The postseason has arrived, and it's time to start fresh. Everyone is 0-0.
The journey toward state-title hardware begins Thursday with the start of the Montana high school football playoffs, as Bozeman High welcomes Butte for a 7 p.m. kickoff tonight in Class AA. But that's only the beginning.
Related: MTN Sports' final 2026 regular-season high school football power rankings
Some questions that will be answered across the state's five classifications in the coming weeks:
Is Class AA really a two-horse race between Billings West and Kalispell Glacier?
Which teams will run the gauntlet in what look like up-for-grabs playoff brackets in Class A, Class B and 8-Man? Can Sidney and Huntley Project make long-awaited returns to glory?
Will unbeaten Grass Range-Winnett exorcise last year's demons and finish its mission in the 6-Man ranks?
The next four weeks will tell the tale. Here is our Gridiron Guide for the first round of the high school playoffs. Let's get into it:
Class AA
Overview: In Class AA, the discussion has to start with Billings West and Kalispell Glacier, the top two teams to emerge from the regular season. The Golden Bears and the Wolfpack, both with first-round byes, have seemed to be on a collision course ever since they met in Week 1 — a 6-3 West win in overtime of a defensive slugfest. And remember: they squared off in last year's title game also, a 16-3 Glacier victory. These teams have history. ... Regardless of what happens in its first-round game at Missoula Big Sky, the fact that Billings Skyview cracked the postseason field is pretty impressive after coach John Simpson resigned following Week 1. Sure, only four teams don't make the playoffs in AA, but the Falcons circled the wagons under interim coach Tyler Walker. ... For recent historical context, the Western division has produced the state champion in five of the past six seasons.
First-round schedule
Thursday
- Butte (4-5) at Bozeman (5-4), 7 p.m.
Friday
- Great Falls (3-6) at Helena Capital (6-3), 7 p.m.
- Helena (4-5) at Gallatin (7-2), 7 p.m.
- Billings Skyview (2-7) at Missoula Big Sky (7-2), 7 p.m.
Byes: Billings West (9-0), Kalispell Glacier (8-1), Great Falls CMR (7-2), Missoula Sentinel (6-3)
Class A
Overview: It was a resurgent regular season for Sidney. The Eagles were the only team in Class A to run the table (9-0), and now, after a first-round bye, they'll try to win the program's first title since it won seven in a row from 1987-93 under legendary coach Mike Gear. ... The potential for a Whitefish-vs.-East Helena matchup in the second round is highly intriguing because each team has a very legitimate title chance. Whitefish spent much of the year ranked No. 1 before a close loss to rival Columbia Falls while East Helena hasn't lost since Week 2 — also to the Wildcats. ... Just one of this weekend's first-round games is a rematch, as Laurel travels to play archrival Billings Central. The Locomotives shocked the Rams 31-29 on Sept. 18 with a 29-yard field goal by Luke Maack as time expired. ... Frenchtown stunned the Rams in last year's title game, pulling off a 31-21 win to claim its first championship since 2009. The Broncs fought injuries through this season but enter the playoffs hoping for similar results.
First-round schedule
Friday
- Dillon (4-4) at Whitefish (8-1), 7 p.m.
- Laurel (6-3) at Billings Central (7-2), 7 p.m.
- Hardin (7-2) at Lewistown (6-2), 7 p.m.
- Polson (4-4) at Frenchtown (6-2), 7 p.m.
Byes: Sidney (9-0), Columbia Falls (7-1), East Helena (7-1), Hamilton (7-1)
Class B
Overview: The biggest news entering the Class B playoffs is the return of Three Forks QB and Montana State commit Kanon Reichman. Reichman was back in the lineup for the Wolves last week after missing six straight games with a shoulder injury. He threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-6 romp over playoff-bound Jefferson. Reichman's return could have a big impact on how things fall in the weeks ahead. He was injured during a 34-28 Week 1 win at Florence — which by the way was the Falcons' only loss of the regular season. ... Huntley Project, historically speaking, is one of the top Class B programs. The Red Devils, who have won three championships, hope to embark on a trip to their first title game in 16 years when they host Cut Bank in the opening round. Project is the only team that went unbeaten in the regular season. ... Manhattan begins its title defense with a first-round game against Eureka. The Tigers' only loss this year? To Florence in Week 2.
First-round schedule
Friday
- Eureka (4-5) at Manhattan (7-1), 6 p.m.
- Glasgow (7-2) at Red Lodge (5-3), 7 p.m.
- Columbus (4-4) at Florence (7-1), 7 p.m.
- Baker (5-3) at Malta (6-2), 7 p.m.
- Cut Bank (3-6) at Huntley Project (9-0), 7 p.m.
- Jefferson (6-2) at Thompson Falls (8-1), 7 p.m.
- Shepherd (5-4) at Fairfield (8-1), 7 p.m.
- Anaconda (3-5) at Three Forks (6-2), 7 p.m.
8-Man
Overview: The 8-Man playoffs in particular can be difficult to handicap because there are so few non-conference games each regular season. Teams, for the most part, play within their own leagues. On paper, the title seems open for the taking. ... Defending champion Scobey dominated the East, with 30 points being its closest margin of victory. Drummond-Philipsburg, ranked No. 1 all year, had similar results in the South. Superior scored tons of points on the way to winning the West. All three enter the playoffs undefeated. ... The North was seemingly the toughest division, with four teams — Belt, Fort Benton, Chinook and Choteau — winning at least seven games. They all come into the postseason battle-tested. Choteau's first-round matchup with Superior will be especially interesting to keep track of. ... Scobey defeated Drummond-Philipsburg for last year's championship. Before that, Belt had advanced to three straight title games.
First-round schedule
Saturday
- Seeley-Swan (6-3) at Belt (8-1), 1 p.m.
- Ennis (6-2) at Circle (7-1), 1 p.m.
- Culbertson (5-3) at Twin Bridges (7-1), 1 p.m.
- Choteau (7-2) at Superior (9-0), 1 p.m.
- Sheridan (5-3) at Scobey (8-0), 1 p.m.
- Chinook (7-2) at Darby (8-1), 1 p.m.
- St. Regis (7-2) at Fort Benton (8-1), 1 p.m.
- Forsyth (5-3) at Drummond-Philipsburg (8-0), 1 p.m.
6-Man
Overview: After losing a 46-38 double-overtime heartbreaker to C-J-I in last year's title game, Grass Range-Winnett has been top-ranked and rolling all season. A shutout of the Hawks in a Week 1 rematch and a win over D-G-S-G in a 1-vs.-2 matchup on Oct. 17 were the highlight moments so far for the Rangers. As it happens, they'll again face their old pals (C-J-I) in the first round on Saturday. ... The only other unbeaten in the playoff field is West Yellowstone, which knocked off Absarokee last week to claim the Southwest division crown. The Wolverines have only made one title game in their history, in 1999. ... Absarokee's matchup with D-G-S-G in the first round is a rematch of an Oct. 2 game won by D-G-S-G 38-22. The Bearcats, though, lost standout Brody Ridgeway in that game to a season-ending knee injury, according to coach Cole Jelinek.
First-round schedule
Saturday
- White Sulphur Springs (6-2) at Power-Dutton-Brady (4-3), 1 p.m.
- Wibaux (5-3) at Highwood (8-1), 1 p.m.
- Absarokee (6-2) at D-G-S-G (8-1), 1 p.m.
- Heart Butte (0-5) at Jordan (8-1), 1 p.m.
- Noxon (1-5) at West Yellowstone (8-0), 1 p.m.
- Richey-Lambert (6-2) at Big Sandy (4-4), 1 p.m.
- Bainville (6-3) at Valier (3-3), 1 p.m.
- C-J-I (5-3) at Grass Range-Winnett (8-0), 1 p.m.
