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

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

Kirtland football coach Tiger LaVerde meets with his team during the 2023 state championship game. / Jeff Harwell, High School on S

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 VI 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 VI.

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 playoff qualifiers and first round matchups will be announced on Sunday, Oct. 26 with the first round being played on Friday, Oct. 31. 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 VI state championship game on Friday, Dec. 5 at 3:00 p.m.

OHSAA Football Playoffs - Division VI Second Round Matchups and Predictions

Region 21

No. 8 Wickliffe (9-2) at No. 1 Kirtland (10-0)

No. 7 Sugarcreek Garaway (8-2) at No. 2 Columbiana Crestview (10-0)

No. 6 Dalton (8-3) at No. 3 Columbia Station Columbia (9-1)

No. 5 Smithville (9-2) at No. 4 Hanoverton United (9-1)

Predictions:

Kirtland over Wickliffe
Crestview over Garaway
Daltron over Columbia
Smithville over United

Region 22

No. 9 Carey (7-4) at No. 1 Castalia Margaretta (9-1)

No. 10 Collins Western Reserve (9-2) at No. 2 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (9-1)

No. 6 Attica Seneca East (8-3) at No. 3 Archbold (8-2)

No. 5 Sherwood Fairview (10-1) at No. 4 Paulding (10-0)

Predictions:

Margaretta over Carey
Hopewell-Loudon over Western Reserve
Archbold over Seneca East
Paulding over Fairview

Region 23

No. 9 West Lafayette Ridgewood (9-2) at No. 1 Centerburg (9-1)

No. 10 Caldwell (8-3) at No. 2 Beverly Fort Frye (8-1)

No. 6 Toronto (10-1) at No. 3 West Jefferson (9-1)

No. 5 North Robinson Colonel Crawford (10-1) at No. 4 Mount Gilead (9-1)

Predictions:

Centerburg over Ridgewood
Fort Frye over Caldwell
West Jefferson over Toronto
Colonel Crawford over Mount Gilead

Region 24

No. 9 Portsmouth West (6-5) at No. 1 New Madison Tri-Village (10-0)

No. 7 Ironton Rock Hill (7-4) at No. 2 Springfield Northeastern (9-1)

No. 6 Anna (8-3) at No. 3 Mechanicsburg (8-2)

No. 5 Coldwater (7-4) at No. 4 St. Bernard Elmwood Place (9-1)

Predictions:

Tri-Village over Portsmouth West
Northeastern over Rock Hill
Anna over Mechanicsburg
Coldwater over Elmwood Place

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