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

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

The Liberty Center student section cheers on their team during the 2023 Division V football state championship game. / 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 V 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 V.

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 V state championship game on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

NOTE: Defending Division V state champion Ironton was ruled ineligible for the postseason on Friday, Oct. 24 due to recruiting violations, according to the OHSAA. The Tigers would have been the No. 3 seed in Region 19.

OHSAA Football Playoffs - Division V Second Round Matchups and Predictions

Region 17

No. 8 Canfield South Range (7-4) at No. 1 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (7-2)

No. 7 Akron Manchester (8-3) at No. 2 Girard (10-0)

No. 6 Youngstown Liberty (9-2) at No. 3 Poland Seminary (8-2)

No. 5 St. Clairsville (8-3) at No. 4 Garrettsville Garfield (8-2)

Predictions:

• Cardinal Mooney over South Range
  Girard over Manchester
  Liberty over Poland Seminary
  Garfield over St. Clairsville

Region 18

No. 9 Oak Harbor (9-2) at No. 1 Liberty Center (10-0)

No. 7 Fairview Park Fairview (9-2) at No. 2 Wooster Triway (9-1)

No. 11 Port Clinton (7-4) at No. 3 Genoa Area (9-1)

No. 5 Findlay Liberty-Benton (11-0) at No. 4 Creston Norwayne (8-2)

Predictions:

• Liberty Center over Oak Harbor
  Triway over Fairview
  Genoa Area over Port Clinton
  Liberty-Benton over Norwayne

Region 19

No. 9 McConnelsville Morgan (8-3) at No. 1 Wheelersburg (10-0)

No. 10 Chillicothe Zane Trace (9-2) at No. 2 Gahanna Columbus Academy (8-2)

No. 11 Belmont Union Local (8-3) at No. 3 Nelsonville-York (10-0)

No. 5 Portsmouth (8-3) at No. 4 Barnesville (8-2)

Predictions:

• Wheelersburg over Morgan
  Zane Trace over Columbus Academy
  Nelsonville-York over Union Local
  Barnesville over Portsmouth

Region 20

No. 8 Richwood North Union (7-4) at No. 1 Williamsburg (10-0)

No. 7 Camden Preble Shawnee (10-1) at No. 2 Lewistown Indian Lake (8-2)

No. 11 Cincinnati Mariemont (7-4) at No. 3 Casstown Miami East (9-1)

No. 5 Carlisle (9-2) at No. 4 St. Paris Graham (8-2)

Predictions:

Williamsburg over North Union
Indian Lake over Preble Shawnee
Miami East over Mariemont
St. Paris Graham over Carlisle

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