The regular season is over, the brackets are set and the road to nine Kansas high school football state championships is about to begin.

The 2026 Kansas State High School Activities Association football playoffs kick off Thursday, Oct. 29, with first-round games across the state. The majority of the opening-round contests will be played Friday, Oct. 30.

The postseason features nine classifications, from Class 6A through six-player football, with teams competing in single-elimination tournaments.

Several undefeated teams enter the postseason with championship aspirations, including Derby and Mill Valley in Class 6A, Andover and Kapaun Mt. Carmel in Class 5A, Bishop Miege in Class 4A and perennial powerhouse Andale in Class 3A.

The opening round features plenty of intriguing matchups, with traditional powers, emerging contenders and underdogs all hoping to extend their seasons.

Here is a classification-by-classification look at the 2026 Kansas high school football playoff brackets, opening-round matchups and top championship contenders.

Class 6A Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

Two undefeated teams enter the Class 6A tournament atop opposite sides of the bracket.

Derby earned the No. 1 seed in the West after completing an 8-0 regular season, while Mill Valley claimed the top seed in the East with an identical record.

Derby opens against Wichita North, while Mill Valley begins its postseason against Shawnee Mission West.

Maize, Gardner-Edgerton, Manhattan and Olathe Northwest are among the other teams positioned to make deep postseason runs.

Class 6A First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• No. 1 Derby vs. No. 16 Wichita North
• No. 8 Lawrence Free State vs. No. 9 Dodge City
• No. 4 Wichita Northwest vs. No. 13 Wichita South
• No. 5 Wichita Southeast vs. No. 12 Wichita Heights
• No. 2 Maize vs. No. 15 Haysville Campus
• No. 7 Junction City vs. No. 10 Washburn Rural
• No. 3 Manhattan vs. No. 14 Topeka
• No. 6 Garden City vs. No. 11 Wichita East

East Bracket

• No. 1 Mill Valley vs. No. 16 Shawnee Mission West
• No. 8 Olathe South vs. No. 9 Shawnee Mission North
• No. 4 Lawrence vs. No. 13 Shawnee Mission South
• No. 5 Olathe North vs. No. 12 Kansas City Wyandotte
• No. 2 Gardner-Edgerton vs. No. 15 Olathe East
• No. 7 Shawnee Mission Northwest vs. No. 10 Blue Valley Northwest
• No. 3 Olathe Northwest vs. No. 14 Blue Valley West
• No. 6 Olathe West vs. No. 11 Shawnee Mission East

Class 5A Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 5A features three undefeated teams with legitimate championship aspirations.

Andover earned the No. 1 seed in the West after an 8-0 regular season, while Kapaun Mt. Carmel also enters the postseason unbeaten.

In the East, De Soto claimed the top seed after completing its own perfect regular season.

Spring Hill, Bishop Carroll, Hays and Basehor-Linwood are among the teams hoping to challenge the favorites.

Class 5A First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• No. 1 Andover vs. No. 16 Wichita West
• No. 8 Emporia vs. No. 9 Hutchinson
• No. 4 Bishop Carroll vs. No. 13 Liberal
• No. 5 Salina South vs. No. 12 Maize South
• No. 2 Kapaun Mt. Carmel vs. No. 15 Newton
• No. 7 Salina Central vs. No. 10 Goddard
• No. 3 Hays vs. No. 14 Valley Center
• No. 6 Goddard-Eisenhower vs. No. 11 Andover Central

East Bracket

• No. 1 De Soto vs. No. 16 Topeka West
• No. 8 St. James Academy vs. No. 9 Kansas City Harmon
• No. 4 Kansas City Washington vs. No. 13 Blue Valley Southwest
• No. 5 Blue Valley vs. No. 12 Leavenworth
• No. 2 Spring Hill vs. No. 15 Kansas City Turner
• No. 7 Seaman vs. No. 10 Blue Valley North
• No. 3 Basehor-Linwood vs. No. 14 Shawnee Heights
• No. 6 Kansas City Piper vs. No. 11 Pittsburg

Class 4A Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

Bishop Miege enters the Class 4A playoffs as the top seed in the East after completing a perfect 8-0 regular season.

The Stags open against Coffeyville Field Kindley and will attempt to navigate a bracket that includes Louisburg, Fort Scott, Tonganoxie and several other capable challengers.

In the West, McPherson earned the No. 1 seed with a 7-1 record, followed by Wamego, Buhler and Wellington.

One of the more intriguing first-round matchups features Paola hosting St. Thomas Aquinas, with both teams entering at 5-3.

Class 4A First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• No. 1 McPherson vs. No. 16 El Dorado
• No. 8 Augusta vs. No. 9 Rose Hill
• No. 4 Wellington vs. No. 13 Arkansas City
• No. 5 Ulysses vs. No. 12 Winfield
• No. 2 Wamego vs. No. 15 Abilene
• No. 7 Rock Creek vs. No. 10 Highland Park
• No. 3 Buhler vs. No. 14 Circle
• No. 6 Great Bend vs. No. 11 Mulvane

East Bracket

• No. 1 Bishop Miege vs. No. 16 Coffeyville Field Kindley
• No. 8 Paola vs. No. 9 St. Thomas Aquinas
• No. 4 Fort Scott vs. No. 13 Lansing
• No. 5 Eudora vs. No. 12 Chanute
• No. 2 Louisburg vs. No. 15 Bonner Springs
• No. 7 Tonganoxie vs. No. 10 Labette County
• No. 3 Kansas City Sumner Academy vs. No. 14 Kansas City Schlagle
• No. 6 Independence vs. No. 11 Ottawa

Class 3A Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

Andale enters the Class 3A postseason as the top seed in the West following an undefeated 8-0 regular season.

The Indians open against Larned and are among the leading contenders to capture another state championship.

The East features two undefeated teams at the top of the bracket, with Frontenac earning the No. 1 seed and Wellsville claiming the second seed.

Holcomb, Hesston, Hoisington and Jefferson West are among the other teams positioned for potentially deep playoff runs.

Class 3A First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• Larned at Andale
• Cheney at Pratt
• Clay Center at Hoisington
• Concordia at Chapman
• Wichita Trinity Academy at Holcomb
• Goodland at Wichita Collegiate
• Scott City at Hesston
• Lyons at Hugoton

East Bracket

• Osawatomie at Frontenac
• Iola at Columbus
• Girard at Hayden
• Anderson County at Baldwin
• Atchison at Wellsville
• Perry-Lecompton at Nemaha Central
• Santa Fe Trail at Jefferson West
• Holton at Burlington

Class 2A Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

The Class 2A postseason features another competitive field, with teams from across the state battling for a trip to the championship game.

Silver Lake enters the tournament as the top seed in the East and opens against West Franklin.

Sabetha, Osage City, Baxter Springs and Riverside are among the other teams hoping to emerge from the eastern half of the bracket.

In the West, several traditional small-school powers will look to make their presence felt as the postseason progresses.

Featured Class 2A First-Round Matchups

East Bracket

• West Franklin at Silver Lake
• Cherryvale at Sabetha
• Oskaloosa at Riverside
• Royal Valley at Baxter Springs
• Riverton at Osage City

West Bracket

• Council Grove at Norton
• Halstead at Riley County
• Southeast of Saline at Marysville

Class 1A Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

Sterling enters the Class 1A tournament as the top seed in the West following an undefeated 8-0 regular season.

Thomas More Prep-Marian also completed a perfect regular season and earned the No. 2 seed.

In the East, Jefferson County North claimed the top seed, followed by Rossville, Olpe and Centralia.

The opening round includes several intriguing matchups, with Jackson Heights visiting Centralia and Wabaunsee traveling to Valley Heights.

Class 1A First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• Syracuse at Sterling
• Belle Plaine at Moundridge
• Remington at Conway Springs
• Sedgwick at Smith Center
• Bluestem at Thomas More Prep-Marian
• Plainville at Medicine Lodge
• Sacred Heart at Inman
• Ellinwood at Hillsboro

East Bracket

• Mission Valley at Jefferson County North
• Onaga at St. Marys
• Jackson Heights at Centralia
• Uniontown at McLouth
• Atchison County at Rossville
• Maur Hill-Mount Academy at St. Mary's Colgan
• Northeast at Olpe
• Wabaunsee at Valley Heights

Class 8-Player Division I Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

The eight-player Division I tournament features several undefeated contenders hoping to make a championship run.

Lincoln enters as the top seed in the West with an 8-0 record, while Oswego leads the eastern half of the bracket with an identical mark.

Wichita County also completed an undefeated regular season and will open against Spearville.

South Central, Hoxie, Clifton-Clyde and Chase County are among the other programs looking to advance.

8-Player Division I First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• Rawlins County at Lincoln
• Stanton County at Central Plains
• Bennington at Hoxie
• Elkhart at Kiowa County
• South Gray at South Central
• Trego at Hill City
• Spearville at Wichita County
• Decatur Community at Ell-Saline

East Bracket

• Dexter at Oswego
• Cair Paravel at Washington County
• Southeast at Oxford
• Canton-Galva at Lyndon
• Solomon at Chase County
• Erie at Caldwell
• Pleasanton at Clifton-Clyde
• Central at Yates Center

Class 8-Player Division II Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

The eight-player Division II tournament features a competitive field of small-school programs hoping to extend their seasons deep into November.

Among the intriguing opening-round contests, Hanover hosts Wakefield, Axtell welcomes Hartford and Lebo faces Linn.

The western side of the bracket includes matchups involving Hodgeman County, Wallace County, Thunder Ridge, Osborne and Quinter.

8-Player Division II First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• Ellis at Hodgeman County
• St. John's/Tipton Catholic at Wallace County
• Minneola at Sylvan-Lucas
• Dighton at Thunder Ridge
• Ness City at Osborne
• Meade at Little River
• Lakeside at Quinter
• Victoria at Kinsley

East Bracket

• Norwich at Marmaton Valley
• Wakefield at Hanover
• Sedan at Cunningham
• Troy at Waverly
• Linn at Lebo
• Madison/Hamilton at Central Christian
• Hartford at Axtell
• Attica at Flinthills

Class 6-Player Kansas High School Football Playoff Bracket

Kansas' smallest football classification features a postseason field with several teams receiving first-round byes.

Ingalls, Weskan, Peabody-Burns and Tescott advance directly to the second round.

The remaining teams compete for an opportunity to join them in the next stage of the tournament.

One opening-round contest has already been decided, with South Barber advancing past Triplains/Brewster by forfeit.

6-Player First-Round Matchups

West Bracket

• Golden Plains at Bucklin
• Wheatland-Grinnell at Moscow
• Ashland at Triplains
• Satanta at Northern Valley
• Cheylin at Deerfield

East Bracket

• Palco at Elyria Christian
• Otis-Bison at Altoona-Midway
• Chase at Marais des Cygnes Valley
• Chetopa at Pawnee Heights
• Centre at Western Plains
• Logan at Southern Coffey County

Already decided: South Barber advances by forfeit over Triplains/Brewster.

First-round byes: Ingalls, Weskan, Peabody-Burns and Tescott.

What's Next in the Kansas High School Football Playoffs?

The opening round of the 2026 Kansas high school football playoffs begins Thursday, Oct. 29, with games continuing Friday, Oct. 30.

The winners advance to the next stage of the postseason, with regional, sectional and substate rounds determining which teams reach the state championship games.

The nine KSHSAA state football championships are scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 27-28.

High School On SI will continue following the Kansas high school football playoffs with updated brackets, scores and championship matchups throughout the postseason.