The road to a Colorado high school football state championship is officially underway, and the opening weekend has already delivered a few reminders that nothing comes easily in November.

Weld Central escaped with a 6-3 victory over Aspen in the Class 2A preliminary round, while Lamar survived a 31-28 battle with Prospect Ridge Academy. Strasburg had considerably less trouble, rolling past Fort Lupton 56-22.

Now the spotlight shifts to the rest of the state.

The Colorado High School Activities Association released its remaining 2026 football playoff brackets Sunday, Nov. 1, setting the stage for postseason competition across seven classifications, from six-man football to Class 5A.

Cherry Creek earned the No. 1 seed in Class 5A, where Valor Christian, Mountain Vista and undefeated Fort Collins are among the challengers.

Roosevelt leads Class 4A, while Palmer Ridge enters as the top seed in Class 3A. Elizabeth, Meeker, McClave and Idalia headline the smaller-school brackets.

The postseason will conclude with two championship weekends. The six-man, eight-man, Class 1A and Class 2A titles will be decided at CSU Pueblo's ThunderBowl on Nov. 27-28, followed by the Class 3A, 4A and 5A championship games Dec. 5 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins.

Here is a look at all seven Colorado high school football playoff brackets, first-round matchups, early results and state championship information.

Class 5A Colorado High School Football Playoff Bracket

Cherry Creek enters the Class 5A playoffs as the No. 1 seed after finishing the regular season 9-1.

The Bruins received a first-round bye and will face the winner of the Heritage-Cherokee Trail matchup in the second round.

Valor Christian earned the No. 2 seed, followed by Mountain Vista and undefeated Fort Collins.

Fort Collins enters the postseason 10-0, giving the Lambkins an opportunity to turn a perfect regular season into a deep playoff run.

Grandview, Legend, Eaglecrest and Grand Junction also earned opening-round byes.

First-Round Matchups — Nov. 5-6

• No. 17 Cherokee Trail at No. 16 Heritage
• No. 24 Castle View at No. 9 Ralston Valley
• No. 20 Riverdale Ridge at No. 13 Northfield
• No. 21 Fossil Ridge at No. 12 Regis Jesuit
• No. 18 Legacy at No. 15 Horizon
• No. 23 Chaparral at No. 10 ThunderRidge
• No. 19 Arapahoe at No. 14 Fairview
• No. 22 Denver East at No. 11 Chatfield

Teams Receiving First-Round Byes

• No. 1 Cherry Creek
• No. 2 Valor Christian
• No. 3 Mountain Vista
• No. 4 Fort Collins
• No. 5 Grandview
• No. 6 Legend
• No. 7 Eaglecrest
• No. 8 Grand Junction

The Class 5A championship is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5, at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins.

Class 4A Colorado High School Football Playoff Bracket

Roosevelt earned the No. 1 seed in Class 4A and will begin its postseason run in the second round.

Montrose holds the No. 2 seed, followed by Broomfield and Monarch.

Loveland, Ponderosa, Pueblo West and Mesa Ridge round out the top eight, all of which received first-round byes.

The opening round includes several intriguing matchups, including George Washington against Montbello, Columbine against Durango and Frederick against Air Academy.

First-Round Matchups — Nov. 5-6

• No. 17 Montbello at No. 16 George Washington
• No. 24 Fruita Monument at No. 9 Golden
• No. 20 Cheyenne Mountain at No. 13 Douglas County
• No. 21 Durango at No. 12 Columbine
• No. 18 Air Academy at No. 15 Frederick
• No. 23 Dakota Ridge at No. 10 Lutheran
• No. 19 Longmont at No. 14 Vista Ridge
• No. 22 Sand Creek at No. 11 Bear Creek

Teams Receiving First-Round Byes

• No. 1 Roosevelt
• No. 2 Montrose
• No. 3 Broomfield
• No. 4 Monarch
• No. 5 Loveland
• No. 6 Ponderosa
• No. 7 Pueblo West
• No. 8 Mesa Ridge

The Class 4A championship will be played Dec. 5 at Canvas Stadium.

Class 3A Colorado High School Football Playoff Bracket

Palmer Ridge earned the No. 1 seed in Class 3A and enters the postseason as one of the leading championship contenders.

Holy Family is seeded second, followed by Palisade and Mead.

Evergreen, Pueblo East, Timnath and Pueblo County complete the top eight, giving those programs an extra week to prepare for their opening playoff games.

Among the first-round matchups are Berthoud against Pueblo South, Pomona against Sierra and Windsor against Silver Creek.

First-Round Matchups — Nov. 5-6

• No. 17 Pueblo South at No. 16 Berthoud
• No. 24 Harrison at No. 9 Conifer
• No. 20 Canon City at No. 13 Rifle
• No. 21 Sierra at No. 12 Pomona
• No. 18 Silver Creek at No. 15 Windsor
• No. 23 Palmer at No. 10 Eagle Valley
• No. 19 Summit at No. 14 Fort Morgan
• No. 22 Lewis-Palmer at No. 11 Severance

Teams Receiving First-Round Byes

• No. 1 Palmer Ridge
• No. 2 Holy Family
• No. 3 Palisade
• No. 4 Mead
• No. 5 Evergreen
• No. 6 Pueblo East
• No. 7 Timnath
• No. 8 Pueblo County

The Class 3A state championship is scheduled for Dec. 5 in Fort Collins.

Class 2A Colorado High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 2A opened its postseason Oct. 31, one week ahead of the other Colorado classifications.

The preliminary round produced several close games, including Weld Central's 6-3 victory over Aspen and Lamar's 31-28 win against Prospect Ridge Academy.

Strasburg advanced with a 56-22 victory over Fort Lupton, while University defeated Denver West 35-3.

Elizabeth earned the No. 1 seed, followed by The Classical Academy, Wellington and Delta.

Eaton, La Junta, Brush and Alamosa complete the top eight.

Preliminary-Round Results

• Weld Central 6, Aspen 3
• University 35, Denver West 3
• Strasburg 56, Fort Lupton 22
• Coal Ridge 40, Resurrection Christian 24
• Lamar 31, Prospect Ridge Academy 28
• Pagosa Springs 33, Banning Lewis Academy 13
• Basalt 42, Florence 0

Second-Round Matchups — Nov. 6-7

• Weld Central at No. 1 Elizabeth
• Forge Christian/Englewood winner at No. 8 Alamosa
• University at No. 4 Delta
• Strasburg at No. 5 Eaton
• Coal Ridge at No. 2 The Classical Academy
• Lamar at No. 7 Brush
• Pagosa Springs at No. 3 Wellington
• Basalt at No. 6 La Junta

The Class 2A championship is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 28, at the ThunderBowl in Pueblo.

Class 1A Colorado High School Football Playoff Bracket

Meeker earned the No. 1 seed in Class 1A and will open against Dayspring Christian Academy.

Denver Christian, which completed an undefeated regular season, earned the No. 2 seed and faces Cedaredge.

Wiggins holds the No. 3 seed, followed by Burlington, Centauri, North Fork, Platte Valley and Monte Vista.

The first round includes several potentially competitive matchups, including Limon at Wiggins and Yuma at Centauri.

First-Round Matchups — Nov. 6-7

• No. 16 Dayspring Christian Academy at No. 1 Meeker
• No. 9 Flatirons Academy at No. 8 Monte Vista
• No. 13 Platte Canyon at No. 4 Burlington
• No. 12 Yuma at No. 5 Centauri
• No. 15 Cedaredge at No. 2 Denver Christian
• No. 10 Colorado Springs Christian at No. 7 Platte Valley
• No. 14 Limon at No. 3 Wiggins
• No. 11 Rye at No. 6 North Fork

The Class 1A championship will be played Nov. 28 at CSU Pueblo's ThunderBowl.

Colorado Eight-Man High School Football Playoff Bracket

McClave earned the No. 1 seed in Colorado's eight-man playoff bracket.

Sedgwick County holds the No. 2 seed, followed by West Grand and Simla.

Hayden, Norwood, Mancos and Fowler round out the top eight.

The opening round features several interesting matchups, including Akron at Fowler, Crowley County at Hayden and Stratton at Mancos.

First-Round Matchups — Nov. 6-7

• No. 16 Hoehne at No. 1 McClave
• No. 9 Akron at No. 8 Fowler
• No. 13 Las Animas at No. 4 Simla
• No. 12 Crowley County at No. 5 Hayden
• No. 14 Sanford at No. 3 West Grand
• No. 11 Front Range Christian at No. 6 Norwood
• No. 10 Stratton at No. 7 Mancos
• No. 15 Vail Christian at No. 2 Sedgwick County

The eight-man state championship is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 27, at the ThunderBowl in Pueblo.

Colorado Six-Man High School Football Playoff Bracket

Idalia earned the No. 1 seed in the six-man playoff bracket and will begin its postseason run against Briggsdale.

Peetz holds the No. 2 seed, followed by Prairie and Cheyenne Wells.

Granada, Fleming, Otis and Wiley round out the top eight.

The first round includes several intriguing matchups, including Caliche at Wiley, Hanover at Granada and Walsh at Otis.

First-Round Matchups — Nov. 6-7

• No. 16 Briggsdale at No. 1 Idalia
• No. 9 Caliche at No. 8 Wiley
• No. 13 Bethune at No. 4 Cheyenne Wells
• No. 12 Hanover at No. 5 Granada
• No. 14 Kim/Branson at No. 3 Prairie
• No. 11 Flagler at No. 6 Fleming
• No. 10 Walsh at No. 7 Otis
• No. 15 Genoa-Hugo at No. 2 Peetz

The six-man championship will be played Friday, Nov. 27, at CSU Pueblo's ThunderBowl.

2026 Colorado High School Football State Championship Dates and Locations

Colorado will crown seven state champions over two weekends in Pueblo and Fort Collins.

Friday, Nov. 27 — CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

The six-man and eight-man state championship games will be played at the ThunderBowl on the campus of Colorado State University Pueblo.

Saturday, Nov. 28 — CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

The Class 1A and Class 2A state championship games will be played in Pueblo.

Saturday, Dec. 5 — Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins

Colorado State University's Canvas Stadium will host the Class 3A, Class 4A and Class 5A state championship games.

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

With Class 2A already underway, the remaining six classifications will begin postseason competition Nov. 5-7.

The larger classifications will move into the second round Nov. 13, while the smaller-school tournaments continue toward their championship games Thanksgiving weekend.

The season will conclude Dec. 5 in Fort Collins, where Colorado's three largest classifications will crown their state champions.

High School On SI will continue updating the Colorado high school football playoff brackets with final scores, upcoming matchups and championship information throughout November and December.