded Goshen (7-3).
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Division IV
Valley View (9-1) earned a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in Region 16.
No. 5 Clinton-Massie (9-1) will host No. 12 Cleves Taylor (6-4) and No. 6 Brookville (9-1) will host No. 11 Middletown Fenwick (6-4).
Kenton Ridge (13th), Urbana (14th) and Oakwood (15th) just fell short of a playoff berth.
Division V
Miami East (8-2) and Graham (8-2) each earned byes as the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively, in Region 20.
Defending regional champion No. 12 West Liberty-Salem (5-5) will travel to No. 5 Carlisle (8-2).
No. 10 Arcanum (7-3) will travel to Western Ohio Athletic Conference rival No. 7 Preble Shawnee (9-1). The Arrows beat the Trojans 49-13 in their Week 5 regular season matchup.
Ohio Heritage Conference South Division champion No. 9 Greeneview (7-3) will travel to No. 8 North Union (6-4).
Waynesville and Versailles just missed out on playoff berths.
Division VI
Undefeated Tri-Village (10-0), Northeastern (9-1) and Mechanicsburg (8-2) all earned byes as the top 3 seeds.
No. 12 Covington (5-5) will travel to No. 5 Coldwater (6-4). The Cavaliers are the defending D-VI state champions.
No. 6 Anna (7-3) hosts No. 11 Cincinnati Deer Park (5-5) and No. 10 Dayton Christian (6-4) travels to No. 7 Ironton Rock Hill (6-4).
Division VII
Four-time defending state champion and unbeaten Marion Local (10-0) is the top-seed in Region 28. The Flyers’ Midwest Athletic Conference rival St. Henry (9-2) is the No. 2 seed.
Another MAC school, No. 12 Fort Recovery (5-5), travels to fifth-seeded Cin. College Prep (8-2).
11th-seed Cedarville (5-5) will travel nearly two hours to play No. 6 Portsmouth Notre Dame (8-2).
Two more MAC schools also qualified for the Region 28 playoffs. No. 10 New Bremen (6-4) travels to No. 7 Ansonia (8-2) and No. 9 Minster (6-4) will play No. 8 Lehman Catholic (9-1).
2025 Postseason Schedule
Oct. 31 - Regional Playoffs First Round, hosted by higher seed
Nov. 7 - Regional Quarterfinals, hosted by higher seed
Nov. 14 - Regional Semifinals, hosted by higher seed
Nov. 21 - Regional Finals at neutral sites
Nov. 28 - State Semifinals at neutral sites
Dec. 4-6 - State Championships, Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Canton
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