Meet the Greater Lansing high school football playoff qualifiers for 2026

Here is a team-by-team look at the Michigan high school football teams from Greater Lansing who have qualified for the 2026 MHSAA playoffs. The area has 20 teams in the playoff field this season, which includes reigning state champions DeWitt and Portland St. Patrick.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 41.222 / 22nd

▶ What to know: The Cavaliers doubled their win total from 2025 while earning a spot in the playoffs after a year absence. Corunna closed the regular season on a two-game winning streak that featured wins over Flushing and Chesaning. Flushing was the only team Corunna beat with a winning record this fall. The Cavaliers have one of the area's top rushers in senior Ruger Zeeman.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 35.111 / 5th

▶ Best wins: d. Fulton 48-6, d. Fennville 35-22, d. Potterville 38-7

▶ What to know: The slogan this season has been play for redemption for the Aggies, who have gone from finishing 1-7 a year ago to a playoff qualifier in their debut season under Hancock's leadership. Dansville, which is in its first season in the 8-man format, has qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2018. A class of eight seniors that includes quarterback Mayson Burgett has been vital in the turnaround for Dansville, which has a six-win improvement this fall.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 67.111 / 5th

▶ Best wins: d. Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills 59-21, d. Trenton 49-26, d Okemos 57-0

▶ What to know: The defending Division 3 state champion Panthers finished as the runner-up in the CAAC Blue. DeWitt has played the back half of the season without Division I running back prospect Channing Ridley, who has been out since a Week 4 injury. Senior quarterback Griffin Braman has been effective as a passer and rusher and leads the offense as a first-year starter for the Panthers, who have been in the playoffs every year since 2006. DeWitt went 3-2 against teams that had winning records.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 48.667 / 29th

▶ What to know: The Trojans are in the playoffs for an 11th consecutive season after winning their final two games to secure a spot. East Lansing finished third in the CAAC Blue and has gotten a number of big performances from senior running back Baylor Schanski. The Trojans have made the playoffs with a losing record for a second straight season.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 33;750 / 14th

▶ Best wins: d. Saginaw MLS 56-41, d. Saranac 23-12

▶ What to know: Stephens has had a strong debut season as the leader of the Eagles, who finished as the CMAC runner-up and are in the playoffs for an eighth straight season. Fowler has leaned on a ground attack led by Eli Thelen and Beckett Hanson. The Eagles dropped three of their final four games to close the regular season, which included a double overtime loss to Pewamo-Westphalia and a 29-28 setback to McBain.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 31.952 / 12th

▶ Best wins: d. Potterville 50-13, d. Breckenridge 38-28

▶ What to know: After missing the playoffs last year, the Pirates are back in the 8-man postseason field. Fulton is in the playoffs for the fourth time in five years and has won five of its last six games. The Pirates had a 2-3 record against teams with winning records.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 75.111 / 10th

▶ Best wins: d. DeWitt 28-14, d. Okemos 45-7, d. Bedford 35-7

▶ What to know: The Comets finished as the CAAC Blue champion for the first time since 2022. Grand Ledge has one of its highest scoring teams in program history with six games with at least 40 points. Seniors Kingston Nixon, Ashton Delaney and Anthony Baker have been among the major contributors for the Comets in their strong season. Grand Ledge won three games against teams that had winning records and won all of its games by at least 14 points.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 40.778 / 11th

▶ Best wins: d. Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart 48-6, d. Saginaw MLS 47-6, d. Saginaw Valley Lutheran 48-7, d. Fowler 35-0

▶ What to know: The Yellowjackets returned to the top of the TVC Blue standings and feature one of the top passing attacks in the area led by veteran quarterback Gibson Rondy. Ithaca had a dominant regular season that included lopsided wins over several teams that had winning records. The lone loss for the Yellowjackets was a narrow Week 9 setback to Beal City in a matchup of unbeatens.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 54.000 / 7th

▶ Best wins: d. Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port Laker 16-8, d. Sexton 43-20, d. Olivet 31-21

▶ What to know: The Vikings have thrived in their third season under Swore and have qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Lakewood finished as the CAAC White runner-up behind Portland. Michael Goodemoot, a 1,000-yard rusher, and Bubby Wilkins, who ranks among the area's leaders in interceptions, have been among the key contributors to Lakewood's success.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 30.778 / 31st

▶ Best wins: d. Vanderook Lake 48-8, d. Michigan Center 34-32

▶ What to know: The Blackhawks earned one of the final spots in the Division 7 playoffs despite closing the regular season on a four-game losing streak. Leslie, which tied for first in the Cascades North, didn't defeat a team with a winning record during the season. The Blackhawks have a strong passing attack led by quarterback and Davenport commit Joel Cranmore and receiver Braydin Johnson, who lead Greater Lansing in passing yards and receiving yards.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 27.333 / 24th

▶ What to know: In their third year back playing in the 11-player format, the Lions have qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Maple Valley ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak and having won four of their final five. The Lions finished tied for fourth in the Big 8.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 67.000 / 6th

▶ Best wins: d. DeWitt 30-17, d. St. Johns 21-9, d. Williamston 45-14, d. Harper Woods 24-18

▶ What to know: After finishing .500 in 2025, the Bulldogs returned to the top of the CAAC Red and captured their seventh league title in eight seasons. Junior Troy Peters has made numerous big plays throughout the season and has helped drive the success for Mason, which went 4-1 against teams with winning records. The Bulldogs are in the playoffs for an eighth straight season.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 45.778 / 11th

▶ Best wins: d. Sexton 21-20, d. Charlotte 37-7

▶ What to know: The Eagles finished third in the CAAC White and won five of six to close the regular season after a 1-2 start. Olivet, which has been in the playoffs every year since 2008, went 2-3 against teams with winning records this fall.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 43.264 / 6th

▶ Best wins: d. North Muskegon 17-9, d. Ottawa Lake Whiteford 35-0, d. Bark River-Harris 59-14, d. Fowler 34-28 (2OT), d. Saranac 38-12

▶ What to know: The Pirates picked several strong victories during the regular season and have hopes of making another deep playoff run. P-W won the CMAC title for a second straight season thanks to one of those big wins — a road double overtime victory over rival Fowler. The Pirates have recorded two straight undefeated regular seasons.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 63.778 / 6th

▶ Best wins: d. Cadillac 29-22, d. Sexton 28-13, d. Olivet 28-21, d. Lakewood 23-20, d. Hudsonville Unity Christian 28-24

▶ What to know: The CAAC White champions Raiders had a perfect regular season for the fourth straight year and will try to continue that success in the postseason. Portland won four games decided by seven points or less this fall and will look to get past the regional round for the first time since 2023. The Raiders are in the playoffs for a 12th straight season.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 38.333 / 2nd

▶ Best wins: d. Pickford 28-18, d. Fulton 48-21, d. Dansville 35-7

▶ What to know: The reigning 8-man Division 2 champion Shamrocks have had another strong season and are in the playoffs for a fourth straight season. St. Patrick picked up wins by forfeit over Wyoming Tri-unity Christian and Blanchard Montabella to open the season before putting together a dominant stretch of performances where it won every game by at least 10 points.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 31.083 / 30th

▶ Best wins: d. Maple Valley 15-14, d. Perry 58-14

▶ What to know: The Red Hawks finished third in the CMAC behind Pewamo-Westphalia and Fowler and have made the playoffs for a fourth straight season. The lone win over a team with a winning record this season for Saranac came in Week 2 when it recorded a nonleague victory over Maple Valley.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 46.333 / 27

▶ What to know: The J-Dubbs are in the playoff field for a fourth straight season and are the lone postseason representative from a Lansing city school. Sexton ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak and finished fourth in the CAAC White. The J-Dubbs recorded one win over a team with a winning record in the regular season.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 51.222 / 19th

▶ What to know: After a three-year stretch that featured no playoff appearances, the Redwings find themselves in the postseason for a third straight season. St. Johns, which finished as the CAAC Red runner-up, has its most victories in a season since finishing 7-5 in 2019. Just one win for the Redwings came over a team that finished with a winning record.

▶ Playoff points total / division ranking: 45.444 / 30th

▶ What to know: The Hornets won several games decided by eight points or less while making the playoffs for an 11th consecutive season. Williamston, which finished third in the CAAC Red, didn't beat a team with a winning record during the regular season. The Hornets earned one of the final spots in the Division 4 field.

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow hom on X @brian_calloway.