The tournament
How Ohio's playoffs work.
A short primer before the numbers — what the bracket is, who gets in, and what it takes to stay in it.
1972The bracket beginsOhio high school football got its first state tournament in 1972, with one team from each region in the field. Massillon was in it and has played 93 postseason games since.
One lossWin or go homeEvery round is single elimination, so a run ends the moment one game goes wrong. Only a clean stretch reaches the final weekend.
By sizeDivisionsSchools are split by enrollment into divisions. Massillon's 32 runs include 20 in Division I and 12 in Division II.
Harbin pointsWho gets inThe Harbin ratings — the same numbers charted below — decide who qualifies and where a team is seeded in its region.
How the field grew
Teams qualifying in each region1972–19791team per regionThe tournament's first year: only one team in each region qualified.
1980–19842teams per regionThe field widens to two teams in each region.
1985–19984teams per regionThe top four teams in each region qualify.
1999–20198schools per regionEight schools per region make the bracket.
2020Allteams qualifiedThe COVID season: every team qualified.
2021–202416teams per regionSixteen teams in each region qualify.
2025–12teams per regionTwelve teams per region from 2025 on.
A wider field is a wider door: the Tigers have made the tournament in 32 of the 54 seasons since 1972.
Season by season
Where the Tigers finished.
Every season since the tournament began in 1972 — how far Massillon got, and the years it did not make the field.
1972
Regional Final
1973
Did not qualify
1974
Did not qualify
1975
Did not qualify
1976
Did not qualify
1977
Did not qualify
1978
Did not qualify
1979
Regional Final
1980
State Final
1981
Did not qualify
1982
State Final
1983
Did not qualify
1984
Did not qualify
1985
Did not qualify
1986
Did not qualify
1987
Did not qualify
1988
Did not qualify
1989
State Semi
1990
Regional Final
1991
State Semi
1992
Did not qualify
1993
Regional Final
1994
Regional Final
1995
Did not qualify
1996
1st Round
1997
Did not qualify
1998
Did not qualify
1999
1st Round
2000
1st Round
2001
State Semi
2002
State Semi
2003
Did not qualify
2004
Did not qualify
2005
State Final
2006
2nd Round
2007
Did not qualify
2008
1st Round
2009
State Semi
2010
1st Round
2011
Did not qualify
2012
Regional Final
2013
2nd Round
2014
1st Round
2015
Did not qualify
2016
1st Round
2017
State Semi
2018
State Final
2019
State Final
2020
State Final
2021
Regional Final
2022
State Semi
2023
State champions
2024
Regional Final
2025
Regional Final
State championsState final weekendRegional runEarly exit or did not qualify
Harbin ratings
Harbin points since 2000.
The regional Harbin board at the end of each regular season. Pick a year to load that season's full rankings.
| Rank | W-L | School | Mailing city | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9-1 | Big Walnut | Sunbury | 29.59 |
| 2 | 8-2 | St Francis DeSales | Columbus | 29.03 |
| 3 | 7-3 | Massillon Washington | Massillon | 28.26 |
| 4 | 9-1 | Canal Winchester | Canal Winchester | 25.45 |
| 5 | 8-2 | Westerville South | Westerville | 25.16 |
| 6 | 8-2 | Hoover | North Canton | 22.65 |
| 7 | 9-1 | Ashland | Ashland | 21.95 |
| 8 | 7-3 | Walnut Ridge | Columbus | 19.91 |
| 9 | 7-3 | Worthington Kilbourne | Columbus | 16.50 |
| 10 | 6-4 | Mount Vernon | Mount Vernon | 16.35 |
| 11 | 7-3 | Northland | Columbus | 15.30 |
| 12 | 6-4 | Louisville | Louisville | 14.50 |
| 13 | 6-4 | Franklin Heights | Columbus | 12.70 |
| 14 | 4-6 | New Albany | New Albany | 11.60 |
| 15t | 4-6 | Whitehall-Yearling | Whitehall | 11.20 |
| 15t | 5-5 | Teays Valley | Ashville | 11.20 |
| 17 | 4-6 | Watkins Memorial | Pataskala | 10.60 |
| 18 | 5-5 | Perry | Massillon | 9.39 |
| 19 | 5-5 | Dublin Scioto | Dublin | 9.20 |
| 20 | 3-7 | St Charles | Columbus | 8.06 |
| 21 | 3-7 | Marion Harding | Marion | 7.25 |
| 22 | 3-7 | Whetstone | Columbus | 4.95 |
| 23 | 2-8 | Briggs | Columbus | 2.90 |
| 24 | 2-8 | Licking Heights | Pataskala | 1.05 |
| 25t | 0-10 | Logan | Logan | 0.00 |
| 25t | 0-10 | Mifflin | Columbus | 0.00 |
| 25t | 0-10 | Wooster | Wooster | 0.00 |
Scroll for all 27 rated teams · Regional Harbin ratings, as of the end of the regular season
The question
Do the Harbins predict the playoffs?
Massillon's regular-season Harbin rating against what the same team did in the tournament, 2000 through 2025.
Harbin rankPlayoff wins
A real pull, not a ruleAcross 26 seasons, a top-three Harbin rating mattered: those 13 teams averaged 2.92 playoff wins, while the 12 rated lower averaged 0.67 (missed tournaments count as zero). Among the 20 tournament seasons, points and wins correlate at 0.61 — a moderate link, not a guarantee.
The title year stands aloneThe peak came in 2023: the highest Massillon rating since 2000 (45.76, 5.9 points clear of the next best) turned into a 6–0 run and the program's only playoff-era banner.
Round by round
How far the Tigers get.
Each bar is one playoff round: orange wins, grey losses. The second round is counted with the regional quarter- and semi-finals. The bars run from the opening round at the top down to the State Finals, so the deeper the run, the lower the bar.
Era by era
Playoff decades
Postseason games by decade, wins and losses. Labels show how many tournaments Massillon reached in that decade.
The last game of the season
State Finals Appearances
Seven trips to the State Final — the Tigers have won one of them.
| Year | Div | Opponent | Site | Score | Crowd | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | D1 | Cincinnati Moeller | Neutral | 7–30 | 22,751 | Runner-up |
| 1982 | D1 | Cincinnati Moeller | Neutral | 14–35 | 31,409 | Runner-up |
| 2005 | D1 | Cincinnati St. Xavier | Neutral | 17–24 | 20,227 | Runner-up |
| 2018 | D2 | Akron Hoban | Neutral | 28–42 | 16,213 | Runner-up |
| 2019 | D2 | Cincinnati LaSalle | Neutral | 17–34 | 11,286 | Runner-up |
| 2020 | D2 | Akron Hoban | Neutral | 6–35 | 1,610 | Runner-up |
| 2023 | D2 | Akron Hoban | Neutral | 7–2 | 14,846 | State champions |
Every tournament run
Playoff seasons
Sort any column. Reached shows the last round Massillon played that season.
| How it ended | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Nate Moore | D2 | 2–1 | 131 / 48 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 2024 | Nate Moore | D2 | 3–1 | 133 / 41 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 2023 | Nate Moore | D2 | 6–0 | 219 / 34 | State Finals | State champions |
| 2022 | Nate Moore | D2 | 4–1 | 168 / 75 | State Semi-Finals | Lost in State Semi-Finals |
| 2021 | Nate Moore | D2 | 3–1 | 189 / 67 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 2020 | Nate Moore | D2 | 5–1 | 212 / 117 | State Finals | Lost in State Finals |
| 2019 | Nate Moore | D2 | 4–1 | 159 / 65 | State Finals | Lost in State Finals |
| 2018 | Nate Moore | D2 | 4–1 | 190 / 112 | State Finals | Lost in State Finals |
| 2017 | Nate Moore | D2 | 3–1 | 101 / 92 | State Semi-Finals | Lost in State Semi-Finals |
| 2016 | Nate Moore | D2 | 0–1 | 21 / 31 | 1st Round | Lost in 1st Round |
| 2014 | Jason Hall | D2 | 0–1 | 7 / 56 | 1st Round | Lost in 1st Round |
| 2013 | Jason Hall | D2 | 1–1 | 47 / 34 | 2nd Round | Lost in 2nd Round |
| 2012 | Jason Hall | D1 | 2–1 | 107 / 102 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 2010 | Jason Hall | D1 | 0–1 | 24 / 28 | 1st Round | Lost in 1st Round |
| 2009 | Jason Hall | D1 | 3–1 | 54 / 55 | State Semi-Finals | Lost in State Semi-Finals |
| 2008 | Jason Hall | D1 | 0–1 | 7 / 14 | 1st Round | Lost in 1st Round |
| 2006 | Tom Stacy | D1 | 1–1 | 51 / 34 | 2nd Round | Lost in 2nd Round |
| 2005 | Tom Stacy | D1 | 4–1 | 131 / 78 | State Finals | Lost in State Finals |
| 2002 | Rick Shepas | D1 | 3–1 | 88 / 42 | State Semi-Finals | Lost in State Semi-Finals |
| 2001 | Rick Shepas | D1 | 3–1 | 113 / 75 | State Semi-Finals | Lost in State Semi-Finals |
| 2000 | Rick Shepas | D1 | 0–1 | 13 / 17 | 1st Round | Lost in 1st Round |
| 1999 | Rick Shepas | D1 | 0–1 | 6 / 23 | 1st Round | Lost in 1st Round |
| 1996 | Jack Rose | D1 | 0–1 | 6 / 7 | 1st Round | Lost in 1st Round |
| 1994 | Jack Rose | D1 | 1–1 | 55 / 55 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 1993 | Jack Rose | D1 | 1–1 | 66 / 36 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 1991 | Lee Owens | D1 | 2–1 | 83 / 41 | State Semi-Finals | Lost in State Semi-Finals |
| 1990 | Lee Owens | D1 | 1–1 | 28 / 42 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 1989 | Lee Owens | D1 | 2–1 | 106 / 73 | State Semi-Finals | Lost in State Semi-Finals |
| 1982 | Mike Currence | D1 | 2–1 | 74 / 42 | State Finals | Lost in State Finals |
| 1980 | Mike Currence | D1 | 2–1 | 42 / 42 | State Finals | Lost in State Finals |
| 1979 | Mike Currence | D1 | 0–1 | 0 / 12 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
| 1972 | Bob Commings | D1 | 0–1 | 14 / 17 | Regional Finals | Lost in Regional Finals |
32 of 32 tournament runs shown
The full log
Every playoff game
93 postseason games, sortable by year, round, opponent, result or crowd.
| Score | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1st Round | North Canton HooverD2 | Home | 62–7 | 3,703 | W |
| 2025 | 2nd Round | Columbus DeSalesD2 | Away | 48–14 | 2,356 | W |
| 2025 | Regional Finals | Big WalnutD2 | Neutral | 21–27 | 2,156 | L |
| 2024 | 1st Round | Licking HeightsD2 | Home | 41–6 | 2,222 | W |
| 2024 | 2nd Round | Canal WinchesterD2 | Home | 37–7 | 2,701 | W |
| 2024 | 3rd Round | Teays ValleyD2 | Neutral | 48–14 | 1,548 | W |
| 2024 | Regional Finals | Big WalnutD2 | Neutral | 7–14 | 1,789 | L |
| 2023 | 1st Round | Central CrossingD2 | Home | 41–6 | 2,760 | W |
| 2023 | 2nd Round | Westerville SouthD2 | Home | 50–7 | 2,806 | W |
| 2023 | 3rd Round | LakeD2 | Neutral | 35–6 | 4,195 | W |
| 2023 | Regional Finals | GreenD2 | Neutral | 31–6 | 4,232 | W |
| 2023 | State Semi-Finals | AndersonD2 | Neutral | 55–7 | 3,098 | W |
| 2023 | State Finals | Akron HobanD2 | Neutral | 7–2 | 14,846 | W |
| 2022 | 1st Round | Massillon PerryD2 | Home | 48–7 | 4,710 | W |
| 2022 | 2nd Round | Canal WinchesterD2 | Home | 34–0 | 3,611 | W |
| 2022 | 3rd Round | Big WalnutD2 | Neutral | 42–21 | 2,041 | W |
| 2022 | Regional Finals | LakeD2 | Neutral | 24–6 | 3,421 | W |
| 2022 | State Semi-Finals | Akron HobanD2 | Neutral | 20–41 | 6,542 | L |
| 2021 | 1st Round | Columbus IndependenceD2 | Home | 76–22 | 1,869 | W |
| 2021 | 2nd Round | Westerville SouthD2 | Home | 50–19 | 2,312 | W |
| 2021 | 3rd Round | Big WalnutD2 | Neutral | 38–0 | 2,623 | W |
| 2021 | Regional Finals | GreenD2 | Neutral | 25–26 | 3,117 | L |
| 2020 | 1st Round | Columbus Walnut RidgeD2 | Home | 56–0 | 960 | W |
| 2020 | 2nd Round | North Canton HooverD2 | Home | 48–23 | 1,376 | W |
| 2020 | 3rd Round | Westerville SouthD2 | Home | 45–36 | 1,122 | W |
| 2020 | Regional Finals | Massillon PerryD2 | Home | 43–13 | 1,053 | W |
| 2020 | State Semi-Finals | Cincinnati LaSalleD2 | Neutral | 14–10 | 588 | W |
| 2020 | State Finals | Akron HobanD2 | Neutral | 6–35 | 1,610 | L |
| 2019 | 1st Round | Warren HardingD2 | Home | 55–0 | 4,070 | W |
| 2019 | 2nd Round | Massillon PerryD2 | Neutral | 35–7 | 5,273 | W |
| 2019 | Regional Finals | Akron HobanD2 | Neutral | 17–14 | 9,875 | W |
| 2019 | State Semi-Finals | AvonD2 | Neutral | 35–10 | 5,050 | W |
| 2019 | State Finals | Cincinnati LaSalleD2 | Neutral | 17–34 | 11,286 | L |
| 2018 | 1st Round | Columbus Walnut RidgeD2 | Home | 45–14 | 4,245 | W |
| 2018 | 2nd Round | Columbus Whitehall-YearlingD2 | Neutral | 35–17 | 2,703 | W |
| 2018 | Regional Finals | WadsworthD2 | Neutral | 41–19 | 6,222 | W |
| 2018 | State Semi-Finals | Cincinnati Winton WoodsD2 | Neutral | 41–20 | 3,690 | W |
| 2018 | State Finals | Akron HobanD2 | Neutral | 28–42 | 16,213 | L |
| 2017 | 1st Round | Youngstown BoardmanD2 | Home | 28–23 | 3,683 | W |
| 2017 | 2nd Round | AshlandD2 | Neutral | 28–7 | 3,156 | W |
| 2017 | Regional Finals | New AlbanyD2 | Neutral | 24–6 | 2,300 | W |
| 2017 | State Semi-Finals | Cincinnati Winton WoodsD2 | Neutral | 21–56 | 3,159 | L |
| 2016 | 1st Round | Dublin SciotoD2 | Home | 21–31 | 4,260 | L |
| 2014 | 1st Round | PerrysburgD2 | Away | 7–56 | 6,000 | L |
| 2013 | 1st Round | NordoniaD2 | Home | 33–17 | 6,471 | W |
| 2013 | 2nd Round | Medina HighlandD2 | Neutral | 14–17 | 7,670 | L |
| 2012 | 1st Round | NordoniaD1 | Home | 63–34 | 5,329 | W |
| 2012 | 2nd Round | Canton McKinleyD1 | Neutral | 28–19 | 11,172 | W |
| 2012 | Regional Finals | Toledo WhitmerD1 | Neutral | 16–49 | 6,230 | L |
| 2010 | 1st Round | Toledo WhitmerD1 | Away | 24–28 | 8,000 | L |
| 2009 | 1st Round | North Canton HooverD1 | Home | 17–10 | 6,898 | W |
| 2009 | 2nd Round | TwinsburgD1 | Neutral | 10–7 | 7,621 | W |
| 2009 | Regional Finals | Canton McKinleyD1 | Neutral | 10–7 | 13,121 | W |
| 2009 | State Semi-Finals | GlenvilleD1 | Neutral | 17–31 | 10,248 | L |
| 2008 | 1st Round | North Canton HooverD1 | Away | 7–14 | 6,500 | L |
| 2006 | 1st Round | Massillon PerryD1 | Away | 41–20 | 8,000 | W |
| 2006 | 2nd Round | Toledo WhitmerD1 | Neutral | 10–14 | 9,000 | L |
| 2005 | 1st Round | North Canton HooverD1 | Home | 45–14 | 8,954 | W |
| 2005 | 2nd Round | FindlayD1 | Neutral | 27–20 | 12,264 | W |
| 2005 | Regional Finals | Canton McKinleyD1 | Neutral | 21–3 | 16,111 | W |
| 2005 | State Semi-Finals | Lakewood St. Ed'sD1 | Neutral | 21–17 | 14,100 | W |
| 2005 | State Finals | Cincinnati St. XavierD1 | Neutral | 17–24 | 20,227 | L |
| 2002 | 1st Round | North Canton HooverD1 | Home | 31–0 | 7,400 | W |
| 2002 | 2nd Round | Massillon PerryD1 | Neutral | 23–21 | 17,000 | W |
| 2002 | Regional Finals | PickeringtonD1 | Neutral | 14–0 | 12,234 | W |
| 2002 | State Semi-Finals | Warren HardingD1 | Neutral | 20–21 | 22,000 | L |
| 2001 | 1st Round | Marion HardingD1 | Home | 31–0 | 9,106 | W |
| 2001 | 2nd Round | Canton McKinleyD1 | Neutral | 35–19 | 21,203 | W |
| 2001 | Regional Finals | North Canton HooverD1 | Neutral | 27–7 | 17,000 | W |
| 2001 | State Semi-Finals | Cleveland St. IgnatiusD1 | Neutral | 20–49 | 29,871 | L |
| 2000 | 1st Round | Marion HardingD1 | Home | 13–17 | 9,000 | L |
| 1999 | 1st Round | Massillon PerryD1 | Home | 6–23 | 12,250 | L |
| 1996 | 1st Round | BrunswickD1 | Neutral | 6–7 | 6,500 | L |
| 1994 | 1st Round | Fremont RossD1 | Neutral | 35–28 | 12,000 | W |
| 1994 | Regional Finals | Canton McKinleyD1 | Neutral | 20–27 | 29,110 | L |
| 1993 | 1st Round | MansfieldD1 | Neutral | 46–6 | 10,312 | W |
| 1993 | Regional Finals | Walsh JesuitD1 | Neutral | 20–30 | 11,765 | L |
| 1991 | 1st Round | Akron ElletD1 | Neutral | 28–6 | 11,000 | W |
| 1991 | Regional Finals | Toledo St. John'sD1 | Neutral | 42–21 | 10,809 | W |
| 1991 | State Semi-Finals | Cleveland St. IgnatiusD1 | Neutral | 13–14 | 20,150 | L |
| 1990 | 1st Round | Massillon JacksonD1 | Neutral | 21–15 | 18,124 | W |
| 1990 | Regional Finals | SanduskyD1 | Neutral | 7–27 | 11,729 | L |
| 1989 | 1st Round | Walsh JesuitD1 | Home | 42–24 | 12,500 | W |
| 1989 | Regional Finals | Akron GarfieldD1 | Neutral | 43–7 | 13,607 | W |
| 1989 | State Semi-Finals | Cleveland St. IgnatiusD1 | Neutral | 21–42 | 18,206 | L |
| 1982 | Regional Finals | SanduskyD1 | Home | 29–7 | 15,597 | W |
| 1982 | State Semi-Finals | BereaD1 | Neutral | 31–0 | 16,204 | W |
| 1982 | State Finals | Cincinnati MoellerD1 | Neutral | 14–35 | 31,409 | L |
| 1980 | Regional Finals | Canton McKinleyD1 | Away | 14–6 | 19,029 | W |
| 1980 | State Semi-Finals | Willoughby SouthD1 | Neutral | 21–6 | 16,410 | W |
| 1980 | State Finals | Cincinnati MoellerD1 | Neutral | 7–30 | 22,751 | L |
| 1979 | Regional Finals | Parma PaduaD1 | Neutral | 0–12 | 19,730 | L |
| 1972 | Regional Finals | Cincinnati PrincetonD1 | Neutral | 14–17 | 18,575 | L |
93 of 93 playoff games shown