Iowa High School Football Playoffs 2026
Who makes the IHSAA football postseason, where they're seeded and who they'd play, in every class. Each class simulates the rest of the season thousands of times with our own game-by-game win odds. Updated Sep 26, 2026.
Class 5A36 teams · 16 qualify
Top 16 by RPI
Favorites: Johnston 33%, Dowling Catholic 30%, Ankeny 19%Class 4A36 teams · 16 qualify
District champions and runners-up plus 4 at-large by RPI
Favorites: Xavier 42%, Western Dubuque 24%, Lewis Central 14%Class 3A36 teams · 16 qualify
District champions and runners-up plus 4 at-large by RPI
Favorites: Solon 48%, Clear Lake 23%, Des Moines Christian 20%Class 2A47 teams · 32 qualify
Top four in each district
Favorites: Kuemper Catholic 72%, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 9%, Crestwood 7%Class 1A48 teams · 32 qualify
Top four in each district
Favorites: West Lyon 44%, Regina Catholic 35%, South Hardin 12%Class A54 teams · 32 qualify
Top four in each district
Favorites: Woodbury Central 55%, West Sioux 30%, Saint Ansgar 6%8-Player64 teams · 32 qualify
Top three in each district plus 2 at-large
Favorites: Bishop Garrigan 37%, Woodbine 26%, Audubon 14%
Top 16 by RPI
Favorites: Johnston 33%, Dowling Catholic 30%, Ankeny 19%Class 4A36 teams · 16 qualify
District champions and runners-up plus 4 at-large by RPI
Favorites: Xavier 42%, Western Dubuque 24%, Lewis Central 14%Class 3A36 teams · 16 qualify
District champions and runners-up plus 4 at-large by RPI
Favorites: Solon 48%, Clear Lake 23%, Des Moines Christian 20%Class 2A47 teams · 32 qualify
Top four in each district
Favorites: Kuemper Catholic 72%, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 9%, Crestwood 7%Class 1A48 teams · 32 qualify
Top four in each district
Favorites: West Lyon 44%, Regina Catholic 35%, South Hardin 12%Class A54 teams · 32 qualify
Top four in each district
Favorites: Woodbury Central 55%, West Sioux 30%, Saint Ansgar 6%8-Player64 teams · 32 qualify
Top three in each district plus 2 at-large
Favorites: Bishop Garrigan 37%, Woodbine 26%, Audubon 14%
How it works
Every remaining game gets a win probability from our rating model, which picked about 80% of all Iowa winners from 2021 to 2025 and was right 97% of the time on its most confident picks. The rest of the season is simulated with IHSAA's rules for each class: RPI in 5A, district standings with the 17-point tiebreaker in the others, then the playoff bracket through the UNI-Dome.