The North Carolina high school football playoffs will look a lot different this fall. The NCHSAA is in the midst of realigning its conferences for the 2025-29 cycle, expanding from four classifications to eight.
The NCHSAA released the second draft of its proposed conference realignment on Tuesday. While it has been received more favorably than the first draft made public last month, it still features a number of split conferences, including six leagues that will feature schools from three different classifications.
Schools will have until Jan. 28 to provide feedback on this latest plan. The NCHSAA will complete the realignment process this spring in time for the 2025-26 school year.
Tarboro (1A), Monroe (2A), West Charlotte (3A) and Grimsley (4A) captured the final football state championships in the fourth-classification era. Under the current proposal, Tarboro will be the only 2A school in a 2A/3A conference. Monroe will land in the 5A ranks. West Charlotte will be one of three 8A schools in a split 7A/8A league. Grimsley will be 7A in a 6A/7A conference.
The state has crowned eight champions on the gridiron before, from 2001-20 when the NCHSAA subdivided each classification (1A, 1AA, 2A, 2AA, etc.) when building its playoff brackets.
Here are key details on the NCHSAA conference realignment process at this point:
- The NCHSAA is doubling its classifications from four to eight for the first time in its history, transitioning from a long-standing 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A model.
- Class 8A will consist of the 32 largest schools by average daily membership (ADM).
- Classes 1A through 7A will each have approximately 60 schools.
- The second draft continues to propose a number of split conferences, with six leagues involving schools from three classifications: two conferences with 1A/2A/3A members, three from 3A/4A/5A and one from 6A/7A/8A.
- There are a handful of “super leagues” with 10 or more schools, including a 13-team conference of 1A and 2A schools from the far western part of the state. An 11-team conference of 4A and 5A schools from WNC also has been proposed.
- Despite the push for a “Big 32” in the 8A classification, there are only two conferences with only 8A schools – a pair of Wake County-dominated leagues.
- The NCHSAA hasn’t decided the playoff structure, but the latest plan proposes 24-28 team brackets for 8A, 32 teams for 2A-7A and 16 teams for 1A.
NCHSAA Proposed Realignment 2025-29 | Second Draft
1A Conferences
1A Conference 1
Bear Grass Charter (1A)
Cape Hatteras (1A)
Columbia (1A)
Hobgood Charter (1A)
Mattamuskeet (1A)
Ocracoke (1A)
1A Conference 2
Ascend Leadership (1A)
Central Carolina Academy (1A)
Clover Garden (1A)
Discovery Charter (1A)
Excelsior Classical (1A)
Falls Lake Academy (1A)
Neuse Charter (1A)
River Mill Academy (1A)
Southern Wake Academy (1A)
Woods Charter (1A)
1A Independent
Eastern NC School for the Deaf
North Carolina School for the Deaf
1A/2A Conferences
1A/2A Conference A
Jones (1A)
Northside (Pinetown) (1A)
East Carteret (2A)
Lejeune (2A)
Pamlico County (2A)
Southside (2A)
1A/2A Conference B
East Columbus (1A)
East Bladen (2A)
Hobbton (2A)
Lakewood (2A)
North Duplin (2A)
Rosewood (2A)
Union (2A)
West Columbus (2A)
1A/2A Conference C
KIPP Pride (1A)
Oxford Prep (1A)
Southeast Halifax (1A)
Vance Charter (1A)
Weldon (1A)
Henderson Collegiate (2A)
Northampton County (2A)
Northwest Halifax (2A)
Warren County (2A)
1A/2A Conference D
North East Carolina Prep (1A)
North Edgecombe (1A)
Rocky Mount Prep (1A)
Sallie B. Howard (1A)
Washington County (1A)
Wilson Prep (1A)
East Wake Academy (2A)
Franklin Academy (2A)
1A/2A Conference E
Chatham Central (1A)
Chatham Charter (1A)
College Prep & Leadership (1A)
North Stokes (1A)
South Davidson (1A)
Winston-Salem Prep (1A)
Bishop McGuiness (2A)
South Stokes (2A)
1A/2A Conference F
Bethany Community (1A)
Millenium Charter (1A)
NC Leadership Academy (1A)
Phoenix Academy (1A)
Triad Math and Science (1A)
Cornerstone Charter (2A)
Piedmont Classical (2A)
1A/2A Conference G
Bonnie Cone (1A)
Carolina International (1A)
Jackson Day (1A)
Queens Grant (2A)
Sugar Creek (2A)
1A/2A Conference H
Andrews (1A)
Blue Ridge Early College (1A)
Highlands (1A)
Hiwassee Dam (1A)
Nantahala (1A)
Robbinsville (1A)
Rosman (1A)
Summit Charter (1A)
Tri-County Early College (1A)
Cherokee (2A)
Hayesville (2A)
Murphy (2A)
Swain County (2A)
1A/2A/3A Conferences
1A/2A/3A Conference A
Bonnie Cone (1A) (Football Only)
Albemarle (2A)
Gray Stone Day (2A)
North Rowan (2A)
South Stanly (2A)
North Stanly (3A)
1A/2A/3A Conference A
NCSSM (Morganton) (1A)
Thomas Jefferson (1A)
Cherryville (2A)
Highland Tech (2A)
Mountain Island Charter (2A)
Bessemer City (3A)
Piedmont Community (3A)
2A Conferences
2A Conference 1
Bertie (2A)
Camden County (2A)
Gates County (2A)
John A. Holmes (2A)
Manteo (2A)
Perquimans County (2A)
2A Conference 2
American Leadership – Johnston (2A)
Eno River Academy (2A)
Raleigh Charter (2A)
Research Triangle (2A)
Roxboro Community (2A)
Triangle Math and Science (2A)
Voyager Academy (2A)
2A/3A Conferences
2A/3A Conference A
Tarboro (2A)
Ayden-Grifton (3A)
Beddingfield (3A)
Farmville Central (3A)
Greene Central (3A)
Kinston (3A)
South Lenoir (3A)
2A/3A Conference B
Bradford Prep (2A)
Christ the King (2A)
Community School of Davidson (2A)
Corvian Community (2A)
Langtree Charter (2A)
Pine Lake Prep (3A)
Polk County (3A)
2A/3A Conference C
Alleghany (2A)
East Wilkes (2A)
Elkin (2A)
Starmount (2A)
East Surry (3A)
Mount Airy (3A)
2A/3A Conference D
Avery (2A)
Mitchell (2A)
Hendersonville (3A)
Madison (3A)
Mountain Heritage (3A)
Owen (3A)
3A Conferences
3A Conference 1
Goldsboro (3A)
James Kenan (3A)
Midway (3A)
Princeton (3A)
Spring Creek (3A)
Wallace-Rose Hill (3A)
3A Conference 2
East Davidson (3A)
Providence Grove (3A)
Thomasville (3A)
Trinity (3A)
West Davidson (3A)
Wheatmore (3A)
3A/4A Conferences
3A/4A Conference A
Louisburg (3A)
NCSSM (Durham) (3A)
Wake Prep (3A)
Bunn (4A)
Nash Central (4A)
Roanoke Rapids (4A)
3A/4A Conference B
Bartlett Yancey (3A)
McMichael (3A)
Walkertown (3A)
Carver (4A)
Cummings (4A)
Graham (4A)
Morehead (4A)
Reidsville (4A)
3A/4A Conference C
Eastern Randolph (3A)
North Moore (3A)
Northwood (3A)
Carrboro (4A)
Jordan-Matthews (4A)
Southwestern Randolph (4A)
3A/4A Conference D
North Wilkes (3A)
Surry Central (3A)
West Wilkes (3A)
Forbush (4A)
North Surry (4A)
West Stokes (4A)
Wilkes Central (4A)
3A/4A Conference E
Burns (4A)
East Gaston (4A)
Lincoln Charter (4A)
R-S Central (4A)
Stuart Cramer (4A)
CHASE (3A)
3A/4A Conference F
Draughn (3A)
Patton (3A)
West Caldwell (3A)
Ashe County (4A)
East Burke (4A)
Hibriten (4A)
3A/4A/5A Conferences
3A/4A/5A Conference A
Hertford County (3A)
Martin County (3A)
Northeastern (3A)
Pasquotank County (3A)
First Flight (4A)
Currituck County (5A)
3A/4A/5A Conference B
Heide Trask (3A)
Pender (3A)
South Columbus (3A)
West Bladen (3A)
Whiteville (3A)
Fairmont (4A)
Red Springs (4A)
South Brunswick (5A)
4A Conference
4A Conference 1
Eastern Wayne (4A)
North Johnston (4A)
North Lenoir (4A)
North Pitt (4A)
SouthWest Edgecombe (4A)
Washington (4A)
West Craven (4A)
4A/5A Conferences
4A/5A Conference A
East Duplin (4A)
Southwest Onslow (4A)
Croatan (5A)
Dixon (5A)
Havelock (5A)
Northside (Jacksonville) (5A)
Richlands (5A)
West Carteret (5A)
4A/5A Conference B
Central Davidson (4A)
Ledford (4A)
Lexington (4A)
Randleman (4A)
T.W. Andrews (4A)
High Point Central (5A)
Montgomery Central (5A)
4A/5A Conference C
Anson (4A)
Central Academy (4A)
Mount Pleasant (4A)
West Stanly (4A)
Forest Hills (5A)
Monroe (5A)
Parkwood (5A)
4A/5A Conference D
Concord (5A)
East Rowan (5A)
Jay M. Robinson (5A)
Jesse Carson (5A)
Northwest Cabarrus (5A)
West Rowan (5A)
4A/5A Conference E
Bandys (4A)
Bunker Hill (4A)
Fred T. Foard (4A)
Maiden (4A)
Newton-Conover (4A)
West Iredell (4A)
East Lincoln (5A)
Hickory (5A)
North Lincoln (5A)
4A/5A Conference F
Brevard (4A)
East Henderson (4A)
Pisgah (4A)
Tuscola (4A)
Enka (5A)
Erwin (5A)
Franklin (5A)
North Buncombe (5A)
North Henderson (5A)
Smoky Mountain (5A)
West Henderson (5A)
5A Conferences
5A Conference 1
C.B. Aycock (5A)
Fike (5A)
Hunt (5A)
Rocky Mount (5A)
Southern Nash (5A)
Southern Wayne (5A)
5A Conference 2
Cedar Ridge (5A)
Durham School of the Arts (5A)
Orange (5A)
Seaforth (5A)
South Granville (5A)
Webb (5A)
5A/6A Conferences
5A/6A Conference A
Douglas Byrd (5A)
St. Pauls (5A)
E.E. Smith (6A)
Gray’s Creek (6A)
Scotland County (6A)
Seventy-First (6A)
South View (6A)
Terry Sanford (6A)
Westover (6A)
5A/6A Conference B
Eastern Alamance (5A)
Person (5A)
Rockingham County (5A)
Southeast Alamance (5A)
Western Alamance (5A)
Southern Alamance (6A)
Williams (6A)
5A/6A Conference C
Northeast Guilford (5A)
Southern Guilford (5A)
Asheboro (6A)
Eastern Guilford (6A)
Northern Guilford (6A)
Southeast Guilford (6A)
5A/6A Conference D
Atkins (5A)
North Davidson (5A)
North Forsyth (5A)
Oak Grove (5A)
Glenn (6A)
Mount Tabor (6A)
5A/6A Conference E
Ashbrook (6A)
Crest (5A)
Forestview (5A)
Hunter Huss (5A)
North Gaston (5A)
South Point (5A)
Kings Mountain (6A)
6A Conference
6A Conference 1
Harnett Central (6A)
Lee County (6A)
South Johnston (6A)
Southern Lee (6A)
Triton (6A)
Union Pines (6A)
West Johnston (6A)
Western Harnett (6A)
6A/7A Conferences
6A/7A Conference A
D.H. Conley (7A)
St. Pauls (5A)
South Central (7A)
New Bern (7A)
Jacksonville (6A)
Swansboro (6A)
White Oak (6A)
6A/7A Conference B
Eastern Alamance (5A)
Heritage (7A)
Knightdale (7A)
Wake Forest (7A)
Franklinton (6A)
Northern Nash (6A)
Vance County (6A)
6A/7A Conference C
Cary (7A)
Holly Springs (7A)
Sanderson (7A)
Cardinal Gibbons (6A)
Felton Grove (6A)
Middle Creek (6A)
6A/7A Conference D
Chapel Hill (7A)
Hillside (7A)
Riverside (7A)
Southern Durham (7A)
East Chapel Hill (6A)
Northern Durham (6A)
6A/7A Conference E
Ben L. Smith (6A)
Dudley (6A)
Ragsdale (6A)
Western Guilford (6A)
Grimsley (7A)
Page (7A)
6A/7A Conference F
Charlotte Catholic (6A)
Piedmont (6A)
Sun Valley (6A)
Cuthbertson (7A)
Marvin Ridge (7A)
Porter Ridge (7A)
Weddington (7A)
6A/7A Conference G
Berry Academy (6A)
Central Cabarrus (6A)
Harding University (6A)
Olympic (6A)
A.L. Brown (7A)
Cox Mill (7A)
Hickory Ridge (7A)
West Cabarrus (7A)
6A/7A Conference H
Alexander Central (6A)
North Iredell (6A)
St. Stephens (6A)
Statesville (6A)
Lake Norman (7A)
Mooresville (7A)
South Iredell (7A)
6A/7A Conference I
A.C. Reynolds (6A)
Asheville (6A)
Freedom (6A)
South Caldwell (6A)
T.C. Roberson (6A)
Watauga (6A)
McDowell (7A)
6A/7A/8A Conference
6A/7A/8A Conference A
West Brunswick (6A)
Ashley (7A)
New Hanover (7A)
North Brunswick (7A)
Topsail (7A)
Hoggard (8A)
Laney (8A)
7A Conference
7A Conference 1
Clayton (7A)
Cleveland (7A)
Fuquay-Varina (7A)
Garner (7A)
Smithfield-Selma (7A)
South Garner (7A)
Southeast Raleigh (7A)
7A/8A Conferences
7A/8A Conference A
Cape Fear (7A)
Jack Britt (7A)
Lumberton (7A)
Overhills (7A)
Pine Forest (7A)
Purnell Swett (7A)
Richmond (7A)
Hoke County (8A)
Pinecrest (8A)
7A/8A Conference B
Northwest Guilford (8A)
West Forsyth (8A)
Davie County (7A)
East Forsyth (7A)
Parkland (7A)
R.J. Reynolds (7A)
Reagan (7A)
7A/8A Conference C
Butler (7A)
Independence (7A)
North Mecklenburg (7A)
Chambers (8A)
Mallard Creek (8A)
West Charlotte (8A)
7A/8A Conference D
Hopewell (7A)
West Mecklenburg (7A)
Garinger (8A)
Hough (8A)
Myers Park (8A)
South Mecklenburg (8A)
7A/8A Conference E
Ardrey Kell (8A)
East Mecklenburg (8A)
Palisades (8A)
Providence (8A)
Ballantyne Ridge (7A)
Rocky River (7A)
8A Conferences
8A Conference 1
Athens Drive (8A)
Broughton (8A)
Corinth Holders (8A)
Enloe (8A)
Leesville Road (8A)
Millbrook (8A)
Rolesville (8A)
Wakefield (8A)
8A Conference 2
Apex (8A)
Apex Friendship (8A)
Green Hope (8A)
Green Level (8A)
Jordan (8A)
Panther Creek (8A)
Willow Spring (8A)
