Here are the 2021 NCHSAA state football playoff pairings.
1A Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 West Columbus (2-3) vs. #8 Pamlico County (4-2)
#4 Rosewood (6-1) vs. #5 Northside-Pinetown (5-2)
#3 Bear Grass Charter (3-1) vs. #6 Perquimans (4-1)
#2 Northampton Co. (1-3) vs. #7 North Duplin (3-4)
West
#1 Elkin (5-1) vs. #8 Andrews (4-2)
#4 Murphy (6-1) vs. #5 Thomas Jefferson (6-0)
#3 Mitchell (6-0) vs. #6 Christ the King (4-3)
#2 Robbinsville (7-0) vs. #7 Winston-Salem Prep (5-2)
1AA Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 Tarboro (5-0) vs. #8 Manteo (2-4)
#4 John A. Holmes (5-0) vs. #5 Princeton (7-0)
#3 East Carteret (5-2) vs. #6 Hobbton (2-5)
#2 Louisburg (4-2) vs. #7 Lakewood (2-5)
West
#1 North Stanly (6-0) vs. #8 Polk County (4-1)
#4 North Rowan (4-2) vs. #5 Community School of Davidson (5-2)
#3 Pine Lake Prep (7-0) vs. #6 Mount Airy (4-2)
#2 East Surry (6-1) vs. #7 North Moore (4-3)
2A Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 Reidsville (6-0) vs. #8 Southwest Onslow (4-1)
#4 Wallace-Rose Hill (4-3) vs. #5 Red Springs (4-1)
#3 Northeastern (4-0) vs. #6 Kinston (5-1)
#2 Clinton (7-0) vs. #7 Eastern Randolph (4-1)
West
#1 Hendersonville (5-2) vs. #8 Bunker Hill (6-1)
#4 Shelby (5-2) vs. #5 Walkertown (5-0)
#3 Mount Pleasant (7-0) vs. #6 West Lincoln (5-2)
#2 Mountain Heritage (4-1) vs. #7 Forbush (6-0)
2AA Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 Washington (5-1) vs. #8 South Granville (5-2)
#4 Croatan (6-1) vs. #5 McMichael (2-5)
#3 Southwest Edgecombe (5-2) vs. #6 Roanoke Rapids (5-1)
#2 St. Pauls (5-0) vs. #7 Randleman (7-0)
West
#1 North Davidson (6-1) vs. #8 Pisgah (6-1)
#4 Ashe County (7-0) vs. #5 Oak Grove (5-2)
#3 Hibriten (7-0) vs. #6 Burns (5-2)
#2 Maiden (6-0) vs. #7 Salisbury (5-2)
3A Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 Rocky Mount (6-1) vs. #8 Eastern Alamance (5-1)
#4 Terry Sanford (6-1) vs. #5 Western Alamance (7-0)
#3 Havelock (7-0) vs. #6 Southern Guilford (5-2)
#2 Northwood (5-2) vs. #7 West Carteret (5-2)
West
#1 A.C. Reynolds (6-1) vs. #8 West Rowan (4-2)
#4 Charlotte Catholic (5-1) vs. #5 Crest (6-1)
#3 Kings Mountain (7-0) vs. #6 J.M. Robinson (5-2)
#2 Statesville (5-1) vs. #7 Monroe (5-2)
3AA Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 Cleveland (7-0) vs. #8 Southern Durham (5-1)
#4 J.H. Rose (6-0) vs. #5 Lee County (7-0)
#3 West Brunswick (5-1) vs. #6 Chapel Hill (5-1)
#2 Southeast Guilford (6-1) vs. #7 Clayton (6-1)
West
#1 Watauga (5-1) vs. #8 Dudley (6-1)
#4 A.L. Brown (6-1) vs. #5 T.C. Roberson (6-1)
#3 Weddington (6-0) vs. #6 Asheville (5-2)
#2 Mount Tabor (7-0) vs. #7 Alexander Central (5-2)
4A Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 Cardinal Gibbons (6-0) vs. #8 Pine Forest (4-2)
#4 Richmond (3-0) vs. #5 Middle Creek (6-1)
#3 New Bern (5-1) vs. #6 Scotland (4-1)
#2 South View (6-1) vs. #7 Jack Britt (4-1)
West
#1 Grimsley (6-0) vs. #8 East Forsyth (3-3)
#4 South Caldwell (3-2) vs. #5 Hillside (5-1)
#3 Glenn (5-1) vs. #6 Butler (6-1)
#2 Providence (6-1) vs. #7 Hickory Ridge (5-2)
4AA Football Playoffs First Round Pairings
East
#1 Apex Friendship (7-0) vs. #8 Pinecrest (5-2)
#4 Millbrook (5-2) vs. #5 Wake Forest (5-1)
#3 Hoggard vs #6 Leesville Road (5-2)
#2 Rolesville (6-0) vs. #7 Holly Springs (4-3)
West
#1 Hough (7-0) vs. #8 Green Hope (4-1)
#4 Ardrey Kell (6-1) vs. #5 Z.B. Vance (6-1)
#3 Panther Creek (7-0) vs. #6 Olympic (6-1)
#2 Myers Park (7-0) vs. #7 Northwest Guilford (6-1)
