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. 

Marquette, Saginaw, Ann Arbor & Grand Rapids to Host MHSAA Sportsmanship Summits

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

October 13, 2026

The MHSAA’s annual Sportsmanship Summit series will return this November with four stops across the Lower Peninsula, providing training on sportsmanship topics affecting students both on and off the field of play.

The MHSAA has conducted Sportsmanship Summits across Michigan for 30 years. This year’s series kicks off Nov. 9 in Marquette and finishes Nov. 18 in Grand Rapids.

MHSAA staff, with assistance from school administrators and the MHSAA Student Advisory Council, conduct Sportsmanship Summits. Up to 800 students are expected to take part in the four workshops, where they will discuss the line that separates good from bad sportsmanship, both as athletes during competition and while participating in off-field activities including as spectators at sporting events.

Workshop sessions will include discussions and hands-on activities on topics including working with game officials, building appropriate student cheering sections, social media behavior and parent conduct at school sports events. Summits also will feature a session developed and instructed by members of the Student Advisory Council. At the end of the day the delegation from each participating school will meet to develop a school sportsmanship campaign.

Sessions will take place at the following:

• Marquette – Nov. 9 – Northern Center at NMU – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Saginaw – Nov. 12 – The Conference Center at Saginaw Valley State University – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Ann Arbor – Nov. 16 – Sheraton Ann Arbor – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Grand Rapids – Nov. 18 – Sheraton Grand Rapids – 9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

The Sportsmanship Summit schedule rotates locations every year. In 2025, MHSAA staff conducted summits in Lansing, Troy, Traverse City and Kalamazoo.

Schools are welcome to bring as many as 10 total representatives, including two administrators. For additional registration information, contact Andy Frushour at the MHSAA office – [email protected] or (517) 332-5046. Registration information also is available on the Sportsmanship Resources page.