High school football playoffs 2025: Date, time and match-ups

The 2025 WIAA Football Playoffs kick off Friday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m. with 224 teams competing under a revolutionary new playoff matrix system. All first-round games are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. with higher seeds hosting. Winners advance to Level 2, continuing the road toward state championships at Camp Randall Stadium on November 20-21.

First-Round - Friday, October 24

All games take place at 7 p.m.

Division 1

Sectional 1

• No. 1 Waunakee vs No. 8 Chippewa Falls at Waunakee

• No. 4 Mukwonago vs No. 5 Oconomowoc at Mukwonago

• No. 3 Hudson vs No. 6 Sun Prairie East at Hudson

• No. 2 Neenah vs No. 7 De Pere at Neenah

Sectional 2

• No. 1 Muskego vs No. 8 Madison West at Muskego

• No. 4 Racine Case vs No. 5 Kenosha Bradford at Racine Case

• No. 3 Middleton vs No. 6 Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon at Middleton

• No. 2 Badger vs No. 7 Oak Creek at Badger

Sectional 3

• No. 1 Arrowhead vs No. 8 Wausau West at Arrowhead

• No. 4 Brookfield East vs No. 5 D.C. Everest at Brookfield East

• No. 3 Kimberly vs No. 6 Fond du Lac at Kimberly

• No. 2 Hamilton (Sussex) vs No. 7 Marquette University High School at Hamilton

Sectional 4

• No. 1 Franklin vs No. 8 Milwaukee Riverside/Golda Meir at Franklin

• No. 4 Milwaukee Pulaski Co-op vs No. 5 Verona at Milwaukee Pulaski

• No. 3 Bay Port vs No. 6 Appleton North at Bay Port

• No. 2 Milwaukee Reagan vs No. 7 Milwaukee Bradley Tech/Arts at Milwaukee Reagan

Division 2

Homestead enters the playoffs as a No. 1 seed

Sectional 1

• No. 1 River Falls vs No. 8 Beaver Dam at River Falls

• No. 4 La Crosse Central vs No. 5 Menasha at La Crosse Central

• No. 3 Oshkosh North vs No. 6 Marshfield at Oshkosh North

• No. 2 New Richmond vs No. 7 Ashwaubenon at New Richmond

Sectional 2

• No. 1 West De Pere vs No. 8 Hartford at West De Pere

• No. 4 Milton vs No. 5 Pulaski at Milton

• No. 3 Union Grove vs No. 6 Waukesha West at Union Grove

• No. 2 Holmen vs No. 7 Nicolet at Holmen

Sectional 3

• No. 1 Notre Dame vs No. 8 Greenfield at Notre Dame (Green Bay)

• No. 4 Slinger vs No. 5 West Bend West at Slinger

• No. 3 Milwaukee King vs No. 6 Wauwatosa East at Milwaukee King

• No. 2 Rice Lake vs No. 7 Kaukauna at Rice Lake

Sectional 4

• No. 1 Homestead vs No. 8 Menomonee Falls at Homestead (Mequon)

• No. 4 Elkhorn vs No. 5 Milwaukee Bay View at Elkhorn

• No. 3 Germantown vs No. 6 Wauwatosa West at Germantown

• No. 2 Monona Grove vs No. 7 Brookfield Central at Monona Grove

Division 3

Whitefish Bay football will compete as a No. 8 seed

Sectional 1

• No. 1 Grafton vs No. 8 Medford at Grafton

• No. 4 Merrill vs No. 5 Lakeland at Merrill

• No. 3 Luxemburg-Casco vs No. 6 Fox Valley Lutheran at Luxemburg-Casco

• No. 2 Plymouth vs No. 7 Marinette at Plymouth

Sectional 2

• No. 1 Edgewood (Madison) vs No. 8 Rhinelander at Edgewood

• No. 4 Reedsburg vs No. 5 Waterford at Reedsburg

• No. 3 Sauk Prairie vs No. 6 Pewaukee at Sauk Prairie

• No. 2 Onalaska vs No. 7 Menomonie at Onalaska

Sectional 3

• No. 1 Catholic Memorial vs No. 8 Jefferson at Catholic Memorial (Waukesha)

• No. 4 La Crosse Logan vs No. 5 Wisconsin Lutheran at La Crosse Logan

• No. 3 New Berlin Eisenhower vs No. 6 Burlington at New Berlin Eisenhower

• No. 2 Mount Horeb/Barneveld vs No. 7 Wausau East at Mount Horeb/Barneveld

Sectional 4

• No. 1 New Berlin West vs No. 8 Whitefish Bay at New Berlin West

• No. 4 Milwaukee Washington/Fuller vs No. 5 Port Washington at Milwaukee Washington

• No. 3 Martin Luther vs No. 6 Pius XI Catholic at Martin Luther (Greendale)

• No. 2 Whitnall vs No. 7 McFarland at Whitnall (Greenfield)

The New Playoff Format and Championship

This marks the first year of the Wisconsin Football Playoff Matrix, which assigns teams to divisions before the season and uses a transparent points-based qualification system, replacing decades of conference-record-based playoff selection. The new format brings greater transparency and competitive balance, with weekly playoff standings releases allowing teams to track their qualification status throughout the regular season. Higher seeds host first-round games, rewarding regular-season excellence. The state's most successful 2024 programs—including Bay Port (Division 1), Slinger (Division 2), and Notre Dame (Division 3)—set the stage for this year's playoff drama, though not all defending champions remain in their divisions due to the WIAA's performance factor promoting successful programs upward.

Last year's champions established high standards

Bay Port claimed the school's first-ever Division 1 state championship in 2024, defeating Muskego 25-18 at Camp Randall on November 22. The Pirates, led by first-year head coach Steven Jorgensen, dominated early with a 19-0 halftime lead before holding off Muskego's comeback attempt. Junior running back Brady Moon delivered a historic performance with 241 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries, including an 80-yard touchdown run on the game's opening play. The victory was particularly sweet for Bay Port, which had lost the 2019 Division 1 final to this same Muskego team.

The 2024 Division 2 championship delivered the tournament's most thrilling finish. Slinger completed a perfect 14-0 season by defeating Rice Lake 31-30 in a game featuring multiple lead changes and dramatic turnovers. Trailing 30-24 in the fourth quarter, the Owls forced a crucial fumble that linebacker Kaiden Walworth recovered, setting up quarterback Michael Thiede's game-winning two-yard touchdown keeper with 3:29 remaining. The championship represented Slinger's first state title since 1998, ending a 26-year drought. Head coach Bill Jacklin guided the team through the season after personal tragedy, having lost his wife and parents the previous year.

Notre Dame Academy dominated Division 3 with a 49-28 victory over Catholic Memorial, powered by one of the most remarkable individual performances in state championship history. Senior running back Christian Collins rushed for 408 yards on 39 carries with five touchdowns, setting the all-division state championship game rushing record and tying Melvin Gordon's Camp Randall Stadium record from his legendary 2014 performance for Wisconsin. Collins' 408 yards surpassed the previous record of 362 yards set in 1986. The Tritons finished 14-0, capturing their third state championship and first since 2015. Catholic Memorial's quarterback MJ Mitchell set Division 3 records with 309 passing yards and four touchdown passes, while receiver Marvanous Butler-Brown posted a Division 3 record 160 receiving yards, but it wasn't enough against Collins' historic rushing assault.

The remaining divisions crowned four more champions at the 48th Annual WIAA Football State Championships. Racine St. Catherine's (Division 4) completed a 14-0 season by defeating Baldwin-Woodville 26-22, with Lamont Hamilton setting a Division 4 record with an 83-yard kickoff return. Stratford captured its 10th state championship—more than any other WIAA member school—by winning Division 5 for the third consecutive year, moving up from Division 6 after back-to-back titles. Lomira (Division 6) and Edgar (Division 7) won their respective championships, with Edgar claiming its ninth state title to tie for second-most all-time among member schools.

Conference championships shape playoff field

Homestead enters the 2025 Division 2 playoffs as a top seed after dominating the North Shore Conference in 2024. The Highlanders finished 9-0 overall and 7-0 in conference play, clinching the outright conference championship with a 27-20 victory over West Bend West on October 18, 2024. This marked Homestead's second conference title in three years. The head-to-head victory proved decisive, as Slinger also finished 7-0 in North Shore Conference play but lost the direct matchup to Homestead 22-21 on October 10, giving the Highlanders the outright title despite both teams posting perfect conference records.

Waunakee dominated the Badger Large Conference with historic consistency, winning their fifth consecutive conference championship with a perfect 6-0 conference record and 8-0 regular season mark. The Warriors extended their conference winning streak to 27 consecutive games dating back to 2019, establishing themselves as one of Wisconsin's most dominant programs. Their regular season included impressive victories such as 52-14 over DeForest and 56-0 over Fort Atkinson. Waunakee enters the 2025 Division 1 playoffs as the top seed in their sectional, seeking to convert regular-season dominance into postseason success.

West De Pere made history by capturing the school's first-ever Fox River Classic Conference title, winning the FRCC North Division after finishing as runner-up to Bay Port the previous two years. The Phantoms posted a perfect 9-0 regular season in 2024 and delivered one of the season's most memorable performances in Week 8, staging a stunning comeback against defending state champion Bay Port. Down 45-28 with four minutes remaining, West De Pere scored three touchdowns, recovered two onside kicks, and won 48-45 with just 18 seconds left. Quarterback Patrick Greisen threw for 1,890 yards and 23 touchdowns during the regular season, while running back Ryan Lutz added 974 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns as the Phantoms averaged 44.3 points per game.

The Fox Valley Association produced a rare three-way tie for the conference championship, with Kimberly, Neenah, and Kaukauna all finishing 5-1 in conference play. This competitive balance ended Kimberly's streak of winning or sharing every conference title since 2013. Neenah secured their share of the championship with a thrilling 7-0 victory over Kimberly on October 3, in a defensive battle that left the Rockets as the FVA's only undefeated team at that point. Notre Dame Academy claimed their second consecutive FRCC South Division championship, finishing 8-0 in conference play before going on to win the Division 3 state title. Catholic Memorial likely won or shared the Parkland Conference championship, though they fell short in the state championship game despite strong regular-season performance.

Top seeds and compelling storylines

Division 1 features four undefeated or one-loss top seeds commanding their sectionals. Waunakee (8-0) earned the top seed in Sectional 1 and hosts Chippewa Falls in the first round. Hartland Arrowhead (8-1) claims the Sectional 2 top seed after dominating the Classic Eight Conference and ranking number one in state polls for much of the season. The Warriors' only blemish was a narrow loss, and they remain favorites to reach Camp Randall. Defending state champion Bay Port returns as the number three seed in Sectional 4 despite their championship pedigree, reflecting the competitive depth in Division 1 and the new seeding matrix that rewards regular-season performance. The Pirates host Appleton North in what could be a challenging first-round matchup for a defending champion.

The Fox Valley Association will dominate Division 1 first-round action with multiple conference rematches that promise competitive battles. Neenah, seeded second in their sectional, hosts De Pere in a rematch of conference opponents. Kimberly (third seed) faces Fond du Lac (sixth seed) in another FVA rivalry game. These matchups recall the 2024 playoffs when Neenah defeated Kimberly 34-14 in the Level 2 round, snapping Kimberly's 19-year winning streak over the Rockets. The FVA's depth means these traditional powers must navigate conference-mate obstacles before advancing deeper into the tournament.

Division 2 showcases four undefeated top seeds entering the playoffs with perfect records. West De Pere (9-0) leads Sectional 2 after their magical regular season that included the comeback victory over Bay Port. The Phantoms host Hartford in the first round, bringing their high-powered offense averaging over 44 points per game to the playoff stage. Notre Dame Academy (8-0) earned the top seed in Sectional 4 after moving up from Division 3, where they won the 2024 state championship. The Tritons' promotion came via the WIAA's performance factor formula, which moves successful programs upward for competitive balance. Notre Dame brings championship experience and a three-peat FRCC-South title to their new division, hosting Greenfield in the opener.

Homestead (8-0) commands Sectional 3 as the top seed, seeking to convert their North Shore Conference championship into a deep playoff run. River Falls (7-1) anchors Sectional 1, setting up potential later-round matchups between these conference champions. Rice Lake returns as a second seed with playoff experience and motivation after their heartbreaking 31-30 loss to Slinger in the 2024 Division 2 championship game. The Warriors host Kaukauna in the first round, seeking redemption for coming within one point of a state title.

Division 3's bracket features programs with recent championship game experience seeking to break through or reclaim glory. Catholic Memorial earned a top seed after reaching the 2024 Division 3 championship game, where they lost 49-28 to Notre Dame despite setting multiple offensive records. The Crusaders return with championship experience and home-field advantage, motivated to finish what they started. Edgewood (Madison) claims another sectional top seed from the Badger Small Conference, while Grafton and New Berlin West round out the four sectional leaders. Plymouth earned a second seed and hosts Marinette in the first round, part of a strong northeast Wisconsin contingent in Division 3 that includes Luxemburg-Casco and Fox Valley Lutheran.

New playoff matrix

The 2025 season marks the first year of the Wisconsin Football Playoff Matrix, representing the most significant format change in WIAA football playoff history. The new system assigns teams to divisions before the season based on enrollment—matching how other sports operate—rather than waiting until after qualification. This change allows teams to know their divisional placement from the season's start, enabling better scheduling and competitive preparation. The WIAA Board of Control approved the new format with a 10-1 vote after studying successful models from other states, particularly Ohio's playoff system.

Qualification now depends on a transparent Playoff Qualifying Score (PQS) calculated through Tier 1 and Tier 2 points. Teams earn Tier 1 points for victories based on their opponent's division, with Division 1 wins worth 6.5 points down to Division 7 wins worth 3.5 points. Tier 2 points measure strength of victory by adding defeated opponents' Tier 1 points totals. The formula combines these metrics to create a PQS that ranks all teams within each division, with the top 32 qualifying for the playoffs. The WIAA releases preliminary standings weekly throughout the season, allowing programs to track their playoff position and understand exactly where they stand—a dramatic departure from the previous opaque conference-record-based system.

The bracket structure creates four geographical regions within each division, with eight teams per region seeded one through eight. Regional alignment prioritizes minimizing travel distance between opponents while maintaining competitive balance. Higher seeds host games through the sectional round, with neutral sites used for state semifinals. The tournament progresses through five levels: first-round games on October 24, second-round games on October 31, sectionals on November 7, state semifinals at neutral sites on November 14, and state championships at Camp Randall on November 20-21. Home teams host if their facility meets WIAA standards and appears on the approved site list, though games must move to Saturday if travel exceeds 120 miles between opponents unless both schools agree to Friday.

Camp Randall Stadium awaits championship

The state championship games return to Camp Randall Stadium for the 49th Annual WIAA Football State Championships on November 20-21, 2025, continuing a tradition that began in 1982. Thursday's slate features the four smaller-division championships at 10:00 a.m. (Division 7), 1:00 p.m. (Division 6), 4:00 p.m. (Division 5), and 7:00 p.m. (Division 4). Friday showcases the three larger divisions with Division 3 at 10:00 a.m., Division 2 at 1:00 p.m., and Division 1 at 4:00 p.m. Games are scheduled three hours apart to maximize attendance opportunities, with all-day passes available for thirty dollars on Thursday and twenty-five dollars on Friday.

Playing at Camp Randall represents the pinnacle achievement for Wisconsin high school football players, offering the opportunity to compete for the coveted championship trophy on the same field as the Wisconsin Badgers. The stadium, built on the grounds of Camp Randall—a Union Army training camp during the Civil War—opened October 6, 1917 and stands as the oldest stadium in the Big Ten Conference. Recent renovations brought stadium capacity to 80,321 and installed a state-of-the-art heated artificial turf system in 2023-24, ensuring optimal playing conditions even during late-November weather conditions that can include snow and freezing temperatures.

Championship weekend typically draws between 20,000 and 35,000 spectators across all games, with the highest recorded attendance of 35,850 in 1987. Recent years have seen attendance figures around 24,000 to 31,000, with fans traveling from across Wisconsin to support their communities. The 2024 championships tested the new heated field system when significant snow fell during Thursday's games, with the technology proving effective in managing accumulation after initial adjustments. All games receive live broadcast coverage on the WIAA State Television Network across Wisconsin, with free streaming available on station websites including WKOW, WAOW, WXOW, and WQOW.

The venue has witnessed championship performances from 125 different programs since the WIAA began sponsoring football playoffs in 1976. Stratford now holds the record with 10 state championships, followed by Edgar with nine titles after their 2024 Division 7 victory. Several programs share seven championships each, including Kimberly, Lancaster, and St. Mary's Springs. The longest championship dynasty belongs to Stratford, which won six consecutive titles from 2003 to 2008. This tradition of excellence continues in 2025 as the next generation of Wisconsin high school football players pursues their championship dreams.

Conclusion

The 2025 WIAA Football Playoffs represent both continuity and change for Wisconsin high school football. The new playoff matrix brings unprecedented transparency and competitive balance while maintaining beloved traditions like championship weekend at Camp Randall Stadium. Defending champions Bay Port, Slinger, and Notre Dame face new challenges—Bay Port navigating a tough Division 1 bracket, Slinger no longer competing after graduating key players, and Notre Dame moving up to Division 2 where they face an entirely new competitive landscape. Conference champions like Homestead, Waunakee, and West De Pere enter as top seeds with momentum and home-field advantage, seeking to convert regular-season excellence into postseason glory.

The first round on October 24 promises compelling matchups throughout all divisions, with conference rematches, traditional rivalries, and potential upsets dotting the brackets. Programs with deep playoff traditions will face hungry challengers seeking to establish their own championship legacies. Most significantly, this year's tournament operates under a format designed to reward regular-season achievement while ensuring geographic balance and competitive equity—a system that could define Wisconsin high school football for decades to come. All roads lead to Camp Randall Stadium on November 20-21, where seven new champions will be crowned and 14 programs will experience the culmination of seasons spent dreaming of hoisting the gold ball.