Top 10 toughest high school football playoff brackets: Texas 6A Division 1 leads the way

Five Top 25 teams are featured in the Lone Star State's biggest classification.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Zack Poff
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Nov 14, 2019, 10:05pm
Video: Top 10 Toughest High School Football Playoff Brackets
Texas is the only state with multiple brackets featured.

It's win-or-go-home time in just about every state and it's time to zone in on the toughest postseason brackets in the country.

Some big-time ones just missed the cut like the CIF Southern Section Division 2, Texas 5A Division 1 and 2, Florida 4A, 5A, 6A and 8A, Georgia 6A, Ohio Division 2 and a handful of others.

Texas is the only state with multiple brackets featured as California, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Washington D.C., Arizona, New Jersey, and Alabama are all represented.

Top 10 toughest high school football playoff brackets
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
1. Texas 6A Division 1 (64-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (Human poll) (5)
No. 8 Katy
No. 11 Allen

Teams in Computer Rankings (Ranked up to 200) (11)
No. 111 DeSoto
No. 135 Dickinson

The 64-team field has a March Madness feel to it — Survive and advance. It features the most Top 25 teams by a large margin. It has five while the next closest has two. Sixteen of the 64 are ranked in the Top 200 in the country on MaxPreps' computer rankings, which is the most in any bracket.

2. CIF Southern Section Division 1 (Eight-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (2)

Teams in Computer Rankings (6)
No. 110 Calabasas

The only reason why the CIF Southern Section Division 1 bracket checks in at No. 2 behind Texas is because of depth. It's only an eight-team field while Texas 6A Division 1 has 64 of the top teams in the state. Every team in the field is ranked in the Top 110 in the computer rankings and it has the top two teams in the Top 25 —  Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. They have played each other in the section championship the last three years.

3. Ohio Division 1 (32-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (1)
No. 13 Mentor

Teams in Computer Rankings (11)
No. 84 Fairfield
No. 114 Springfield
No. 177 Euclid

This is the only other postseason bracket, joining Texas 6A Division 1, with at least 12 teams ranked in the Top 200 computer rankings. The 32-field tournament is one of the toughest to win and it's up for grabs again in 2019. Second round action begins this week.

4. Georgia 7A (32-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (2)

Teams in Computer Rankings (7)
No. 40 Marietta

A number of different teams have a great chance to bring home the 7A trophy. The defending champs, Milton, check in just outside of the Top 300 computer rankings but don't count them out. Same goes for a very talented Parkview (Lilburn) squad, which checks in outside of the Top 200. The Peach State's largest classification postseason is one of the most wide open tournaments in the country.


Teams in Top 25 (2)

Teams in Computer Rankings (2)

The WCAC field might be limited to four teams but it's one of the most difficult to win. No. 24 St. John's hosts DeMatha in one semifinal and the Cadets have won four straight against the Stags, but three of those victories have come by one score. The other semifinal features No. 25 Gonzaga and Good Counsel and the last time they played it went five overtimes. The Falcons won 42-35.

6. Florida 7A (32-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (2)

Teams in Computer Rankings (3)

Florida's 7A bracket is one of three with two Top 10 teams. St. Thomas Aquinas and Lakeland met in the championship game last year and are favorites again in 2019 but must overcome some hurdles. Lakeland beat St. Thomas Aquinas 33-20 in the 2018 championship game to claim the school's first state title since 2006. Second round action begins this week.

7. Texas 6A Division 2 (64-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (1)
No. 23 Longview

Teams in Computer Rankings (3)
No. 64 Cedar Hill

While there is only one Top 25 team featured in the field there is plenty of depth. Three other schools check in the Top 200 computer poll and there are 13 teams that are ranked in the Top 500. Defending 6A Division 2 champs Longview won its first state title since 1937 last year and have the talent to repeat in 2019.

8. Arizona Open Division (Eight-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (1)
No. 17 Chandler

Teams in Computer Rankings

Get your popcorn ready for the inaugural Open Division field. It features the top eight teams and is up for grabs. Chandler, Centennial, and Saguaro have dominated their classifications as of late. The Wolves have won three straight 6A titles, Saguaro has won six consecutive state titles and Centennial has won four in the last five years. This time, there's only one winner and any of the eight has a legit shot.


Teams in Top 25 (0)

Teams in Computer Rankings (3)

All of New Jersey's top schools are in this 10-team field. You know it is stacked when Bergen Catholic (Oradell) and Don Bosco Prep are playing in the quarterfinals. The defending Non-Public Group IV champs, St. Joseph Regional, host Paramus Catholic (Paramus) and face either Bergen or Don Bosco in the semifinals.

10. Alabama 7A (16-team field)

Teams in Top 25 (0)

Teams in Computer Rankings (4)
No. 88 Hoovery
No. 143 James Clemens (Madisony)

Alabama's 7A field is loaded and one of the most competitive brackets in the country. Hoover has dominated in the past but Central brought home the trophy last season and has the talent to repeat. Thompson still has a bad taste in its mouth from last year's 52-7 loss in the 7A championship. The teams are in the second round and you can catch all of the action on the NFHS Network on Nov. 15.

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