Football Playoff Pairings, Opening Matchups to be Announced Sunday on NFHS Network
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
October 22, 2026
The announcement of qualifiers and first-round pairings for this season’s Michigan High School Athletic Association Football Playoffs – the annual “Selection Sunday Show” – will be streamed at 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, on the NFHS Network.
The playoffs for both 11 and 8-player teams begin during the weekend of Oct. 30-31. The top 32 teams by playoff-point average in each 11-player division and top 16 teams by playoff-point average in each 8-player division will qualify. Divisions were determined prior to the start of the season.
Click for the direct link to watch the Selection Sunday Show. That link also is posted to the Football page of the MHSAA website. A subscription is not required to watch the Selection Sunday Show, although viewers must register on the site to view the broadcast.
The playoff qualifiers and pairings will be posted to the website following the show, and times and dates will be added Monday, Oct. 26.
To review a list of all football playoff schools and individual school playoff point details, visit the Football Playoff Point Summary page.
The MHSAA Football Playoffs conclude with the 8-Player Finals on Nov. 21 at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome and 11-Player Finals to be played Nov. 27 and 28 at Ford Field. Both games will be broadcast live on the NFHS Network.
Be the Referee: Football OT
By
Paige Winne
MHSAA Director of Brand Management
November 5, 2024
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Football OT - Listen
We’ve got a football overtime question for you today. In high school, what is the only way a defensive team can score in overtime?
- Can they return an interception for a touchdown?
- Can they pick up a fumble and take it back for a touchdown?
If you said yes to either of those, you’re wrong.
In overtime, if the defense gains possession of the ball – be it by fumble or interception – the play is over. There’s no advancing of the ball, and the offensive possession is over.
So back to the original question: How can the defense score in overtime? There’s only one way – via safety. And with teams starting at the 10-yard line, that would be a pretty wild play – and it would end the game with the defensive team victorious.
Previous 2024-25 Editions
Oct. 29: Officials Registration - Listen
Oct. 22: Volleyball Serve - Listen
Oct. 15: "You Make the Call" - Soccer Offside - Listen
Oct. 8: Roughing the Passer - Listen
Oct. 1: Abnormal Course Condition - Listen
Sept. 25: Tennis Nets - Listen
Sept. 18: Libero - Listen
Sept. 10: Cross Country Uniforms - Listen
Sept. 3: Soccer Handling - Listen
Aug. 24: Football Holding - Listen
PHOTO An officiating crew confers before this season’s Fowler/Bath varsity football game. (Photo by John Johnson.)