Colorado high school football playoffs kick off with dominant teams and wide-open races

The 2026 Colorado high school football postseason begins Friday.

Class 2A teams take the field first, with the remaining classes starting their brackets next week. The landscape is defined by a mix of dominant powers and unpredictable matchups across all classification levels.

Denver Christian enters the playoffs as the top-ranked team in Class 1A under head coach Bret McGatlin. The Thunder are undefeated and have not played a close game all season, holding a 37.25-point average margin of victory. McGatlin arrived to a team that went 2-7 the year prior and 4-5 the season before that. Senior running back and middle linebacker Quinn Barkema anchors the Denver Christian offense.

In Class 2A, Elizabeth is the favorite and remains undefeated. The Cardinals are coached in their 12th year by Michael Zoesch and hold the No. 2 seed after a 27-17 win over The Classical Academy last week. This marks a sharp contrast to the previous year, when Elizabeth lost the title game to Wellington 35-0. The team has a bye this week and relies on defensive ends Cash Buron and Tyler Hanak.

Palmer Ridge has dropped down to Class 3A for this two-year cycle and is dominating the competition. The Bears have a 28.4-point average margin of victory. Their closest game of the season was a 29-14 win over La Cueva of New Mexico on Aug. 28. Last year, Palmer Ridge finished as runner-up to Dakota Ridge in Class 4A after its undefeated streak ended.

Class 4A is currently a wide-open race. Broomfield and Ponderosa are both undefeated. Roosevelt is ranked No. 1 by the CHSAA and has lost only its first game this season, standing at 8-1. Montrose is 7-2 and has played well in its four games against 4A opponents, despite losses to 5A Mountain Vista and 3A Palmer Ridge. Other capable teams include Monarch, Loveland, Pueblo West, and Golden. Douglas County and Columbine also dropped down from 5A and are contenders.

Cherry Creek remains the favorite in its class despite a bumpy start. The Bruins forfeited their season opener to Chatfield due to an ineligible player, snapping a 27-game win streak. They survived a September overtime loss to Legend and a come-from-behind victory over Valor Christian. Valor Christian or Mountain Vista are the most likely teams to challenge Cherry Creek in the bracket.

Defensive backfield play is a major storyline. Senior Arath Carrazco of Wiggins and junior Turner Oldach of Prospect Ridge Academy are tied for the state lead with seven interceptions. Carrazco also plays baseball, basketball, and track. Oldach helps lead a Prospect Ridge Academy team on a four-game winning streak. Three other Colorado players have six interceptions, and 10 have five.

Holy Family is looking to challenge Palmer Ridge in Class 3A. Junior tailback Gage Gunderson leads the state in rushing touchdowns with 27. He is second in rushing yardage with 1,718 and averages 9.04 yards per carry. The team also features junior linebacker Adam Moore and junior wideout Nick Leopardi. Holy Family won a championship in 2023.

Sand Creek is on the bubble to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004, excluding the 2020 spring season. The Scorpions are currently ranked No. 22. They went 9-1 last season but missed the postseason due to league rebuilding rules. Senior tailback, slot receiver, and safety Ethan Mangrum is the team's standout player.

Class 5A passing statistics are led by two seniors. Fairview's Ki Ellison leads the state with 3,180 passing yards. In his last game, he threw for 633 yards and seven touchdowns to help the Knights set a single-game scoring record of 84 points against Legacy. Mountain Vista's Marquise Reese is second with 2,832 passing yards and a 67.8% completion rate.

Valor Christian's deep attack is led by wideout Jackson Coleman. The Notre Dame commit has 46 catches for 950 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 20.7-yard average per catch makes him a major threat in the playoffs. If Valor Christian faces Mountain Vista in the semifinals, it will be a matchup between Coleman and Golden Eagles corner and wideout Brooklyn Bailey, who has pledged to San Diego State.