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

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

Marion Local players dump water on head coach Tim Goodwin after winning the 2023 OHSAA Division VII 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 VII 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 VII.

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 VII state championship game on Friday, Dec. 5 at 10:30 a.m.

OHSAA Football Playoffs - Division VII Second Round Matchups and Predictions

Region 25

No. 8 Warren JFK (6-5) at No. 1 McDonald (10-0)

No. 7 East Canton (9-2) at No. 2 Fairport Harbor Fairport Harding (10-0)

No. 6 East Palestine (8-3) at No. 3 Mogadore (9-1)

No. 5 Malvern (7-4) at No. 4 Monroeville (8-2)

Predictions:

McDonald over Warren JFK
Fairport Harding over East Canton
Mogadore over East Palestine
Monroeville over Malvern

Region 26

No. 8 Edon (9-2) at No. 1 Lima Central Catholic (9-1)

No. 7 Pandora-Gilboa (8-3) at No. 2 North Baltimore (10-0)

No. 6 Sycamore Mohawk (9-2) at No. 3 Leipsic (9-1)

No. 5 Gibsonburg (8-3) at No. 4 Columbus Grove (7-3)

Predictions:

Lima Central Catholic over Edon
North Baltimore over Pandora-Gilboa
Leipsic over Mohawk
Gibsonburg over Columbus Grove

Region 27

No. 8 Bowerston Conotton Valley (8-3) at No. 1 Jeromesville Hillsdale (9-1)

No. 7 Strasburg-Franklin (8-3) at No. 2 Waterford (8-2)

No. 11 Danville (6-5) at No. 3 Lancaster Fisher Catholic (8-2)

No. 12 Glouster Trimble (7-4) at No. 4 Willow Wood Symmes Valley (8-2)

Predictions:

Hillsdale over Conotton Valley
Strasburg-Franklin over Waterford
Fisher Catholic over Danville
Symmes Valley over Trimble

Region 28

No. 8 Sidney Lehman Catholic (10-1) at No. 1 Maria Stein Marion Local (10-0)

No. 10 New Bremen (7-4) at No. 2 St. Henry (9-1)

No. 11 Cedarville (6-5) at No. 3 Cincinnati Country Day (9-1)

No. 12 Fort Recovery (6-5) at No. 4 Beaver Eastern (10-0)

Marion Local over Lehman Catholic
St. Henry over New Bremen
Country Day over Cedarville
Beaver Eastern over Fort Recovery

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