Playoff Picture: Football (Oct. 31)

Here is a look at the standings going into the final day of the regular season.

Note: Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official standings or pairings.

Division I

In 2026, the top team in each conference, determined by football rating, will receive the top three seeds and get a first-round bye. The remaining 10 playoff spots will be determined by football rating and seeded 4-13.

Central Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Windham (8-1, 16.6667, 2nd)
• *Londonderry (7-1, 15.7500, 4th)
• *Pinkerton (6-2, 14.7500, 5th)
• *Concord (5-3, 11.2500, 6th)
• *Salem (4-4, 9.2500, 9th)
• *Manchester Central (4-5, 6.2222, 11th)
• Alvirne (3-6, 4.4444)

East Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Winnacunnet (6-2, 12.0000, 7th)
• *Portsmouth-Oyster River (6-2, 11.5000, 3rd)
• *Manchester Memorial (4-4, 7.7500, 12th)
• *Exeter (4-4, 7.2500, 10th)
• Spaulding (3-6, 4.0000)
• Dover (2-6, 2.5000)
• Timberlane (0-9, 0.0000)

West Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Bishop Guertin (7-0, 17.4286, 1st)
• *Bedford (6-2, 11.5000, 8th)
• *Merrimack (4-5, 5.5556, 13th)
• Nashua North (3-5, 5.2500)
• Nashua South (3-5, 5.0000)
• Goffstown (2-7, 2.2222)
• Keene (0-8, 0.0000)

Tiebreakers

• Portsmouth-Oyster River wins the tiebreaker with Bedford thanks to a better quality of wins against tournament teams.

First-round byes (changes in bold)

• No. 1 Bishop Guertin
• No. 2 Windham
• No. 3 Winnacunnet

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Salem at No. 8 Concord
• No. 12 Manchester Central at No. 5 Pinkerton
• No. 13 Merrimack at No. 4 Londonderry
• No. 10 Manchester Memorial at No. 7 Bedford
• No. 11 Exeter at No. 6 Portsmouth-Oyster River

Scenarios

• With just one game remaining on Saturday - Keene at Bishop Guertin - it appears every playoff spot and seed has been clinched. After Saturday the only thing that will change above is Windham moving up to the No. 1 seed and Bishop Guertin going to No. 2, regardless of if the Cardinals win or lose. A win over Keene will actually lower Bishop Guertin's rating to 16.5000, which will be lower than Windham's rating.
• Also want to note here, too, that as of this posting, Spaulding's win over Goffstown has not been entered at NHIAA.org yet. The standings above reflect that result, which is why Portsmouth-Oyster River and Bedford are tied.

Division II

The top seed in each conference, determined by football rating, will receive the top two seeds. The remaining six playoff spots will be determined by football rating and seeded 3-8.

East Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Plymouth (9-0, 17.7778, 1st)
• *Merrimack Valley (8-1, 13.5556, 3rd)
• *Kingswood (5-4, 8.0000, NR)
• Kennett (4-5, 6.0000, 8th)
• Bow (3-6, 4.6667)
• St. Thomas (2-7, 2.6667)
• Trinity (1-8, 1.7778)
• Pembroke (1-8, 1.3333)

West Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Souhegan (9-0, 17.5556, 2nd)
• *Pelham (6-3, 12.0000, 5th)
• *Manchester West (6-3, 10.8889, 6th)
• *Hanover (5-4, 10.0000, 4th)
• *John Stark (5-4, 8.8889, 8th)
• Milford (4-5, 7.1111, 7th)
• ConVal (3-6, 4.8889)
• Hollis Brookline (1-8, 1.3333)

Tiebreakers

• None

Quarterfinals (changes in bold)

• No. 8 Kingswood at No. 1 Plymouth
• No. 5 Manchester West at No. 4 Pelham
• No. 7 John Stark at No. 2 Souhegan
• No. 6 Hanover at No. 3 Merrimack Valley

Scenarios

• The regular season is done and that is what the expected bracket should look like on Monday.

Division III

The top eight teams in the division, determined by football rating, will make the playoffs and be seeded 1-8.

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (7-1, 14.2500, 1st)
• *Somersworth (7-1, 14.2500, 3rd)
• *Monadnock (6-2 12.5000, 4th)
• *Campbell (6-2, 11.2500, 2nd)
• *Stevens (4-4, 8.5000, 5th)
• *Epping-Newmarket (4-3, 8.2857, 6th)
• *Laconia (4-4, 7.2500, 8th)
• *Gilford (3-4, 6.5714, 7th)
• Kearsarge (3-5, 4.2500)
• x-Lebanon (2-6, 2.5000)
• Bishop Brady-Hopkinton (0-7, 0.0000)
• Sanborn (0-7, 0.0000)

Note: Lebanon is ineligible for the postseason in 2026 due to the NHIAA's petitioning rule.

Tiebreakers

• Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough wins the tiebreaker with Somersworth thanks to a head-to-head victory.

Quarterfinals (changes in bold)

• No. 8 Gilford at No. 1 Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough
• No. 5 Stevens at No. 4 Campbell
• No. 7 Laconia at No. 2 Somersworth
• No. 6 Epping-Newmarket at No. 3 Monadnock

Remaining Games

• Bishop Brady-Hopkinton at Epping-Newmarket
• Gilford at Sanborn

Scenarios

• All playoff spots have been clinched.
• Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough will be the No. 1 seed unless Bishop Brady-Hopkinton beats Epping-Newmarket and Gilford beats Sanborn. If that happens, then Somersworth will be the No. 1 seed and ILMA will be No. 2.
• Monadnock has clinched the No. 3 seed.
• Campbell has clinched the No. 4 seed.
• Epping-Newmarket will be the No. 5 seed with a win over Bishop Brady-Hopkinton.
• Stevens will be the No. 5 seed with an Epping-Newmarket loss or the No. 6 seed with an Epping-Newmarket win.
• Laconia will be the No. 7 seed unless Gilford and Bishop Brady-Hopkinton both win. If that happens, then Gilford will be the No. 7 seed and Laconia the No. 8 seed.

Division IV

The top four teams in the division, determined by football rating, will make the playoffs and be seeded 1-4.

Team (record, rating, previous)

• *Newport-Mount Royal (6-0, 15.000, 1st)
• *Newfound (6-1, 12.2857, 2nd)
• *Mascoma Valley (4-2, 9.0000, 4th)
• *Hillsboro-Deering (3-3, 6.6667, 3rd)
• x-Fall Mountain (3-3, 6.0000)
• Farmington-Nute (2-4, 3.6667)
• x-Prospect Mountain (1-5, 1.6667)
• x-Raymond (0-6, 0.0000)

Note: Fall Mountain and Prospect Mountain are ineligible for the postseason in 2026 due to the NHIAA's petitioning rule. Also, Raymond has dropped its varsity program and forfeited all of its remaining games this season.

Tiebreakers

• None

Semifinals

• No. 4 Hillsboro-Deering at No. 1 Newport-Mount Royal
• No. 3 Mascoma Valley at No. 2 Newfound

Remaining Games

• Prospect Mountain at Hillsboro-Deering
• Fall Mountain at Newport-Mount Royal
• Farmington-Nute at Mascoma Valley

Scenarios

• All playoff spots have been clinched and that is what the expected bracket should look like on Monday.