COLUMBUS – Even while questions remain about the future of the 2020 football season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the governing body of Ohio high school sports has expanded the playoffs starting in 2021.
The Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted unanimously Wednesday increase the number of schools that could qualify for the playoffs from eight schools per region to 12, association spokesman Tim Stried said.
The expansion will increase the number of football playoff qualifiers from 224 to 336 of the 709 high schools in Ohio that played football in 2019l. Football is the only OHSAA team sport in which not every school qualifies for the postseason.
The vote by the nine-member board was on a recommendation from the OHSAA staff, based on a proposal from the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association.
During the first round of the playoffs, the top four seeds will have a bye and higher-seeded teams would have the opportunity to host their games during the first and second rounds, Stried said.
that the football finals in 2021 are expected to end during the Dec. 2-5 weekend, as previously scheduled and schools will still be permitted to play 10 regular-season contests, football administrator Beau Rugg said.