Brian's 2025 HS Football Playoff Bracket Projection
Last updated: Sunday, November 2, 2025 (updated 2:30 pm) Note: This projected playoff bracket is based on the current RPIs. This projection is based on no teams opting out. Some teams likely will. CLASS 8A WEST CLASS 8A EAST 1) Hough (10-0) - Bye 1) Hoggard (10-0) - Bye 8) South Meck (7-3) 8) Laney (6-4) 9) Palisades (7-3) 9) Willow Spring (5-5) 5) West Forsyth (8-2) 5) Rolesville (7-3) 12) NW Guilford (3-7) 12) Green Hope (6-4) 4) Mallard Creek (7-3) - Bye 4) Apex Friendship (9-1) - Bye 3) Myers Park (8-2) - Bye 3) Jordan (10-0) - Bye 6) Pinecrest (8-2) 6) Leesville Road (7-3) 11) Chambers (4-6) 11) Broughton (5-5) 7) Providence (7-3) 7) Panther Creek (6-4) 10) Ardrey Kell (6-4) 10) Enloe (6-4) 2) West Charlotte (8-2) - Bye 2) Millbrook (10-0) - Bye CLASS 7A WEST CLASS 7A EAST 1) Grimsley (10-0) - Bye 1) Cardinal Gibbons (9-1) - Bye 16) R.J. Reynolds (6-4) 16) Holly Springs (4-6) 17) West Cabarrus (5-5) 17) Fuquay-Varina (4-6) 8) Jack Britt (6-4) - Bye 8) Hillside (8-2) - Bye 9) Davie County (6-4) 9) Cary (7-2) 24) West Meck (1-9) 24) Ashley (3-7) 5) Reagan (8-2) - Bye 5) Cape Fear (9-1) - Bye 12) A.L. Brown (7-3) 12) Sanderson (6-4) 21) South Iredell (3-7) 21) East Wake (3-7) 4) Mooresville (8-2) - Bye 4) Garner (7-3) - Bye 13) Butler (4-6) 13) Wake Forest (6-4) 20) Hopewell (4-6) 20) North Brunswick (3-7) 3) Independence (8-2) - Bye 3) Clayton (8-2) - Bye 14) Page (7-3) 14) New Hanover (5-5) 19) McDowell (5-5) 19) Heritage (4-6) 6) Richmond (8-2) - Bye 6) D.H. Conley (7-3) - Bye 11) Porter Ridge (6-4) 11) Southern Durham (6-4) 22) Cuthbertson (3-7) 22) Lumberton (3-6) 7) Lake Norman (7-3) - Bye 7) SE Raleigh (7-3) - Bye 10) East Forsyth (6-4) 10) New Bern (5-5) 23) Purnell Swett (3-7) 23) Overhills (3-7) 2) Weddington (9-1) - Bye 2) Cleveland (9-1) - Bye 15) Marvin Ridge (5-5) 15) South Central (4-6) 18) Chapel Hill (6-4) 18) South Garner (4-6) CLASS 6A WEST CLASS 6A EAST 1) Watauga (10-0) - Bye 1) Jacksonville (9-0) - Bye 16) St. Stephens (5-5) 16) Harnett Central (6-4) 17) Mount Tabor (5-5) 17) South View (5-5) 8) Charlotte Catholic (6-4) - Bye 8) Scotland (7-3) - Bye 9) A.C. Reynolds (6-4) 9) Terry Sanford (7-3) 24) South Caldwell (2-8) 24) E.E. Smith (3-7) 5) Sun Valley (7-3) - Bye 5) Williams (9-1) - Bye 12) Olympic (8-2) 12) Franklinton (7-3) 21) Ragsdale (3-7) 21) Gray's Creek (4-6) 4) Freedom (9-1) - Bye 4) Union Pines (9-1) - Bye 13) SE Guilford (6-4) 13) Lee County (6-4) 20) Central Cabarrus (4-6) 20) Westover (3-7) 3) Ashbrook (10-0) - Bye 3) Middle Creek (7-2) - Bye 14) Statesville (7-3) 14) West Brunswick (6-4) 19) Alexander Central (3-7) 19) West Johnston (4-6) 6) Asheboro (7-3) - Bye 6) Southern Alamance (7-3) - Bye 11) Dudley (6-4) 11) J.H. Rose (5-5) 22) Glenn (4-6) 22) Triton (3-7) 7) T.C. Roberson (7-3) - Bye 7) Seventy-First (8-2) - Bye 10) Kings Mountain (6-4) 10) South Johnston (7-3) 23) Ben L. Smith (2-7) 23) Vance County (2-8) 2) Northern Guilford (9-1) - Bye 2) Northern Nash (9-1) - Bye 15) Asheville (5-5) 15) Eastern Guilford (4-6) 18) Western Guilford (5-5) 18) White Oak (4-6) CLASS 5A WEST CLASS 5A EAST 1) South Point (8-2) - Bye 1) Hunt (8-2) - Bye 16) Hunter Huss (5-5) 16) Eastern Alamance (4-6) 17) Erwin (3-7) 17) Fike (4-6) 8) Monroe (6-3) - Bye 8) Southern Nash (6-4) - Bye 9) West Rowan (6-4) 9) Southeast Alamance (7-3) 24) Southern Guilford (2-8) 24) Orange (3-7) 5) East Lincoln (9-1) - Bye 5) Currituck County (8-2) - Bye 12) West Henderson (6-4) 12) Havelock (5-5) 21) East Rowan (4-6) 21) Richlands (3-7) 4) Crest (8-2) - Bye 4) Croatan (9-1) - Bye 13) Concord (6-4) 13) South Brunswick (7-3) 20) Forestview (3-7) 20) Seaforth (5-5) 3) Hickory (9-1) - Bye 3) Northside(Jacksonville) (8-2) - Bye 14) Carson (5-5) 14) J.F. Webb (7-3) 19) Montgomery Central (4-6) 19) Person (4-6) 6) Franklin (8-2) - Bye 6) St. Pauls (9-1) - Bye 11) Forest Hills (8-2) 11) West Carteret (6-4) 22) Smoky Mountain (3-7) 22) C.B. Aycock (3-7) 7) NW Cabarrus (7-3) - Bye 7) Rocky Mount (7-3) - Bye 10) Oak Grove (7-3) 10) Western Alamance (7-3) 23) North Lincoln (2-8) 23) South Granville (4-6) 2) J.M. Robinson (9-1) - Bye 2) NE Guilford (8-2) - Bye 15) North Davidson (6-4) 15) Rockingham County (5-4) 18) North Henderson (4-6) 18) Dixon (5-5) CLASS 4A WEST CLASS 4A EAST 1) Brevard (10-0) - Bye 1) Reidsville (8-2) - Bye 16) West Stokes (4-6) 16) Jordan-Matthews (5-5) 17) Forbush (5-5) 17) Red Springs (4-6) 8) Burns (6-4) - Bye 8) SW Randolph (7-3) - Bye 9) Lexington (6-4) 9) Eastern Wayne (6-3) 24) West Stanly (1-9) 24) Anson (2-8) 5) Mount Pleasant (7-3) - Bye 5) Randleman (7-3) - Bye 12) Tuscola (5-5) 12) North Pitt (5-5) 21) East Burke (4-6) 21) Cummings (3-7) 4) Pisgah (7-3) - Bye 4) Central Davidson (9-1) - Bye 13) West Iredell (5-5) 13) Carver (6-4) 20) Ashe County (3-7) 20) Morehead (2-8) 3) Newton-Conover (8-2) - Bye 3) East Duplin (8-2) - Bye 14) Fred T. Foard (4-6) 14) North Johnston (5-5) 19) Lake Norman Charter (5-5) 19) Washington (2-8) 6) Maiden (6-4) - Bye 6) Bunn (8-2) - Bye 11) North Surry (6-4) 11) SW Edgecombe (5-5) 22) Salisbury (2-8) 22) SW Onslow (2-7) 7) Stuart Cramer (8-2) - Bye 7) T.W. Andrews (8-2) - Bye 10) Bandys (5-5) 10) Clinton (5-5) 23) South Rowan (3-7) 23) Ledford (2-8) 2) Hibriten (9-1) - Bye 2) West Craven (9-1) - Bye 15) Wilkes Central (5-5) 15) Nash Central (3-7) 18) R-S Central (5-5) 18) Roanoke Rapids (2-8) CLASS 3A WEST CLASS 3A EAST 1) Mountain Heritage (9-1) - Bye 1) James Kenan (9-1) - Bye 16) West Lincoln (5-5) 16) Wallace-Rose Hill (5-5) 17) North Wilkes (4-6) 17) Greene Central (5-5) 8) Lincolnton (8-2) - Bye 8) Whiteville (7-3) - Bye 9) Hendersonville (8-2) 9) Ayden-Grifton (6-4) 24) East Davidson (1-9) 24) South Lenoir (3-7) 5) Providence Grove (8-2) - Bye 5) Martin County (7-3) - Bye 12) West Davidson (7-3) 12) Wake Prep (6-3) 21) Madison (4-6) 21) Bartlett Yancey (3-7) 4) North Stanly (9-1) - Bye 4) Louisburg (8-2) - Bye 13) East Surry (4-6) 13) Farmville Central (5-5) 20) Polk County (3-7) 20) Trask (3-7) 3) Eastern Randolph (8-2) - Bye 3) Midway (8-2) - Bye 14) Owen (5-5) 14) Kinston (6-4) 19) Union Academy (4-6) 19) North Moore (3-7) 6) Walkertown (8-1) - Bye 6) Pasquotank County (7-3) - Bye 11) West Wilkes (7-3) 11) Princeton (6-4) 22) Wheatmore (2-8) 22) Beddingfield (1-9) 7) East Rutherford (9-1) - Bye 7) Northeastern (7-3) - Bye 10) Shelby (7-3) 10) South Columbus (6-4) 23) McMichael (2-8) 23) West Bladen (2-8) 2) Mount Airy (8-2) - Bye 2) Pender (9-1) - Bye 15) Thomasville (5-5) 15) Hertford County (5-5) 18) Chase (5-5) 18) Northwood (3-7) Note: Bertie and Triangle Math & Science opted out, so it is possible that Bishop McGuinness could be in the East bracket as the 3 seed. CLASS 2A WEST CLASS 2A EAST 1) Murphy (8-2) - Bye 1) Tarboro (10-0) - Bye 16) Albemarle (4-6) 16) Camden County (3-7) 17) Cherokee (3-7) 17) West Columbus (3-7) 8) Swain County (6-4) - Bye 8) Hobbton (6-4) - Bye 9) CS of Davidson (6-4) 9) Lakewood (6-4) 24) Bye 24) Bye 5) Corvian CS (8-1) - Bye 5) Manteo (6-3) - Bye 12) North Rowan (6-4) 12) Northampton County (3-7) 21) Avery County (1-9) 21) Lejeune (1-9) 4) East Wilkes (7-3) - Bye 4) East Bladen (7-3) - Bye 13) Hayesville (6-4) 13) NW Halifax (4-6) 20) Highland Tech (1-8) 20) Union (2-8) 3) Alleghany (8-2) - Bye 3) North Duplin (9-1) - Bye 14) Mountain Island (5-5) 14) Southside (4-6) 19) Elkin (2-8) 19) Pamlico County (2-8) 6) Bishop McGuinness (9-1) - Bye 6) Holmes (6-4) - Bye 11) Mitchell (6-4) 11) Perquimans (5-5) 22) Langtree Charter (1-9) 22) Bye 7) South Stanly (8-2) - Bye 7) Gates County (5-5) - Bye 10) Christ the King (7-3) 10) East Carteret (5-5) 23) Bye 23) Bye 2) Starmount (8-2) - Bye 2) Warren County (8-2) - Bye 15) Cherryville (5-5) 15) ALA-Johnston (4-6) 18) South Stokes (4-6) 18) Rosewood (2-8) Note: It sounds like Mattamuskeet is 8-man only and Jones Senior is opting out. If other East teams opt out, East Columbus could be in the East bracket as the 9 seed. CLASS 1A WEST CLASS 1A EAST 1) Robbinsville (7-3) - Bye 1) KIPP Pride (10-0) - Bye 8) CPLA (1-8) 8) Sallie B. Howard (4-6) 9) Andrews (1-9) 9) Columbia (1-6) 4) North Stokes (4-6) - Bye 4) Wilson Prep (5-5) - Bye 5) East Columbus (2-8) 5) SE Halifax (6-4) 12) Bye 12) Bye 3) Thomas Jefferson (4-6) - Bye 3) Bear Grass Charter (8-0) - Bye 6) Winston-Salem Prep (2-8) 6) Washington County (5-4) 11) Chatham Central (1-9) 11) North Edgecombe (1-9) 2) South Davidson (9-1) - Bye 2) Northside(Pinetown) (10-0) - Bye 7) Rosman (2-8) 7) Hobgood Charter (3-5) 10) Bonnie Cone (0-10) 10) Weldon (0-7)