- High School Sports
- Updated: Oct. 29, 2025, 6:05 a.m.
- Published: Oct. 29, 2025, 6:05 a.m.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — First-round blowouts and concerns over the stress of a 16-game season for high school football’s top programs that make the OHSAA state championships led to a change earlier this year to the playoff format.
The OHSAA had expanded its playoff format to 16 teams per region in 2021, despite a recommendation from the state coaches association to go from eight to 12. In June, the OHSAA finally moved to what the coaches recommended and a postseason format that makes its debut Friday night.
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