OHSAA football playoffs 2025: brackets timeline, Joe Eitel updates, and where Ohio high school football scores stand today

The Ohio high school football regular season wraps up today, Sunday, October 26, 2025, and the playoff picture locks in fast. Official qualifiers are slated for Monday, October 27, with regional first-round games kicking off Friday, October 31. If you’re refreshing for seeds and matchups—or tracking last-night’s swing results—here’s the cleanest snapshot of what matters right now, how Joe Eitel’s unofficial numbers frame the race, and how to follow scores as brackets take shape.

Key OHSAA playoff dates you need to know

• Oct. 26 (today): Regular season ends

• Oct. 27 (Monday): Playoff qualifiers announced

• Oct. 31 (Fri.): Regional First Round (top 12 qualify per region; top 4 get byes)

• Nov. 7: Regional Quarterfinals

• Nov. 14: Regional Semifinals

• Nov. 21: Regional Finals

• Nov. 28: State Semifinals

• Dec. 4–6: State Championships (Canton)

Note: Scheduling and kickoff times are set by host sites; always confirm locally.

What Joe Eitel’s unofficial Harbin rankings tell us

All weekend, Joe Eitel’s regional pages have reflected the late-season chaos—Friday swings, Saturday makeups, and a flurry of status changes as scores finalize. Remember three essentials about those pages:

1. Unofficial but highly accurate. They mirror the OHSAA computer-point method (Harbin points) and are updated as results flow in. If a game’s score posts late or is corrected, seed ranges can shift.

2. Top 12 qualify in every region. Teams in the 9–14 band are living on razor-thin margins; a single out-of-region result can nudge a school from “in” to “out,” or change a 5–8 seed into a coveted top-4 bye.

3. Tiebreakers are real. Secondary factors (like opponents’ wins) can flip adjacent seeds even when total points look close. Expect a few Monday surprises where two teams trade positions by hundredths.

If you’re a bubble team or chasing a bye, the last scores trickling in today still matter. Coaches will watch for final validations before Monday’s release.

Ohio high school football scores: how last night reshaped the map

Week 10 brought classic Ohio volatility:

• Division I–III: Several league titles came down to one-score finishes, tightening the middle seeds. Look for stacked 5 vs. 12 matchups featuring familiar rivals.

• Division IV–VI: A handful of underdogs flipped projected road trips into home dates with late defensive stands; those swings are significant in regions where travel is hefty.

• Division VII: Points compression remains extreme—one extra win by a previously defeated opponent can boost a résumé just enough to dodge a top seed in Round 1.

If your scoreboard scroll felt like whiplash, you’re not alone—Harbin math rewards strength of schedule and opponents’ success, so “games you didn’t play” can still move your number.

Brackets and tickets: what to expect when pairings drop

Brackets: Once qualifiers publish Monday, each division’s eight regions will list Seeds 1–12. Seeds 1–4 receive byes, while Seeds 5–12 play in the first round (5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, 8 vs 9). Regional hosts rotate per policy, but first-round sites are at the higher seed. The bracket locks after Monday’s posting; any late score corrections that change points are extremely rare and handled through the official process.

Tickets (typical 2025 pricing):

• Regional rounds: Adults $12, students $5

• State semifinals: Adults $16, students $10

• State championships: Adults $16, students $10 (online purchase only)
  Check your host school’s guidance on digital entry, parking, and bag policies.

Chester County-style weather? Not here—but November football still demands prep

Ohio late-fall games can pivot quickly on wind and wet turf. For first-round travel, plan for cool evenings, layered clothing, and extra time at gate lines (digital ticketing + playoff crowds). Bands, cheer, and student sections often expand allocations—arrive early.

How to track scores cleanly on playoff nights

• School and district channels: Athletic accounts and game-day threads are often the fastest verified updates.

• Scoreboard hubs: Statewide live boards aggregate crowdsourced and official inputs in near-real time; refresh often near halftime and final.

• Radio/stream partners: Many regions carry audio streams with clock-accurate updates; when in doubt, pair audio with a scoreboard page for context.

Five quick takeaways heading into bracket Monday

1. Byes are gold. Health and prep time matter more than ever with stacked regional semis looming in mid-November.

2. Travel calculus matters. A one-seed two hours away can be less daunting than a four-seed 20 minutes down the road if matchups favor your scheme.

3. Special teams swing rounds. Windy nights elevate field position and hidden yards—coverage units will decide more games than stat sheets suggest.

4. Depth charts win November. Two-way stars shine, but rotations and fresh legs in the fourth quarter separate contenders from participants.

5. Harbin teaches humility. Schedule boldly. Those August choices echo in October math.

OHSAA football playoffs 2025

• Today (Oct. 26): Final results trickle in; unofficial boards stabilize.

• Monday (Oct. 27): Official qualifiers and seeds release.

• Friday (Oct. 31): Round 1 kicks at regional sites while top-four seeds rest.
  Keep an eye on those last confirmed finals—one more posted score can still reshape a seed line before the brackets go live.