Road to the Playoffs: Where Idaho’s 5A Conference Races Stand

With the 2026 Idaho high school football regular season entering its final stretch, the 5A playoff picture is beginning to take shape. Undefeated Bishop Kelly and Hillcrest lead their respective conferences, while several other races remain wide open.

Southern Idaho Conference

Bishop Kelly has taken control of the SIC, sitting at 6-0 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Knights have been impressive on both sides of the ball, averaging 34.2 points per game while allowing just 12.8.

Senior quarterback and UC Davis commit Jaxson Brady leads the charge offensively with more than 1,300 total yards and 15 touchdowns this season. Defensively, senior linebacker Dane Matlock continues to be a force and who is one of the states leading tacklers.

But one of Bishop Kelly's most important defensive pieces may not show up at the top of the stat sheet. Utah EDGE commit Jack Henderson has moved to the interior of the defensive line, where he consistently commands double and even triple teams. His presence creates opportunities for Matlock and others around him to make plays. Henderson's individual numbers may not tell the full story, but his impact remains a major part of the Knights' defensive success.

Columbia is another team to watch down the stretch. The Wildcats sit at 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play with several playmakers contributing on both sides of the ball. Losing a close battle with Bishop Kelly last week 21-17.

Senior WR/DB Tyson Winkelman has scored at least one touchdown in every game since the season opener and continues to be a major piece of Columbia's offense and defense. Fellow senior WR/DB Easton Lott gives the Wildcats another two-way playmaker capable of impacting games on either side of the football. Junior running back Santiago Carbajal has also emerged as one of 5A's top offensive threats. Carbajal currently one of the state leading rushers in 5A with 818 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, giving Columbia another weapon as the Wildcats make their postseason push.

Nampa currently sits at 3-1 in conference play, keeping the SIC race interesting as the regular season enters its final stretch.

Ridgevue and Skyview are both 2-2, making every remaining conference matchup important for postseason positioning.

High Country Conference

Hillcrest remains perfect at 6-0 and leads the High Country with a 3-0 conference record.

The Knights picked up one of their biggest wins of the season two weeks ago with a victory over 6A Thunder Ridge, which currently sits at 4-2.

Now Hillcrest will look to keep the winning going through a challenging final three games. The Knights close the regular season against Idaho Falls (3-3), Skyline (3-3) and Blackfoot (3-3).

Skyline currently sits at 3-1 in conference play, while Idaho Falls and Blackfoot are both 2-1. With Hillcrest facing all three over the final stretch, the High Country championship is still far from decided.

Great Basin Conference

Burley currently sits atop the Great Basin at 2-0 in conference play and 4-2 overall.

Twin Falls remains unbeaten in conference action at 1-0, while Minico sits at 1-1. Jerome and Canyon Ridge will need strong finishes to climb back into the race.

Twin Falls is averaging a conference-best 31.5 points per game, making the Bruins a team to keep an eye on as the Great Basin race continues.

Inland Empire Conference

The Inland Empire Conference race has yet to begin, with Sandpoint, Lewiston and Lakeland all sitting at 0-0 in conference play.

Sandpoint enters conference action with the best overall record at 5-2. A major part of the Bulldogs' success has been senior quarterback Logan Iverson, who has thrown for more than 1,500 yards and accounted for 18 total touchdowns this season.

Lewiston enters conference play at 3-3, while Lakeland sits at 2-4. With only three teams in the conference, every matchup will carry significant weight in determining the conference champion and postseason positioning.

The Road to the Playoffs

Bishop Kelly and Hillcrest remain undefeated and have established themselves as two of the teams to watch in 5A, but there is still plenty left to decide.

The SIC features several talented teams and some of the classification's top individual playmakers. Hillcrest faces three straight conference opponents to close its schedule, Burley holds the early advantage in the Great Basin, and Sandpoint enters Inland Empire play behind a productive passing attack.

With conference championships and playoff positioning on the line, the final weeks of the regular season should provide plenty of drama as Idaho's 5A teams make their push toward the postseason.

Path to the 5A Playoffs

The 5A playoffs feature 12 teams. The four conference champions automatically qualify, while the eight highest-ranked remaining teams earn at-large spots by Max Preps Rankings. The top four seeds receive first-round byes.

That makes every game down the stretch important. Bishop Kelly, Hillcrest, Burley and Sandpoint currently lead their respective conference races, while teams like Columbia, Nampa, Skyline, Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, Twin Falls and Lewiston are battling for conference titles and at-large positioning.

Winning a conference guarantees a playoff spot. Everyone else will need to finish high enough in the final rankings to earn one of the eight remaining berths.

Photo credit: Triston Hartfiel