South Carolina High School Football Playoff Brackets 2026: First-Round Matchups and State Championship Schedule

The road to a South Carolina high school football state championship begins this week, with some of the state's most successful programs preparing for another postseason run.

The South Carolina High School League released its 2026 playoff brackets following the conclusion of the regular season, setting the stage for six state champions to be crowned Dec. 4-5 at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on the South Carolina State University campus in Orangeburg.

The postseason features a new championship structure, with Class 5A competing in a single bracket and Class 1A divided into two championship divisions.

Among the leading contenders are Northwestern and Dutch Fork, which earned the top two seeds in the Class 5A Upper State bracket. James Island holds the No. 1 seed in the Lower State, while Summerville, Dorman, Byrnes and Berkeley are also among the programs hoping to reach the championship game.

Class 4A features another loaded field, with Gaffney and Westside earning the top two seeds in the Upper State. Hilton Head Island leads the Lower State bracket.

In Class 3A, Wren and Camden earned the No. 1 regional seeds, while Mid-Carolina and Dillon lead the Class 2A championship race.

The opening round begins Friday, Nov. 6, although one Class 5A game between Fort Dorchester and Wando is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5.

Many of the top seeds received first-round byes and will begin their postseason runs Nov. 13.

Here is a classification-by-classification look at the 2026 South Carolina high school football playoff brackets, first-round matchups and state championship schedule.

Class 5A South Carolina High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 5A features several of South Carolina's premier football programs, but the championship race begins with two familiar names.

Northwestern and Dutch Fork earned the top two seeds in the Upper State bracket and received first-round byes.

Dorman and Byrnes also earned opening-round byes, creating the possibility of several heavyweight matchups later in the postseason.

In the Lower State, James Island holds the No. 1 seed, followed by Berkeley, Ridge View and Carolina Forest.

Among the most interesting opening-round matchups are Spartanburg at River Bluff, Blythewood at Summerville and Ashley Ridge at Sumter.

VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 5A PLAYOFF BRACKET

First-Round Matchups — Upper State

No. 9 Rock Hill at No. 8 Boiling Springs
No. 12 Spartanburg at No. 5 River Bluff
No. 10 Lexington at No. 7 Fort Mill
No. 11 Chapin at No. 6 Hillcrest

Upper State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 Northwestern
No. 2 Dutch Fork
No. 3 Byrnes
No. 4 Dorman

First-Round Matchups — Lower State

No. 9 Fort Dorchester at No. 8 Wando — Thursday, Nov. 5
No. 12 Blythewood at No. 5 Summerville
No. 10 Socastee at No. 7 Gray Collegiate
No. 11 Ashley Ridge at No. 6 Sumter

Lower State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 James Island
No. 2 Berkeley
No. 3 Ridge View
No. 4 Carolina Forest

The Class 5A state championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m.

Class 4A South Carolina High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 4A features several traditional powers chasing a state championship.

Gaffney earned the No. 1 seed in the Upper State, while Westside, South Pointe and T.L. Hanna also received first-round byes.

The Lower State bracket is led by Hilton Head Island, with Lugoff-Elgin, North Augusta and South Florence earning the other opening-round byes.

Among the top opening-round matchups are Greenwood at Indian Land, Greenville at Greer and South Aiken at Irmo.

VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 4A PLAYOFF BRACKET

First-Round Matchups — Upper State

No. 9 Fountain Inn at No. 8 Catawba Ridge
No. 12 Greenwood at No. 5 Indian Land
No. 10 Greenville at No. 7 Greer
No. 11 Clover at No. 6 Lancaster

Upper State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 Gaffney
No. 2 Westside
No. 3 South Pointe
No. 4 T.L. Hanna

First-Round Matchups — Lower State

No. 9 Dreher at No. 8 Wilson
No. 12 North Myrtle Beach at No. 5 Lucy Beckham
No. 10 May River at No. 7 Conway
No. 11 South Aiken at No. 6 Irmo

Lower State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 Hilton Head Island
No. 2 Lugoff-Elgin
No. 3 North Augusta
No. 4 South Florence

The Class 4A championship is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m.

Class 3A South Carolina High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 3A features several programs with championship pedigrees, including Daniel, Chapman, Oceanside Collegiate and Hartsville.

Wren earned the No. 1 seed in the Upper State, while Camden holds the top seed in the Lower State.

The Upper State bracket also includes Belton-Honea Path, Daniel and Chapman, all of which received first-round byes.

In the Lower State, Oceanside Collegiate, Hartsville and Bishop England also earned opening-round byes.

The first round features several intriguing matchups, including Emerald at Powdersville and Darlington at Loris.

VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 3A PLAYOFF BRACKETS

First-Round Matchups — Upper State

No. 9 Emerald at No. 8 Powdersville
No. 12 Southside at No. 5 Seneca
No. 10 Walhalla at No. 7 Pickens
No. 11 Palmetto at No. 6 Blue Ridge

Upper State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 Wren
No. 2 Daniel
No. 3 Chapman
No. 4 Belton-Honea Path

First-Round Matchups — Lower State

No. 9 Aynor at No. 8 Crestwood
No. 12 Darlington at No. 5 Loris
No. 10 Swansea at No. 7 Hanahan
No. 11 Atlantic Collegiate at No. 6 Gilbert

Lower State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 Camden
No. 2 Oceanside Collegiate
No. 3 Hartsville
No. 4 Bishop England

The Class 3A state championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5, at 4 p.m.

Class 2A South Carolina High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 2A features one of the largest opening-round fields in the state.

Mid-Carolina earned the No. 1 seed in the Upper State, while Dillon leads the Lower State bracket.

Southside Christian and Saluda also received first-round byes.

Unlike Classes 3A through 5A, Class 2A includes several first-round games involving teams seeded outside the top 12.

Among the opening-round matchups are Newberry at Keenan, Woodruff at Crescent, Silver Bluff at Strom Thurmond and Waccamaw at Marlboro County.

VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 2A PLAYOFF BRACKETS

First-Round Matchups — Upper State

No. 9 Mountain View Prep at No. 8 Chester
No. 12 Andrew Jackson at No. 5 St. Joseph's
No. 13 Newberry at No. 4 Keenan
No. 14 Woodruff at No. 3 Crescent
No. 11 Pendleton at No. 6 Chesnee
No. 10 Liberty at No. 7 Clinton

Upper State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 Mid-Carolina
No. 2 Southside Christian

First-Round Matchups — Lower State

No. 9 Manning at No. 8 Battery Creek
No. 12 Waccamaw at No. 5 Marlboro County
No. 13 Silver Bluff at No. 4 Strom Thurmond
No. 14 Academic Magnet at No. 3 Philip Simmons
No. 11 East Clarendon at No. 6 Woodland
No. 10 Lake Marion at No. 7 Orangeburg-Wilkinson

Lower State Teams Receiving Byes

No. 1 Dillon
No. 2 Saluda

The Class 2A state championship is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4, at 4 p.m.

Class 1A Division I South Carolina High School Football Playoff Bracket

South Carolina's Class 1A postseason is divided into two championship brackets in 2026.

Division I features several established small-school programs, including Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Abbeville, Fairfield Central and Hampton County.

Bamberg-Ehrhardt earned the No. 1 overall seed, while Central holds the No. 2 seed.

Unlike the larger classifications, most Division I teams received opening-round byes.

Only two games are scheduled for Nov. 6, with the remaining teams beginning postseason play Nov. 13.

VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 1A DIVISION I PLAYOFF BRACKETS

First-Round Matchups — Friday, Nov. 6

No. 17 Barnwell at No. 16 Edisto
No. 18 Andrews at No. 15 Marion

Second-Round Matchups — Friday, Nov. 13

Barnwell/Edisto winner at No. 1 Bamberg-Ehrhardt
No. 9 Latta at No. 8 Cheraw
No. 12 Blacksburg at No. 5 Carvers Bay
No. 13 Eau Claire at No. 4 Abbeville
Andrews/Marion winner at No. 2 Central
No. 10 Ninety Six at No. 7 Batesburg-Leesville
No. 14 Whale Branch at No. 3 Fairfield Central
No. 11 North Central at No. 6 Hampton County

The Class 1A Division I championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5, at noon.

Class 1A Division II South Carolina High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 1A Division II features a larger opening-round field than Division I.

Blackville-Hilda earned the No. 1 overall seed, followed by Lake View, Cross and Lamar.

Other teams to watch include Scott's Branch, Johnsonville, Wagener-Salley and Calhoun County.

The first round features six games Nov. 6, with the winners advancing to face higher-seeded teams the following week.

VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 1A DIVISION II PLAYOFF BRACKETS

First-Round Matchups — Friday, Nov. 6

No. 17 Ridge Spring-Monetta at No. 16 Green Sea Floyds
No. 20 Clear Dot Charter at No. 13 Branchville
No. 21 Whitmire at No. 12 Lee Central
No. 18 Bethune-Bowman at No. 15 Baptist Hill
No. 19 Lewisville at No. 14 Denmark-Olar
No. 22 Dixie at No. 11 Hardeeville

Second-Round Matchups — Friday, Nov. 13

Ridge Spring-Monetta/Green Sea Floyds winner at No. 1 Blackville-Hilda
No. 9 Calhoun County at No. 8 C.A. Johnson
Clear Dot Charter/Branchville winner at No. 4 Lamar
Whitmire/Lee Central winner at No. 5 Scott's Branch
Bethune-Bowman/Baptist Hill winner at No. 2 Lake View
No. 10 Hunter-Kinard-Tyler at No. 7 Wagener-Salley
Lewisville/Denmark-Olar winner at No. 3 Cross
Dixie/Hardeeville winner at No. 6 Johnsonville

The Class 1A Division II championship is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4, at noon.

2026 South Carolina High School Football Playoff Schedule

The SCHSL postseason begins Nov. 6 and continues through the state championships Dec. 4-5.

The Class 1A divisions follow a modified opening-round format, with most teams receiving byes until Nov. 13.

South Carolina High School Football State Championship Schedule

All six 2026 SCHSL state championship games will be played at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on the campus of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg.

Friday, Dec. 4

Noon — Class 1A Division II state championship
4 p.m. — Class 2A state championship
8 p.m. — Class 4A state championship

Saturday, Dec. 5

Noon — Class 1A Division I state championship
4 p.m. — Class 3A state championship
8 p.m. — Class 5A state championship

The Lower State representative will be designated as the home team for all six championship games.

State Championship Location

Oliver C. Dawson Stadium

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, South Carolina

What's Next in the South Carolina High School Football Playoffs?

The 2026 South Carolina high school football playoffs begin this week, with teams across six classifications attempting to take the first step toward a state championship.

The opening round will eliminate several contenders, while many of the top seeds wait until Nov. 13 to begin their postseason runs.

By Thanksgiving weekend, only 12 teams will remain, with the Upper State and Lower State champions advancing to the six state championship games.

The season concludes Dec. 4-5 in Orangeburg, where South Carolina will crown its six high school football state champions.

High School On SI will continue updating the South Carolina high school football playoff brackets with final scores, second-round matchups and championship information throughout November and December.

Add us as a preferred source on Google