Ohio High School Football Playoffs: Division V Regional final Matchups, Predictions, Brackets - Nov. 17, 2025

The regional finals of the OHSAA football playoffs are set for Nov. 21, see matchups and predictions for Division V

Liberty Center head coach Casey Mohler looks on as his Tigers play in the 2023 Division V state championship game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. / Jeff Harwell, SBLive Sport

And just like that, we are down to the final eight teams in each divisions of the Ohio high school football, as the top two teams in each region compete in the regional finals on Friday, Nov. 21.

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

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

Ohio High School Football Playoffs: Division V Regional Semifinal 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 playoffs began on Oct. 31, with 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.

OHSAA Football Playoffs - Division V regional final Matchups and Predictions - Nov. 17, 2025

Region 17

No. 1 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (9-2) vs. No. 2 Girard (12-0) at Canfield South Range High School Rominger Athletic Complex

Region 18

No. 1 Liberty Center (12-0) vs. No. 3 Genoa Area (11-1) at Fostoria High School Memorial Stadium

Region 19

No. 1 Wheelersburg (12-0) vs. No. 3 Nelsonville-York (12-0) at Hamilton Township High School Alumni Stadium

Region 20

No. 2 Lewistown Indian Lake (10-2) vs. No. 8 Richwood North Union (9-4) at Marysville High School IMPACT Stadium

Predictions:

Girard over Cardinal Mooney
Liberty Center over Genoa Area
Wheelersburg over Nelsonville-York
Indian lake over North Union

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