Are you ready for some (more) football? State playoffs to expand

The OHSAA announced Wednesday the football playoffs will expand in 2021.

Twelve teams – up from eight since 1999 – will make the postseason in each region with the top four seeds receiving byes in the first round.

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The change is a result of a 9-0 affirmative vote on a proposal from the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association.

Higher seeds will host in the first two rounds.

OHSAA football administrator Beau Rugg said in a news release other details of the format as well as season dates are still being worked out, but the finals are still scheduled for the first weekend in December and teams will still be permitted to play 10 regular-season games.

Since beginning in 1972, the OHSAA football playoffs have expanded from 12 teams (four per class) to 224 (spread over seven divisions).

The new expansion means 336 teams will make it.

Last year, 709 school fielded 11-man football teams.

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