The projections are over. The brackets are official.

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association released its 2026 high school football playoff brackets Monday, Nov. 2, setting the stage for six state championship races and a postseason that begins Thursday, Nov. 5.

From defending state champion Quince Orchard in Class 4A to perennial small-school power Fort Hill in Class 1A, the road to Annapolis is officially mapped out.

Quince Orchard enters the Class 4A tournament as the No. 1 seed in its region after an undefeated regular season. The Cougars will open against Richard Montgomery as they pursue another state championship.

Mergenthaler Vo-Tech, the defending Class 4A/3A champion, earned a first-round bye in the North Region, while Milford Mill Academy, Oakdale and Linganore are among the leading contenders in Class 3A.

In Class 2A/1A, Baltimore City power Dunbar is joined by Century, Elkton and Easton as regional No. 1 seeds.

Fort Hill, one of Maryland's most successful football programs, earned a first-round bye in Class 1A and will begin its postseason run Nov. 13.

The playoffs feature six classifications — 4A, 4A/3A, 3A, 2A, 2A/1A and 1A — with regional competition leading to the state quarterfinals, semifinals and championship games.

All six state championships will be decided Dec. 3-5 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

Here is a classification-by-classification look at the official 2026 Maryland high school football playoff brackets, regional seeds, first-round matchups and championship schedule.

Class 4A Maryland High School Football Playoff Bracket

Defending state champion Quince Orchard headlines the Class 4A field after completing an undefeated regular season.

The Cougars earned the No. 1 seed in the West Region and will host Richard Montgomery in the opening round.

Churchill, Seneca Valley and Northwest are also among the West Region contenders.

In the North, Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Wheaton earned first-round byes, while Flowers leads the South Region and Broadneck holds the top seed in the East.

West Region First-Round Matchups

• No. 8 Richard Montgomery at No. 1 Quince Orchard
• No. 5 Clarksburg at No. 4 Northwest
• No. 7 Walter Johnson at No. 2 Churchill
• No. 6 Gaithersburg at No. 3 Seneca Valley

North Region First-Round Matchups

• No. 1 Bethesda-Chevy Chase — bye
• No. 5 Blair at No. 4 Paint Branch
• No. 2 Wheaton — bye
• No. 6 Blake at No. 3 Laurel

South Region First-Round Matchups

• No. 1 Flowers — bye
• No. 5 Eleanor Roosevelt at No. 4 Wise
• No. 7 Bladensburg at No. 2 Suitland
• No. 6 DuVal at No. 3 Parkdale

East Region First-Round Matchups

• No. 1 Broadneck — bye
• No. 5 Meade at No. 4 Bowie
• No. 7 North County at No. 2 Annapolis
• No. 6 Glen Burnie at No. 3 Dundalk

Class 4A/3A Maryland High School Football Playoff Bracket

Defending champion Mergenthaler Vo-Tech begins its title defense as the No. 1 seed in the North Region.

The Mustangs earned a first-round bye and will face the Parkville-Dulaney winner in the second round.

Old Mill leads the East Region, while Sherwood earned the No. 1 seed in the South.

Marriotts Ridge is positioned as the top seed in the West Region, where Urbana, Magruder and Frederick are among the other contenders.

East Region First-Round Matchups

• No. 8 Arundel at No. 1 Old Mill
• No. 5 North Point at No. 4 Great Mills
• No. 7 Leonardtown at No. 2 Crofton
• No. 6 Severna Park at No. 3 Severn Run

North Region First-Round Matchups

• No. 1 Mergenthaler Vo-Tech — bye
• No. 5 Dulaney at No. 4 Parkville
• No. 7 Digital Harbor at No. 2 Kenwood
• No. 6 Perry Hall at No. 3 Woodlawn

South Region First-Round Matchups

• No. 1 Sherwood — bye
• No. 5 Potomac at No. 4 Kennedy
• No. 7 Einstein at No. 2 Oxon Hill
• No. 6 Springbrook at No. 3 Whitman

The West Region also includes Marriotts Ridge, Urbana, Magruder and Frederick among its leading seeds. The complete statewide bracket will reflect the final West Region pairings as they are entered.

Class 3A Maryland High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 3A features several of Maryland's strongest public-school programs, including Milford Mill Academy, Oakdale, Linganore and Franklin.

Milford Mill earned the No. 1 seed in its region, while Franklin received a first-round bye.

Oakdale and Linganore also earned opening-round byes, with Damascus advancing directly to a second-round matchup against Linganore.

In another region, Guilford Park opens against Bennett, while Decatur hosts South River.

Selected First-Round Matchups

• No. 5 Northwood at No. 4 North Hagerstown
• No. 5 Atholton at No. 4 New Town
• No. 6 Centennial at No. 3 Westminster
• No. 8 Bennett at No. 1 Guilford Park
• No. 5 Reservoir at No. 4 Chesapeake
• No. 7 South River at No. 2 Decatur
• No. 6 Chopticon at No. 3 St. Charles
• No. 5 Poly at No. 4 Edgewood
• No. 7 Patapsco at No. 2 Aberdeen
• No. 6 Overlea at No. 3 City College

Notable First-Round Byes

• Oakdale
• Linganore
• Damascus
• Milford Mill Academy
• Franklin
• Towson

One of the most interesting early developments is the second-round matchup between Linganore and Damascus, two programs with considerable postseason history.

Class 2A Maryland High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 2A features several strong regional contenders, including Bel Air, Huntingtown, Largo and Gwynn Park.

Bel Air earned the No. 1 seed in its region and opens against Lansdowne.

Eastern Tech, Winters Mill and Carver Vo-Tech are also among the teams competing in that section of the bracket.

Huntingtown received a first-round bye, while Largo opens against North Caroline.

Gwynn Park, Wicomico and Douglass are among the other contenders in the tournament.

Selected First-Round Matchups

• No. 8 Lansdowne at No. 1 Bel Air
• No. 5 Manchester Valley at No. 4 Carver Vo-Tech
• No. 7 North Harford at No. 2 Eastern Tech
• No. 6 C. Milton Wright at No. 3 Winters Mill
• No. 5 McDonough at No. 4 Northern
• No. 7 La Plata at No. 2 Westlake
• No. 6 Stone at No. 3 Northeast
• No. 8 North Caroline at No. 1 Largo
• No. 5 Parkside at No. 4 Douglass
• No. 7 Fairmont Heights at No. 2 Gwynn Park
• No. 6 Crossland at No. 3 Wicomico

Huntingtown received a first-round bye and will begin its postseason run in the second round.

Class 2A/1A Maryland High School Football Playoff Bracket

Class 2A/1A features several established championship contenders, including Dunbar, Century, Easton and Elkton.

Dunbar earned the No. 1 seed in its region and received a first-round bye.

Century earned the top seed in another region and opens against Owings Mills, while Walkersville hosts Randallstown.

Elkton and Easton also earned opening-round byes.

Other notable teams in the bracket include Harford Tech, Hereford, Kent Island, South Carroll and Sparrows Point.

First-Round Matchups

Century Region

• No. 8 Owings Mills at No. 1 Century
• No. 5 Middletown at No. 4 South Carroll
• No. 7 Randallstown at No. 2 Walkersville
• No. 6 Liberty at No. 3 Williamsport

Elkton Region

• No. 1 Elkton — bye
• No. 5 Rising Sun at No. 4 Fallston
• No. 7 North East at No. 2 Harford Tech
• No. 6 Joppatowne at No. 3 Hereford

Dunbar Region

• No. 1 Dunbar — bye
• No. 5 Chesapeake at No. 4 Central
• No. 7 Surrattsville at No. 2 Sparrows Point
• No. 6 Edmondson-Westside at No. 3 Forest Park

Easton Region

• No. 1 Easton — bye
• No. 5 Queen Anne's County at No. 4 Calvert
• No. 7 Hammond at No. 2 Lackey
• No. 6 Southern at No. 3 Kent Island

Class 1A Maryland High School Football Playoff Bracket

Fort Hill begins another postseason run as the No. 1 seed in its region.

The Sentinels received a first-round bye and will face the winner of the Allegany-Southern matchup in the second round.

Smithsburg also received an opening-round bye, while Mountain Ridge opens against Northern Garrett.

Elsewhere, Havre de Grace and Douglass earned first-round byes.

Perryville, Snow Hill and Cambridge-South Dorchester are among the other regional contenders.

First-Round Matchups

Fort Hill Region

• No. 1 Fort Hill — bye
• No. 5 Southern at No. 4 Allegany
• No. 2 Smithsburg — bye
• No. 6 Northern Garrett at No. 3 Mountain Ridge

Boonsboro Region

• No. 8 Catoctin at No. 1 regional seed
• No. 5 Francis Scott Key at No. 4 Pikesville
• No. 7 Brunswick at No. 2 Boonsboro
• No. 6 Western Tech at No. 3 Loch Raven

Havre de Grace Region

• No. 1 Havre de Grace — bye
• No. 5 Lewis at No. 4 Patterson Mill
• No. 2 Douglass — bye
• No. 6 Green Street Academy at No. 3 Lake Clifton

Perryville Region

• No. 8 Washington at No. 1 Perryville
• No. 5 Kent County at No. 4 Patuxent
• No. 7 Colonel Richardson at No. 2 Snow Hill
• No. 6 Bohemia Manor at No. 3 Cambridge-South Dorchester

Official 2026 Maryland High School Football Playoff Schedule

The MPSSAA playoffs begin Nov. 5-7, with the championship games scheduled for Dec. 3-5.

Where Are the Maryland High School Football State Championships?

All six MPSSAA state championship games will be played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

Venue: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

Location: Annapolis, Maryland

Championship dates: Dec. 3-5, 2026

Classifications: 4A, 4A/3A, 3A, 2A, 2A/1A and 1A

The individual championship game assignments and kickoff times will be announced later in the postseason.

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

The first round of the 2026 Maryland high school football playoffs begins Thursday, Nov. 5, and continues through Saturday, Nov. 7.

Several of the state's leading championship contenders, including Mergenthaler Vo-Tech, Milford Mill, Dunbar and Fort Hill, have already secured places in the second round.

Others, including Quince Orchard, Old Mill, Bel Air and Century, will begin their championship pursuits with opening-round games.

The postseason will continue through November before six state champions are crowned in Annapolis during the first weekend of December.

High School On SI will update the official Maryland high school football playoff brackets with final scores, upcoming matchups and championship information throughout the postseason.