The latest Ohio high school playoff projections at the end of the regular season

CINCINNATI — The Ohio high school football post-season picture comes into sharper focus early Saturday evening at seven divisions in Greater Cincinnati.

Computer points analyst Joe Eitel, who helps the Ohio High School Athletic Association compile weekly football computer points rankings during the season, updated latest playoff predictions late Friday evening to early Saturday morning. The regular season will end on Saturday evening.

Eitel’s projections are considered unofficial until the OHSAA likely announces playoff qualifiers on Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

The OHSAA says 448 schools – the top 16 in each region – will qualify for the playoffs. Ohio high school football starts on November 1.

In Division I, Region 2, Lebanon (6-4) will host the first round of the playoffs, pitting No. 6 seed against Clayton Northmont (2-8) on November 1 at 7 p.m. Middletown (5-5) is the No. 9 seed and plays at No. 8 Huber Heights Wayne (5-5).

Middletown is led by a head coach Kali Jones who is in his first season with the Middies. Jones, a former head coach with Withrow, was Huber Heights Wayne’s assistant offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2011-2014.

IN Division I, Region 4, Moeller (9-1) is the No. 1 seed. The Crusaders will host No. 16 Sycamore (1-9) at Mount St. University. Joseph.

Lakota West (9-1), the Greater Miami Conference co-champion with Princeton (8-2), is the No. 2 seed. Winton Woods (9-1) is the No. 3 seed and will host No. 14 seed Little Miami (1- 9). It will be a meeting of the Little Miami coach Arryn Chenault who returns to Winton Woods, where he was the special teams coordinator in 2023.

Princeton is projected to finish fourth and host Fairfield (2-8). On October 11, the Vikings defeated visiting Fairfield 62-30.

Hamilton (8-2), the No. 5 seed, will host No. 12 Oak Hills (4-6) in a rematch of a Sept. 20 game in which host Big Blue won 34-7.

Elder (5-5) is No. 7 and hosts No. 10 Mason (5-5).

Lakota East (7-3), the No. 8 seed, will host No. 9 West Clermont (7-3). It was quite a turnaround for a Lakota East team that was 1-9 in 2023. The Thunderhawks are led by a head coach Jon Kitna, former longtime NFL player.

In Division II, Region 8, Anderson (10-0) is the No. 1 seed. The Raptors posted their first 10-0 record since 2009. This is the fifth time in program history that Anderson has gone undefeated in the regular season.

Anderson will host No. 16 Edgewood (3-7).

La Salle (8-2) is No. 2 and hosts No. 15 Monroe (4-6). The Lancers continue their significant improvement after winning six games in 2022 and 2023 combined.

Xenia (9-1) is seeded No. 3. Badin (8-2), winner of the Co-ED Greater Catholic League championship, is seeded No. 4.

Mount Healthy (8-2) is ranked 5th and hosts Aiken (6-3). Harrison (8-2) is the No. 6 seed.

The Kings (8-2) are ranked No. 7 and host No. 10 Withrow (5-5).

In Division III, Region 12, McNicholas (8-2) is projected to finish No. 6 and Batavia (8-2) is projected to finish No. 7. This was quite a turnaround for Batavia, which had a record of 3-7 in 2023 .

Wilmington (6-4) is 10th, Ross (4-6) is 13th, Franklin (4-6) is 15th and Talawanda (3-7) is 16th.

In Division IV, Region 16, Clinton-Massie (8-2) is the No. 1 seed. Wyoming (10-0) is the No. 2 seed. On Friday night, Wyoming just completed its 24th undefeated regular season in program history.

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (9-1) is No. 4 and Taft (8-2) is No. 5.

Taylor (8-2) finished sixth after a victory over Indian Hill on Friday night. The Braves (7-3) are in 9th place.

New Richmond (5-5), Shroder (7-3) and Roger Bacon (6-4) are also in the postseason.

In Division V, Region 20, Williamsburg (9-1) hosts a first-round game as a No. 6 seed against No. 11 Madera (5-5).

In Division VI, Region 24, Cincinnati Country Day (9-1), which won its fourth consecutive Miami Valley Conference Gray title, is ranked No. 2. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (8-2) is No. 5.

Miami Valley Christian Academy (4-6) and Purcell Marian (5-5, 4-5 by OHSAA) secured playoff spots. Deer Park (4-6) is also available.

In Division VII, Region 28, Cincinnati College Prep (7-2) is in third place after a victory over Dayton Christian on Saturday afternoon.

Lockland (2-7) opted out of the postseason due to being short due to injuries and the number of players available for November, according to Lockland athletic director Jon Payne.

Earlier Saturday, Lockland was projected to be a No. 16 seed. Cedarville (4-6) is a No. 16 seed, according to Eitel.

Ohio high school football

Unofficial playoff pairings

Regional first round matches

(All matches on Friday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted)

Division I, Region 2

Central Aisle #16 (1-9) at #1 Kettering Fairmont (8-2)

No. 15 Beavercreek (3-7) and No. 2 Centerville (7-3)

No. 14 Dublin Coffman (2-8) and No. 3 Westland (8-2)

No. 13 Hilliard Bradley (2-8) and No. 4 Springfield (6-4)

No. 12 Marysville (3-7) and No. 5 Hilliard Davidson (6-4)

No. 11 Clayton Northmont (2-8) at No. 6 Lebanon (6-4)

No. 10 Dublin Jerome (4-6) and No. 7 Springboro (6-4)

No. 9 Middletown (5-5) at No. 8 Huber Heights Wayne (5-5)

Division I, Region 4

No. 16 Sycamore (1-9) at No. 1 Moeller (9-1) at Mount St. University. Joseph

No. 15 Walnut Hills (1-9) at No. 2 Lakota West (9-1)

No. 14 Little Miami (1-9) and No. 3 Winton Woods (9-1)

No. 13 Fairfield (2-8) and No. 4 Princeton (8-2)

No. 12 Oak Hills (4-6) at No. 5 Hamilton (8-2)

No. 11 Milford (4-6) and No. 6 St. Xavier (7-3)

No. 10 Mason (5-5) and No. 7 Elder (5-5)

No. 9 West Clermont (7-3) and No. 8 Lakota East (7-3)

Division II, Region 8

No. 16 Edgewood (3-7) and No. 1 Anderson (10-0)

No. 15 Monroe (4-6) and No. 2 La Salle (8-2)

No. 14 Sidney (5-5) and No. 3 Xenia (9-1)

No. 13 Trotwood-Madison (5-5) and No. 4 Badin (8-2)

No. 12 Aiken (6-3) at No. 5 Mount Healthy (8-2)

No. 11 Troy (6-4) and No. 6 Harrison (8-2)

No. 10 Withdrawal (5-5) at No. 7 Kings (8-2)

No. 9 Lima Senior (9-1) and No. 8 Vandalia Butler (8-2)

Division III, Region 12

No. 16 Talawanda (3-7) and No. 1 Tippecanoe (10-0)

No. 15 Franklin (4-6) and No. 2 Wapakoneta (10-0)

No. 14 Meadowdale (7-3) and No. 3 Bellbrook (9-1)

No. 13 Ross (4-6) and No. 4 London (10-0)

No. 12 Chaminade Julienne (5-5) and No. 5 Bellefontaine (8-2)

No. 11 Celina (6-4) and No. 6 McNicholas (8-2)

No. 10 Wilmington (6-4) and No. 7 Batavia (8-2)

No. 9 Miami Trace (7-3) at No. 8 St. Marys Memorial (8-2)

Division IV, Region 16

No. 16 Roger Bacon (6-4) and No. 1 Clinton-Massie (8-2)

No. 15 Shroder (7-3) at No. 2 Wyoming (10-0)

No. 14 New Richmond (5-5) and No. 3 Valley View (8-2)

No. 13 Brookville (6-4) and No. 4 CHCA (9-1)

No. 12 Kenton Ridge (7-3) and No. 5 Taft (8-2)

No. 11 Urbana (7-3) and No. 6 Taylor (8-2)

No. 10 Alter (5-5) at No. 7 Eaton (8-2)

No. 9 Indian Hill (7-3) and No. 8 Northridge (7-3)

Division V, Region 20

No. 16 St. Paris Graham (3-7) and No. 1 Jamestown Greeneview (10-0)

No. 15 Arcanum (6-4) at No. 2 West Liberty-Salem (9-1)

No. 14 Middletown Madison (4-6) and No. 3 Waynesville (7-3)

No. 13 Marion Pleasant (5-5) and No. 4 Preble Shawnee (9-1)

No. 12 Versailles (5-5) at No. 5 Indian Lake (8-2)

No. 11 Madera (5-5) and No. 6 Williamsburg (9-1)

No. 10 Milton-Union (6-4) at No. 7 Miami East (7-3)

No. 9 Lima Baths (5-50 and No. 8 Carlisle (5-5)

Division VI, Region 24
No. 16 Covington (3-7) and No. 1 Coldwater (9-1)

No. 15 Deer Park (4-6) at No. 2 Cincinnati Country Day

No. 14 Lima Perry (5-5) and No. 3 Anna (7-3)

Chesapeake (5-5) or Dayton Christian (4-5) at No. 4 Portsmouth West (7-3)

Chesapeake (5-5) or Dayton Christian (4-5) at No. 5 St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (8-2)

No. 11 Purcell Marian (4-5) and No. 6 Paint Valley (7-3)

No. 10 Madison-Plains (6-4) and No. 7 Rock Hill (7-3)

No. 9 Miami Valley Christian Academy (4-6) at No. 8 Northeastern (6-4)

Division VII, Region 28

No. 16 Cedarville (4-6) and No. 1 Marion Local (10-0)

No. 15. Manchester (3-6) and No. 2 Minster (8-2)

No. 14 Southeastern (4-6) at No. 3 Cincinnati College Prep (7-2)

No. 13 Twin Valley South (5-5) and No. 4 Ansonia (9-1)

No. 12 Riverside (4-6) at No. 5 Lehman Catholic (8-2)

No. 11 Fort Loramie (5-5) and No. 6 Ridgemont (8-2)

No. 10 New Bremen (5-5) and No. 7 St. Henry (6-4)

No. 9 Tri-Village (8-2) at No. 8 Waynesfield-Goshen (7-3)

All playoff rounds leading up to the state finals will be held on Fridays for all seven divisions. The top eight seeds in each region host first-round matches.

There are 707 schools in the 11-person football computer ranking. The 72 largest schools are in Division I, while the remaining schools are evenly divided into Divisions II through VII (approximately 106 schools in each division).

The regional semifinals, regional finals and state semifinals will be held at neutral locations.

The state finals will be held December 5-7 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Schedule:

Thursday, December 5 – 2nd league at 19:00

Friday, December 6 – Department VII at 10:30

Friday, December 6 – 3rd league at 15:00

Friday, December 6 – 1st Division at 7:30 p.m

Saturday, December 7 – Division VI at 10:30

Saturday, December 7 – Division V at 3:00 p.m

Saturday, December 7 – Division IV at 7:30 p.m

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