Ohio High School Football Playoffs 2025: Division II Second Round Matchups, Predictions, Brackets

The second round of the OHSAA football playoffs are set for Nov. 7, see matchups and predictions for Division II

Archbishop Hoban running back Brayton Feister breaks the tackle of multiple defenders in a game against Frederick Douglass (Kentucky) on Aug. 19, 2023 / Jeff Harwell, High School on SI

The first round of the Ohio high school football playoffs are in the books, and now the top four teams in each region come off their bye week as the second round takes place on Friday, Nov. 7.

With that in mind, we at High School on SI Ohio have decided to post the matchups for each Division in each round, while also making predictions for each and every game.

Ohio High School Football Playoffs 2025: Division II First Round Matchups, Predictions, Brackets

As a reminder, the OHSAA has once again changed the format for the playoffs.

The change that was made by the Ohio High School Athletic Association for the postseason this year is a reduction in teams making the playoffs and we posted a story at the midway point of the season as to what the playoffs would look like at that point in Division II.

Starting in 2021, the OHSAA went to a format that saw the top 16 teams in each region qualify for postseason play. But starting in 2025, only 12 will make the playoffs with the top four seeds in each region earning a bye in the first round.

Also, the first three rounds of the postseason will be hosted by the higher seeded team instead of the first two rounds. 

With the top four teams earning a bye, the first-round games will be the following:

• No. 12 at No. 5
  No. 11 at No. 6
  No. 10 at No. 7
  No. 9 at No. 8

In round two, the No. 1 seed will host the winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9, the No. 2 seed will host the winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10, the No. 3 seed will host the winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11, and the No. 4 seed will host the winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12. 

As has been the case over the last several years, all playoff games until the state championships will be played on Friday night.

The second round (or regional quarterfinals) will be played on Nov. 7, the regional semifinals on Nov. 14, the regional finals on Nov. 21 and the state semifinals on Nov. 28. The regional finals and state semifinals will all be held at neutral sites as determined by the OHSAA.

The state championship games will once again be at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton from Dec. 4-6, with the Division II state championship game on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7:00 p.m.

OHSAA Football Playoffs - Division II Second Round Matchups and Predictions

Region 5

No. 9 Youngstown Boardman (6-5) at No. 1 Akron Archbishop Hoban (8-1)

No. 7 Macedonia Nordonia (8-3) at No. 2 Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit (8-1)

No. 11 Uniontown Green (6-5) at No. 3 Austintown Fitch (8-1)

No. 5 Hudson (9-2) at No. 4 Uniontown Lake (7-3)

Predictions:

Hoban over Boardman
Walsh over Nordonia
Austintown Fitch over Green
Hudson over Lake

Region 6

No. 8 Brecksville-Broadview Heights (7-4) at No. 1 Medina Highland (10-0)

No. 7 Toledo St. Francis de Sales (7-4) at No. 2 Wadsworth (10-0)

No. 6 Olmsted Falls (7-4) at No. 3 Avon (9-1)

No. 5 Whitehouse Anthony Wayne (7-4) at No. 4 North Ridgeville (9-1)

Predictions:

Highland over Brecksville-Broadview Heights
Wadsworth over St. Francis de Sales
Avon over Olmsted Falls
North Ridgeville over Anthony Wayne

Region 7

No. 8 Columbus Walnut Ridge (8-3) at No. 1 Sunbury Big Walnut (9-1)

No. 7 Ashland (10-1) at No. 2 Columbus St. Francis DeSales (8-2)

No. 6 North Canton Hoover (9-2) at No. 3 Massillon Washington (7-3)

No. 5 Westerville South (9-2) at No. 4 Canal Winchester (9-1)

Predictions:

Big Walnut over Walnut Ridge
Ashland over St. Francis DeSales
Massillon over Hoover
Canal Winchester over Westerville South

Region 8

No. 8 Cincinnati Withrow (9-2) at No. 1 Cincinnati Anderson (10-0)

No. 7 Harrison (8-3) at No. 2 Kings Mills Kings (9-1)

No. 6 Lima Senior (9-2) at No. 3 Trotwood-Madison (6-3)

No. 5 Cincinnati La Salle (8-3) at No. 4 Xenia (8-2)

Predictions:

Anderson over Withrow
Kings over Harrison
Trotwood-Madison over Lima Senior
La Salle over Xenia

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