We are getting to crunch time in the 2026 high school football season. As the season reaches Week 8, league races are in high gear and teams have only three opportunities to earn points if they want to get into the playoffs or get first-round byes. The Ohio High School Athletic Association has released its official computer ratings for playoff pairings for Oct. 5.
The formula for determining the numbers can be studied here.
In short, teams get credit for each win they get and for each win their opponents get, with more points credited for bigger schools.
The Cincinnati area has teams in seven regions. The top 12 teams in each region qualify for the playoffs, with the top four receiving first-round byes. The full ratings are available on the OHSAA
site. Joe Eitel is posting unofficial numbers on his web site, and beginning this week he is projecting who has already clinched playoff spots or who will get a spot if they win out.
Division I, Region 4
According to Eitel, undefeated Princeton, who has the top spot, has clinched a playoff berth. Moeller has jumped into the top four after beating Elder, who is also in the top four with Lakota West. Lebanon and Winton Woods are right behind the top four. Colerain and Lakota East are on the bubble, tied for 11th place, and Little Miami (4-3) is the only team with a winning record outside of the bubble.
Region 4 - 1. Princeton (7-0) 22.5, 2. Lakota West (6-1) 16.6214, 3. Elder (5-2) 16.3478, 4. Moeller (5-2) 14.0857, 5. Lebanon (6-1) 14.0286, 6. Winton Woods (6-1) 13.4571, 7. Middletown (4-3) 10.8143, 8. St. Xavier (3-4) 10.4357, 9. Springboro (4-3) 10.3429, 10. Oak Hills (4-3) 9.7929, 11t. Colerain (4-3) 8.8643, 11t. Liberty Twp. Lakota East (4-3) 8.8643, 13. Little Miami (4-3) 8.1571, 14. Fairfield (3-4) 7.3357, 15. West Clermont (3-4) 4.2929, 16. Mason (2-5) 2,5071
Division II, Region 8
Anderson and Harrison, both 6-1, are in the top four. Talawanda, Badin, Edgewood and La Salle are in playoff position. Withrow, at 4-3, is in 13th and has work to do, as do Kings and Turpin, both 3-4.
Region 8 - 1. Anderson (6-1) 17.8786, 2. Trotwood-Madison (6-1) 16.9488, 3. Harrison (6-1) 15.5929, 4. Troy (6-1) 15.3214, 5. Lima Senior (6-1) 12.6071, 6. Talawanda (6-1) 12.1, 7. Badin (5-2) 9.8643, 8. Edgewood (4-3) 9.6643, 9. Cols. West (7-0) 9.5714, 10. Vandalia Butler (5-2) 9.2929, 11. La Salle (3-4) 8.8143, 12. Fairborn (5-2) 7.3714, 13. Withrow (4-3) 6.3, 14t. Kings (3-4) 5.8643, 14t. Turpin (3-4) 5.8643, 16. Ross (2-5) 5.2429
Division III, Region 12
No team is in the top four, including undefeated Goshen and Hughes. Northwest, McNicholas, Monroe and Indian Hill are solidly in the playoffs. Indian Hill has the last spot in 12th place but is far ahead of 13th-place Mt. Healthy (2-5).
Region 12 - 1. Bellbrook (7-0) 17.55, 2. Tipp City Tippecanoe (6-1) 15.9929, 3. Chillicothe (6-1) 14.9286, 4. Washington C.H. Miami Trace (6-1) 13.85, 5. Goshen (7-0) 12.1929, 6. Chillicothe Unioto (5-2) 11.64, 7. Hughes (7-0) 11.5143, 8. Northwest (6-1) 11.4714, 9. McNicholas (5-2) 10.65, 10. Kettering Archbishop Alter (5-2) 10.3143, 11. Monroe (5-2) 8.3016, 12. Indian Hill (5-2) 7.4898, 13. Mount Healthy (2-5) 3.1286, 14. Day. Carroll (2-5) 2.5815, 15. Greenville (2-5) 2.2429, 16. Western Brown (2-5) 2.026,
Division IV, Region 16
Undefeated Wyoming has clinched a playoff spot, according to Eitel. North College Hill (6-0) and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (6-1) are in the top four. Wilmington (3-4) is solidly in the playoffs while New Richmond (3-4) and Clinton-Massie (2-5) are on the bubble.
Region 16 - 1. Wyoming (7-0) 16.9214, 2. Urbana (5-2) 13.9643, 3. North College Hill (6-0) 12.1515, 4. Cincinnati Hills Christian Acad. (6-1) 12.0857, 5. Day. Oakwood (6-1) 11.2643, 6. London (5-2) 10.7857, 7. Germantown Valley View (5-2) 10.05, 8. Wilmington (3-4) 7.8286, 9. Springfield Kenton Ridge (6-1) 7.7286, 10. Day. Dunbar (3-3) 6.8493, 11. New Richmond (3-4) 5.7, 12. Clinton-Massie (2-5) 4.7571, 13. Eaton (3-4) 4.6357, 14. Washington C.H. Washington (3-4) 4.3357, 15. Clark Montessori (3-4) 3.3482, 16. Reading (3-4) 3.1111
Division V, Region 20
Williamsburg, Summit Country Day and Fenwick are in the top four, and Waynesville (5-2) is close behind. Gamble Montessori (6-1) is in solid playoff position. Blanchester, Purcell Marian and Madeira, all 4-3, are outside the bubble and have work to do.
Region 20 - 1. St. Paris Graham Local (6-1) 13.9, 2. Williamsburg (6-1) 11.0214, 3. Summit Country Day (4-2) 10.3034, 4. Bishop Fenwick (4-3) 9.8643, 5. Arcanum (6-1) 9.7653, 6. Waynesville (5-2) 9.5786, 7. Casstown Miami East (6-1) 8.7786, 8. Gamble Montessori (6-1) 6.9698, 9. West Liberty-Salem (4-2) 6.6389, 10. Springfield Greenon (5-2) 6.544, 11. Brookville (4-3) 6.5143, 12. Carlisle (4-3) 6.4071, 13. Jamestown Greeneview (4-3) 5.5895, 14. Purcell Marian (4-3) 4.5714, 15. Madeira (4-3) 4.5306, 16. Blanchester (4-3) 4.4786
Division VI, Region 24
Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy and Deer Park, both 7-0, are in the top four, but need to keep winning to stay in bye position in a tight race. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place, 6-1, has a chance to get a bye, and Miami Valley Christian Academy, 4-3, is outside the top-12 bubble.
Region 24 - 1. Portsmouth West (6-1) 13.6643, 2. CCPA (7-0) 12.3196, 3. Deer Park (7-0) 12.2755, 4. New Madison Tri-Village (7-0) 11.5357, 5. Chillicothe Huntington (5-2) 11.3124, 6. Mechanicsburg (6-1) 11.2987, 7. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place (6-1) 10.5298, 8. Chillicothe Zane Trace (6-1) 10.0274, 9. Covington (4-3) 9.1429, 10. Versailles (4-3) 8.3357, 11. London Madison-Plains (5-1) 8.2778, 12. St. Henry (4-3) 7.2143, 13. Anna (4-3) 6.1429, 14. Miami Valley Christian Academy (4-3) 5.0816, 15. Chillicothe Southeastern (4-3) 4.2937, 16. Lucasville Valley (4-3) 4.1357
Division VII, Region 28
Cincinnati Country Day (3-4) improved its standing with a key win over MVCA, and is in eighth place in the region.
Region 28 - 1. Maria Stein Marion Local (7-0) 12.8071, 2. Ansonia (6-1) 11.7347, 3. Minster (6-1) 10.6857, 4. DeGraff Riverside (6-1) 8.0071, 5. Waynesfield-Goshen (5-2) 7.6714, 6. Fort Loramie (5-2) 6.1643, 7. New Bremen (3-4) 5.6214, 8. Cincinnati Country Day (3-4) 5.5022, 9. Lewisburg Tri-County North (4-3) 4.7857, 10. McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley (4-3) 3.1214, 11. Fort Recovery (2-5) 2.1948, 12. Manchester (3-3) 2.1477, 13. Mt. Victory Ridgemont (2-5) 2.05, 14. S. Charleston Southeastern Local (3-4) 2.0429, 15. Dola Hardin Northern (3-4) 1.85, 16. Cedarville (2-5) 1.8499
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Moeller moves into bye position in Division I after win over Elder
