Minnesota’s high school football state tournament brackets released

Minnesota’s high school football state tournament brackets released Strib Varsity Cretin-Derham Hall, Monticello, Orono, Minneota and Hills-Beaver Creek are among teams to receive No. 1 seeds. Comment Gift Share By Jim Paulsen The Minnesota Star Tribune November 7, 2026 at 11:45 AM The Minnesota State High School League on Saturday revealed brackets for the football state tournament for teams in classes 5A to Nine-Player. Here are the tournament brackets, with sites and start times: Class 6A Class 5A Class 4A Class 3A Class 2A Class 1A Nine-Player Forty-eight teams advanced to the state tournament after winning their sections. Find the full list of section champions here . Class 6A has no section playoffs but instead begins the postseason with a 32-team seeded bracket . The state quarterfinals begin Thursday at neutral sites across the state. The state semifinals and Prep Bowl will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium Nov. 19-21 and Nov. 27-28, respectively. Tickets for the semifinals and Prep Bowl are $18 for adults and $12 for students. In Class 5A, Monticello was given the No. 1 seed in the North bracket and will face fourth seed Bloomington Jefferson in the quarterfinals Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. Cretin-Derham Hall received the No. 1 seed in the South bracket and will face fourth seed Northfield on Nov. 14 at 1 p.m. In other classes, the No. 1 seeds are Orono in the North and Byron in the South in 4A; Pierz and Waseca in 3A; Aitkin and Caledonia in 2A; Upsala/Swanville and Minneota in 1A; and Hills-Beaver Creek and Kittson County Central in Nine-Player. Must-see matchups Here’s a look at some of the best: ADVERTISEMENT advertisement Class 5A: Hastings (9-1) vs. Mankato West (10-0), Nov. 14 at Park Center, 1 p.m. Star power takes over. Hastings star running back and Gophers commit Zack Shatek has 2,610 yards rushing and 33 touchdowns this season. On the other sideline, Mankato West quarterback Osborne Lorenz is the latest in a line of superb Scarlets’ signal callers. Lorenz entered Friday’s game against Waconia having passed for 1,388 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 1,053 yards and 23 touchdowns. Class 4A: Hill-Murray (9-1) vs. Willmar (10-0), Thursday at Blaine, 6 p.m. Related Coverage Friday night rewind: Prior Lake upsets No. 1 Moorhead; Centennial, Shakopee and Lakeville South advance Football Here’s the updated Class 6A football state tournament bracket Football How the Minnesota Top 25 fared in the second week of playoff games Football These are the teams headed to the football state tournament Football The scoreboard operator will need to be on their toes for this one. Hill-Murray is the highest-scoring team in Class 4A (46.7 ppg) while Willmar is third (43.9 ppg). If you like points, this game is for you. Class 3A: Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (10-0) vs. Annandale (10-0), Friday at Alexandria, 6 p.m. Defending 3A champion Annandale, ranked No. 1 in the final state media poll, takes on Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, which finished the regular season ranked No. 2. This feels like a game better suited for the state championship. advertisement Class 1A: Mayer Lutheran (9-1) vs. Minneota (10-0), Friday at Southwest MN State, 7 p.m. Mayer Lutheran won its only state championship by beating Minneota 20-14 in 2021. Minneota has been very successful since, having won four straight championships and 56 straight games, but the Vikings have looked vulnerable recently. Can Mayer Lutheran recapture the magic? Share Comment About the Author Jim Paulsen Reporter Jim Paulsen is a high school sports reporter for the Minnesota Star Tribune. See More advertisement advertisement More From Football Friday night rewind: Prior Lake upsets No. 1 Moorhead; Centennial, Shakopee and Lakeville South advance Football Here’s the updated Class 6A football state tournament bracket Football How the Minnesota Top 25 fared in the second week of playoff games Football These are the teams headed to the football state tournament Football advertisement advertisement