The 2026 Indiana high school football playoffs are officially underway, and the first Friday night of the postseason produced everything from one-point thrillers to some staggering offensive performances.
Classes 1A through 4A played the opening round of sectional action Friday, Oct. 23, while Classes 5A and 6A each had a play-in game ahead of the full sectional semifinal round on Oct. 30.
Among the eye-catching performances, Bedford North Lawrence erupted for 74 points, Northview scored 77, Eastern Hancock put up 77 and Salem reached 80. Knightstown topped them all with an 84-point performance in Class 1A.
There were plenty of nail-biters, too. Jimtown edged Tippecanoe Valley 15-14 in Class 3A, Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter escaped Covenant Christian 22-21 in double overtime in Class 2A and Caston survived Madison-Grant 23-22 in Class 1A.
The postseason ultimately leads to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where six IHSAA state champions will be crowned Thanksgiving weekend.
Here is a look at the updated brackets and Friday night's results in all six classifications.
Class 6A Indiana High School Football Playoff Bracket
Class 6A had just one play-in game Friday, with Franklin Central shutting out Southport to advance into a sectional semifinal matchup with Decatur Central.
VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 6A PLAYOFF BRACKET
Friday's Class 6A Score
Franklin Central 43, Southport 0
The rest of the Class 6A field begins postseason play Friday, Oct. 30, with sectional semifinal games across the state.
Class 5A Indiana High School Football Playoff Bracket
Mt. Vernon (Fortville) earned the lone Class 5A play-in victory, defeating Greenfield-Central 34-18. The Marauders advance to face Cathedral in the sectional semifinals.
VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 5A PLAYOFF BRACKET
Friday's Class 5A Score
Mt. Vernon (Fortville) 34, Greenfield-Central 18
The remainder of Class 5A joins the postseason Friday, Oct. 30.
Class 4A Indiana High School Football Playoff Bracket
Class 4A produced several of Friday's biggest statements.
Bedford North Lawrence exploded for a 74-21 victory over Evansville Central, Northview rolled past Frankfort 77-6 and East Central opened its postseason with a 51-7 victory over Madison.
There were also impressive wins by defending powers and perennial contenders, including Bishop Chatard, Roncalli, East Noble and Heritage Hills.
VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 4A PLAYOFF BRACKET
Friday's Class 4A Scores
Hammond Morton 48, Hanover Central 21
Lowell 42, Gary West Side 0
East Chicago Central 42, Kankakee Valley 6
Hobart 30, Highland 7
Northridge 57, Mishawaka 26
South Bend St. Joseph 38, South Bend Riley 0
NorthWood 49, Plymouth 8
Culver Academies 58, New Prairie 27
DeKalb 55, New Haven 6
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger 34, Fort Wayne North Side 0
Columbia City 21, Leo 6
East Noble 41, Wawasee 0
Logansport 41, Delta 14
Jay County 47, Marion 0
Yorktown 35, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 14
Muncie Central 34, Kokomo 23
Brebeuf Jesuit 42, Indianapolis Shortridge 21
Danville 42, Lebanon 13
Indianapolis Bishop Chatard 21, Guerin Catholic 12
Northview 77, Frankfort 6
Mooresville 48, Martinsville 21
Beech Grove 62, Richmond 28
Roncalli 41, Connersville 20
Greenwood 45, Indianapolis Crispus Attucks 34
East Central 51, Madison 7
Columbus East 62, Charlestown 36
Shelbyville 35, Silver Creek 25
Bedford North Lawrence 74, Evansville Central 21
Evansville Harrison 20, Boonville 14
Evansville Reitz 35, Evansville Bosse 0
Heritage Hills 21, Jasper 14
Class 3A Indiana High School Football Playoff Bracket
Class 3A featured some of the most competitive football of the opening round.
Jimtown survived Tippecanoe Valley 15-14, while Hamilton Heights outlasted Mississinewa 47-40. Andrean, Adams Central, Lawrenceburg, Gibson Southern and Evansville Mater Dei were among the other notable programs advancing.
VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 3A PLAYOFF BRACKET
Friday's Class 3A Scores
Andrean 38, Griffith 20
Twin Lakes 58, River Forest 14
Hammond Bishop Noll 36, Calumet 26
Jimtown 15, Tippecanoe Valley 14
West Noble 44, South Bend Washington 6
Fairfield 56, John Glenn 27
Angola 13, Mishawaka Marian 0
Bluffton 48, Garrett 13
Norwell 55, Woodlan 21
Adams Central 48, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran 27
Heritage 49, Bellmont 7
Hamilton Heights 47, Mississinewa 40
West Lafayette 49, Northwestern 14
Maconaquah 52, Eastbrook 20
Western Boone 14, Purdue Polytechnic 6
North Montgomery 50, Indianapolis Washington 0
Tri-West 42, Crawfordsville 21
Speedway 28, Heritage Christian 22
Lawrenceburg 52, New Castle 18
Greensburg 49, Centerville 27
Franklin County 65, Rushville 19
Batesville 63, South Dearborn 14
Vincennes Lincoln 42, Edgewood 9
Sullivan 52, Owen Valley 27
Scottsburg 48, Washington 28
Gibson Southern 56, Southridge 20
Evansville Memorial 42, North Harrison 8
Evansville Mater Dei 63, Princeton 6
Mt. Vernon (Posey) 49, Corydon Central 6
Class 2A Indiana High School Football Playoff Bracket
Points were not difficult to find in Class 2A.
Eastern Hancock delivered one of the night's most dominant performances with a 77-0 shutout of Christel House, Salem overwhelmed Brown County 80-0 and North Posey rolled to a 76-0 victory over Perry Central.
One of the night's best finishes came in Indianapolis, where Cardinal Ritter edged Covenant Christian 22-21 in double overtime.
VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 2A PLAYOFF BRACKET
Friday's Class 2A Scores
Knox 40, Whiting 14
Rensselaer Central 56, Lake Station 28
Wheeler 42, Boone Grove 7
Bremen 49, Prairie Heights 13
Rochester 36, Lakeland 14
Central Noble 40, Manchester 21
Delphi 52, Elwood 7
Oak Hill 49, Seeger 21
Tipton 35, Eastern (Greentown) 28
Lewis Cass 64, Peru 42
Hagerstown 56, Frankton 12
Shenandoah 48, Winchester 14
Alexandria 48, Northeastern 40
Lapel 50, Blackford 7
Triton Central 49, Indianapolis Scecina 23
Indianapolis Lutheran 56, Park Tudor 7
Eastern Hancock 77, Christel House 0
Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter 22, Covenant Christian 21 (2OT)
North Putnam 42, West Vigo 9
Monrovia 13, Southmont 10
Greencastle 35, South Vermillion 28
South Putnam 56, Cascade 33
Salem 80, Brown County 0
Brownstown Central 51, Providence 7
Switzerland County 47, Mitchell 28
Clarksville 42, Eastern (Pekin) 20
Tell City 37, South Spencer 32
Linton-Stockton 62, Pike Central 0
North Posey 76, Perry Central 0
Paoli 67, Eastern Greene 33
Class 1A Indiana High School Football Playoff Bracket
If the opening round is any indication, Class 1A could provide plenty of drama before Thanksgiving weekend.
Caston slipped past Madison-Grant 23-22, while Southwood needed double overtime to beat Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 34-28. West Washington also survived Springs Valley 29-27.
Knightstown supplied the night's biggest number, blasting Union City 84-0, while Pioneer, Milan and Riverton Parke also posted huge offensive performances.
VIEW THE UPDATED CLASS 1A PLAYOFF BRACKET
Friday's Class 1A Scores
North Newton 23, Bowman Academy 13
West Central 39, Culver Community 7
Winamac 49, South Central (Union Mills) 16
North Judson-San Pierre 62, Triton 7
Lafayette Central Catholic 47, Frontier 0
North White 55, Faith Christian 20
Clinton Prairie 28, Carroll (Flora) 12
Pioneer 70, Taylor 0
Sheridan 40, North Miami 21
Clinton Central 64, Tri-Central 0
Caston 23, Madison-Grant 22
Southwood 34, Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian 28 (2OT)
South Adams 60, Churubusco 0
Northfield 49, Whitko 14
Fremont 46, Southern Wells 0
Knightstown 84, Union City 0
Tri 27, Monroe Central 22
Milan 71, Trinity Lutheran 14
North Decatur 42, South Decatur 14
North Central (Farmersburg) 42, Parke Heritage 6
Riverton Parke 63, North Vermillion 20
Cloverdale 40, Fountain Central 22
Covington 52, Attica 6
Forest Park 64, Crawford County 0
North Daviess 35, Tecumseh 28
West Washington 29, Springs Valley 27
The IHSAA Playoffs Continue Next Week
The postseason continues Friday, Oct. 30, with sectional semifinal action across Indiana.
For Classes 1A through 4A, Friday's winners are now one victory away from playing for sectional championships. Classes 5A and 6A move into their full sectional semifinal rounds after Friday night's two play-in games.
Sectional champions will eventually advance to the regional and semistate rounds, with the survivors earning trips to Lucas Oil Stadium for the 2026 IHSAA state championship games.
High School On SI will continue to update the brackets throughout the postseason as teams advance toward Indianapolis.
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