2024 MN High School Football thread

[Some guy]

We have such a short season in MN compared to other states. We start games Labor Day and play 8 games and then everyone gets a 9th game.

An Example: In Arkansas they start Labor Day and play a 10-game schedule with regular season stopping November 8th. That's the night of our 3 playoff games.

I think our Prep Bowl should be the first weekend in December.

Fall season is basically 9 weeks of games for most. 9 games Football. Volleyball 20+
Winter season is 13-14 About 25 games Basketball
Spring is about 7-8 weeks with about 13-14 games Lacrosse and 20 baseball/softball.

Would be okay with that too. Weather gets dicey the later you go.

 

[GophersInIowa]

This is where I lean as well. I really don't want to add any more classes to get to all 6 teams sections. I'd rather 7/8 are excluded or play a friendly. Argument will be that if the teams don't have a round robin schedule for regular season the 7 seed might have a gripe to being the 6 seed.

If the change is made to where not everyone gets in the playoffs, they'd have to change the scheduling to make sure the bulk of your games are within the section. As it is now, some teams may only play 1 or 2 regular season games against their section. It's hard to figure out how good they are in relation to the rest of the section in situations like that.

A question for everyone, are there many states that have all teams get in the playoffs like MN does? I know WI and IA have 32 teams in each class make it.

 

[Some guy]

If the change is made to where not everyone gets in the playoffs, they'd have to change the scheduling to make sure the bulk of your games are within the section. As it is now, some teams may only play 1 or 2 regular season games against their section. It's hard to figure out how good they are in relation to the rest of the section in situations like that.

A question for everyone, are there many states that have all teams get in the playoffs like MN does? I know WI and IA have 32 teams in each class make it.

I’m not sure on your last question. But 6a moved to districts and sections essentially being the same thing. And it’s optimal.

 

[MaxyJR1]

For 6A here are the schools in play. You can see this is a 196 student gap. Andover is the only school that increased in this group from 2021 cycle to 2023 cycle. Enrollments are going backwards according to the data.

Coon Rapids High School 1686
Park High School 1681
Hopkins High School 1677
Buffalo High School 1647
Burnsville High School 1633
Rochester Mayo High School 1630
Moorhead High School 1626
Andover High School 1625
Rogers High School 1614
Spring Lake Park High School 1591
Brainerd High School 1582
Robbinsdale Armstrong High School 1503
Elk River High School 1490

Here is 21-22 and 22-23 with Mayo at 32.

HOPKINS SENIOR HIGH 1862
Forest Lake Area High School 1849
Park High School 1830
LAKEVILLE SOUTH HIGH 1808
MOUNDS VIEW SENIOR HIGH 1782
LAKEVILLE NORTH HIGH 1780
BRAINERD SENIOR HIGH 1752
Rochester Mayo Senior High 1739
BUFFALO SENIOR HIGH 1735
PARK CENTER IB WORLD SCHOOL 1669
MOORHEAD HIGH SCHOOL 1668
ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG SENIOR HIGH 1661
MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST SENIOR HIGH 1624
SPRING LAKE PARK SENIOR HIGH 1624
ELK RIVER SENIOR HIGH 1622
Andover High School 1605

 

[MaxyJR1]

Final Minnesota high school football state rankings heading into Playoffs​

First-place votes in parentheses, record, total points

Class 6A
1. Maple Grove (12), 8-0, 120
2. Shakopee, 7-1, 107
3. Edina, 6-2, 84
4. Lakeville North, 7-1, 83
5. Minnetonka, 6-2, 79
6. Eden Prairie, 5-3, 52
7. Forest Lake, 6-2, 40
8. Eagan, 5-3, 29
9. Mounds View, 6-2, 26
10. Blaine, 5-3, 14
Also receiving votes: Anoka 11, Lakeville South 7, East Ridge 3

Class 5A
1. Moorhead (10), 8-0; 117
2. Owatonna (2), 8-0, 108
3. Robbinsdale Armstrong, 8-0, 96
4. Elk River, 7-1, 83
5. Andover, 7-1, 59
6. Two Rivers, 8-0, 57
7. Alexandria, 6-2, 44
8. Mankato West, 5-3, 39
9. Robbinsdale Cooper, 7-1, 28
10. Bemidji, 6-2, 16
Also receiving votes: Mankato East 9, Chanhassen 1, Monticello 1, Rochester John Marshall 1

Class 4A
1. Becker (11), 8-0, 119
2. Totino-Grace (1), 8-0, 109
3. Princeton, 8-0, 94
4. Byron, 7-1, 81
5. Rocori, 6-2, 56
6. Providence Academy, 6-2, 54
7. Marshall, 7-1, 48
8. Hill-Murray, 7-1, 37
9. Orono, 6-2, 33
10. Hermantown, 7-1, 26
Also receiving votes: Holy Angels 2, North Branch 1.

Class 3A
1. Stewartville (12), 8-0, 120
2. Pequot Lakes, 8-0, 102
3. Albany, 8-0, 95
4. Waseca, 7-1, 79
5. Dassel-Cokato, 7-1, 71
6. Fergus Falls, 8-0, 64
7. Annandale, 7-1, 41
8. Fairmont, 6-2, 29
9. Morris/Chokio-Alberta, 7-1, 27
10. Two Harbors, 7-1, 16
Also receiving votes: Holy Family 8, Pine Island 5, Minneapolis North 3.

Class 2A
1. Barnesville (9), 8-0, 115
2. Chatfield (3), 8-0, 109
3. Jackson Co. Central, 8-0, 94
4. Norwood Young America, 8-0, 74
5. Kimball Area, 8-0, 72
6. Barnum, 8-0, 68
7. Eden Valley-Watkins, 7-1, 49
8. Caledonia, 6-2, 28
9. Rush City, 8-0, 24
10. Staples-Motley, 8-0, 13
Also receiving votes: Holdingford 6, Moose Lake-Willow River 2, Pillager 1, St. Agnes 1, Triton 1

Class 1A
1. Minneota (12), 8-0, 120
2. Springfield, 8-0, 103
3. Mahnomen/Waubun, 8-0, 92
4. Goodhue, 8-0, 90
5. Upsala/Swaville, 8-0, 68
6. BOLD, 7-1, 63
7. Blooming Prairie, 7-1, 36
8. Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, 7-1, 33
9. Fillmore Central, 7-1, 32
10. Red Lake County, 7-1, 19
Also receiving votes: Deer River 3, Adrian/Ellsworth 1.

Nine-Player
1. Nevis (7), 8-0, 115
2. Mountain Iron-Buhl (4), 8-0, 106
3. Fertile-Beltrami (1), 8-0, 94
4. Hills-Beaver Creek, 8-0, 81
5. LeRoy-Osatrander/Lyle-Pacelli, 8-0, 73
6. Spring Grove, 8-0, 63
7. Fosston, 8-0, 50
8. Hancock, 8-0, 42
9. Cherry, 7-1, 20
10. Goodridge/Grygla, 7-1, 12
Also receiving votes: Kingsland 4

 

[Ranger692]

You realize that the Vikings are playing two games with 4 nights rest. Youth play 3 games in 3 days in tournament football format.

It's not ideal and it used to be every team in the state. I agree it's a bit hypicritical, but it's a Wednesday, Tuesday, Saturday. That's 6 nights and 4 nights of rest and a likely Saturday and Sunday with not activity over MEA.

Teams are not practicing hard at this point so there is a bit of a trade off.

Thanksgiving is late this year and they could have spread it out, but they kept it the same timeframe.

I get your point Max but, I think NFL players are compensated rather well if i remember correctly as its their job. AND I bet if you ask any player in the NFL they would say NO to that situation as well.

There are several ways to fix it and the current situation has got to be the worst answer to the situation

 

[FireDaveLee]

So how are the 6A brackets determined? I understand about the sections & that placement, but what determined where some of those sections go in what bracket? Is it predetermined? Or do they try to do some snake seeding?

Seems like #1 Maple Grove got the shortest end of the stick with the best 4 seed (EP) & 3 seed (Edina). I understand the "got to beat them eventually" motto, but an easier path is always better than a harder one....

 

[Ranger692]

This is where I lean as well. I really don't want to add any more classes to get to all 6 teams sections. I'd rather 7/8 are excluded or play a friendly. Argument will be that if the teams don't have a round robin schedule for regular season the 7 seed might have a gripe to being the 6 seed.

Adding more classes will muck up the situation more already... MN doesn't seem to care about real enrollment sizes already so adding more classes will solve what? there are already schools in the enrolment range that should be mid tier in 3A playing 1A schedules.

My suggestion is to start 1 week sooner this ensures every team still gets 9 games

Cut playoff teams in half This negates the need for a Tuesday playoff game and still get prep bowl played on thanksgiving weekend.

However if the state could find a way to move prep bowl back a week there is room for a bye week for teams and or another game to get to 10 like most other states in the country. I get the weather plays I GIANT roll in what happens here so that one may be a bit much to ask. But a reformat is due I feel. Several sections are already voting this next go around to negate the #7 and #8 seeds from regular playoff schedules, not to mention how injuries happen and the worst place that could be is on the opening series of an 8 vs 1 game

The district schedules have also killed all outstate rivalries by having teams 20 miles apart from each other off schedules for multiple years at a time and by having multiple classes in conferences. Most out state teams don't even know what the conference is called... There is absolutely ZERO reason teams that are in the same class that are 10-20 miles apart are not in each others conferences or on the schedule. Year before last I saw OTC, Underwood (who are both 9 man now) and Parkers Prairie had to get on a bus for 3.5-4 hours to play 3A Roseau during the week.

 

[Some guy]

For 6A here are the schools in play. You can see this is a 196 student gap. Andover is the only school that increased in this group from 2021 cycle to 2023 cycle. Enrollments are going backwards according to the data.

Coon Rapids High School 1686
Park High School 1681
Hopkins High School 1677
Buffalo High School 1647
Burnsville High School 1633
Rochester Mayo High School 1630
Moorhead High School 1626
Andover High School 1625
Rogers High School 1614
Spring Lake Park High School 1591
Brainerd High School 1582
Robbinsdale Armstrong High School 1503
Elk River High School 1490

Here is 21-22 and 22-23 with Mayo at 32.

HOPKINS SENIOR HIGH 1862
Forest Lake Area High School 1849
Park High School 1830
LAKEVILLE SOUTH HIGH 1808
MOUNDS VIEW SENIOR HIGH 1782
LAKEVILLE NORTH HIGH 1780
BRAINERD SENIOR HIGH 1752
Rochester Mayo Senior High 1739
BUFFALO SENIOR HIGH 1735
PARK CENTER IB WORLD SCHOOL 1669
MOORHEAD HIGH SCHOOL 1668
ROBBINSDALE ARMSTRONG SENIOR HIGH 1661
MINNEAPOLIS SOUTHWEST SENIOR HIGH 1624
SPRING LAKE PARK SENIOR HIGH 1624
ELK RIVER SENIOR HIGH 1622
Andover High School 1605

Burnsville going to move down it’s almost certain. They’re shrinking and Free and reduced population is growing.

Mayo, Buffalo, Moorhead, Andover, and rogers are 5 schools for 3 spots the way I see it.

The last cycle 2 kids per grade was the difference between 31-35

 

[GophersInIowa]

I’m not sure on your last question. But 6a moved to districts and sections essentially being the same thing. And it’s optimal.

It's largely like that for most small schools but you still run into situations like where West Central didn't play a single team in their section this regular season. Or look at 4AA. There was only 1 game total played between the 6 teams in that section.

 

[disco]

If the change is made to where not everyone gets in the playoffs, they'd have to change the scheduling to make sure the bulk of your games are within the section. As it is now, some teams may only play 1 or 2 regular season games against their section. It's hard to figure out how good they are in relation to the rest of the section in situations like that.

A question for everyone, are there many states that have all teams get in the playoffs like MN does? I know WI and IA have 32 teams in each class make it.

But Wisconsin doesn't determine the class you play in for the playoffs until the playoffs are seeded. It's strange.

 

[GophersInIowa]

But Wisconsin doesn't determine the class you play in for the playoffs until the playoffs are seeded. It's strange.

Yeah it's definitely weird

 

[Some guy]

Adding more classes will muck up the situation more already... MN doesn't seem to care about real enrollment sizes already so adding more classes will solve what? there are already schools in the enrolment range that should be mid tier in 3A playing 1A schedules.

My suggestion is to start 1 week sooner this ensures every team still gets 9 games

Cut playoff teams in half This negates the need for a Tuesday playoff game and still get prep bowl played on thanksgiving weekend.

However if the state could find a way to move prep bowl back a week there is room for a bye week for teams and or another game to get to 10 like most other states in the country. I get the weather plays I GIANT roll in what happens here so that one may be a bit much to ask. But a reformat is due I feel. Several sections are already voting this next go around to negate the #7 and #8 seeds from regular playoff schedules, not to mention how injuries happen and the worst place that could be is on the opening series of an 8 vs 1 game

The district schedules have also killed all outstate rivalries by having teams 20 miles apart from each other off schedules for multiple years at a time and by having multiple classes in conferences. Most out state teams don't even know what the conference is called... There is absolutely ZERO reason teams that are in the same class that are 10-20 miles apart are not in each others conferences or on the schedule. Year before last I saw OTC, Underwood (who are both 9 man now) and Parkers Prairie had to get on a bus for 3.5-4 hours to play 3A Roseau during the week.

The best proposal I have seen is to have classes filled top down.

Top 48 = 6a
8 6 team sections.
Play all 5 in your section. Self schedule 3 within 6a.
Top 4 in each section make playoff. Bottom two play a 9th game. 5 vs a 5, 6 vs a 6.

Do the same thing with next 48 in 5a, 4a, 3a


The last 117 split into 2-3 classes of 9 man 1a 2a

Harder to be consistent at 48 there. 9 man currently the largest class in terms of number of teams

 

[disco]

Burnsville going to move down it’s almost certain. They’re shrinking and Free and reduced population is growing.

Mayo, Buffalo, Moorhead, Andover, and rogers are 5 schools for 3 spots the way I see it.

The last cycle 2 kids per grade was the difference between 31-35

I have to think Buffalo would be growing. Still new construction out there.

 

[Some guy]

But Wisconsin doesn't determine the class you play in for the playoffs until the playoffs are seeded. It's strange.

The play like schools for regular season.
9 games.

All 5-4 teams make plays
Have some sort of formula to rank 4-5 teams

Once playoff teams are determined highest 32 are biggest class, next 32 are next class, etc


Chanhassen could win 5a one year and be in 6a the next

 

[disco]

Adding more classes will muck up the situation more already... MN doesn't seem to care about real enrollment sizes already so adding more classes will solve what? there are already schools in the enrolment range that should be mid tier in 3A playing 1A schedules.

My suggestion is to start 1 week sooner this ensures every team still gets 9 games

Cut playoff teams in half This negates the need for a Tuesday playoff game and still get prep bowl played on thanksgiving weekend.

However if the state could find a way to move prep bowl back a week there is room for a bye week for teams and or another game to get to 10 like most other states in the country. I get the weather plays I GIANT roll in what happens here so that one may be a bit much to ask. But a reformat is due I feel. Several sections are already voting this next go around to negate the #7 and #8 seeds from regular playoff schedules, not to mention how injuries happen and the worst place that could be is on the opening series of an 8 vs 1 game

The district schedules have also killed all outstate rivalries by having teams 20 miles apart from each other off schedules for multiple years at a time and by having multiple classes in conferences. Most out state teams don't even know what the conference is called... There is absolutely ZERO reason teams that are in the same class that are 10-20 miles apart are not in each others conferences or on the schedule. Year before last I saw OTC, Underwood (who are both 9 man now) and Parkers Prairie had to get on a bus for 3.5-4 hours to play 3A Roseau during the week.

I don't think starting earlier would be popular at all for a number of reasons.

It would mess up summer vacations for families.
It would cause issues for kids who have summer jobs.
Remember, we start school after labor day largely because of the resort industry lobby.

And as pertains directly to football, specialization in other sports already is hurting football. This is only going to make it worse if kids are playing late summer baseball or hockey. I think you'll see more kids decide not to play football.

 

[Some guy]

I have to think Buffalo would be growing. Still new construction out there.

Agree.
Andover is growing via move ins but not much new builds right now.
If I had to guess those 3 spots will be taken by;
Buffalo
Moorhead (were shocked to be 5a last time)
Andover or rogers (I think they will grow slightly faster than mayo…Mayo up on Andover 1.25 kids per grade last time)

It's largely like that for most small schools but you still run into situations like where West Central didn't play a single team in their section this regular season. Or look at 4AA. There was only 1 game total played between the 6 teams in that section.

Yes. Sections and districts should be 90% the same and the only differences should be to deal with odd numbers.

 

[MaxyJR1]

I have to think Buffalo would be growing. Still new construction out there.

It's current HS numbers 9-12. You would need to look at where housing was built about 10 years ago, assuming it's younger families building the houses.

 

[Ranger692]

The best proposal I have seen is to have classes filled top down.

Top 48 = 6a
8 6 team sections.
Play all 5 in your section. Self schedule 3 within 6a.
Top 4 in each section make playoff. Bottom two play a 9th game. 5 vs a 5, 6 vs a 6.

Do the same thing with next 48 in 5a, 4a, 3a


The last 117 split into 2-3 classes of 9 man 1a 2a

Harder to be consistent at 48 there. 9 man currently the largest class in terms of number of teams

9 man is getting bigger because more schools that were traditionally 11 man teams and opting up for the past 15 years said we are not willing to play teams that should be in class 3A... Many teams in this state have moved to 9 man strictly to ensure that they are playing teams the same size as they are. Cant blame them for doing so, hard for a team of 30 to take a 2 hour bus ride and play a team with 45 JRs and SRs

 

[Some guy]

9 man is getting bigger because more schools that were traditionally 11 man teams and opting up for the past 15 years said we are not willing to play teams that should be in class 3A... Many teams in this state have moved to 9 man strictly to ensure that they are playing teams the same size as they are. Cant blame them for doing so, hard for a team of 30 to take a 2 hour bus ride and play a team with 45 JRs and SRs

Correct. Any restructure likely has the largest class still as 9 man.

And a lot of those towns and schools are shrinking too.

I imagine once there are more than 64 9 man schools they’ll split into two 9 man classes

 

[Ranger692]

I don't think starting earlier would be popular at all for a number of reasons.

It would mess up summer vacations for families.
It would cause issues for kids who have summer jobs.
Remember, we start school after labor day largely because of the resort industry lobby.

And as pertains directly to football, specialization in other sports already is hurting football. This is only going to make it worse if kids are playing late summer baseball or hockey. I think you'll see more kids decide not to play football.

Just to play devils advocate.

Its ok for Baseball to run from mid March-August, but not add 1 week to football?

Why is it ok for summer sports to encroach on fall sports?

If things are scheduled they aren't messing up a vacation. If it just popped up one day then it could, but the main reason I have heard for the start date not moving up 1 week to coincide with 40 of the other states in the country is our state fair attendance could take a hit on that 1st Friday night game.

 

[Word]

Just to play devils advocate.

Its ok for Baseball to run from mid March-August, but not add 1 week to football?

Why is it ok for summer sports to encroach on fall sports?

If things are scheduled they aren't messing up a vacation. If it just popped up one day then it could, but the main reason I have heard for the start date not moving up 1 week to coincide with 40 of the other states in the country is our state fair attendance could take a hit on that 1st Friday night game.

I can't imagine they are worried about the state fair. People can plan around a football game.

 

[Ranger692]

Correct. Any restructure likely has the largest class still as 9 man.

And a lot of those towns and schools are shrinking too.

I imagine once there are more than 64 9 man schools they’ll split into two 9 man classes

Or we could just have a schedule where schools play other schools in the same class... I bet 15 teams would go back to class 1A from 9man if you just guaranteed there would be know 2A schools who should be actually be 3A on the schedule.

The best way I see to do this is to play 6 sections games, and let the AD schedule the last 2 games. If BOLD wants to Stewartville or Ada-Borup wants to play Barnesville they can try schedule it themselves. But to just say you have to play these games up 1 and 2 classes for the small schools is hard to imagine.

 

[Some guy]

Or we could just have a schedule where schools play other schools in the same class... I bet 15 teams would go back to class 1A from 9man if you just guaranteed there would be know 2A schools who should be actually be 3A on the schedule.

The best way I see to do this is to play 6 sections games, and let the AD schedule the last 2 games. If BOLD wants to Stewartville or Ada-Borup wants to play Barnesville they can try schedule it themselves. But to just say you have to play these games up 1 and 2 classes for the small schools is hard to imagine.

Yeah I agree with all of this.
They already require this of 6a

At some point:
Fairness and health of the sport > travel concerns

There should be no such thing as districts.
Play you section, self schedule the rest

 

[disco]

Or we could just have a schedule where schools play other schools in the same class... I bet 15 teams would go back to class 1A from 9man if you just guaranteed there would be know 2A schools who should be actually be 3A on the schedule.

The best way I see to do this is to play 6 sections games, and let the AD schedule the last 2 games. If BOLD wants to Stewartville or Ada-Borup wants to play Barnesville they can try schedule it themselves. But to just say you have to play these games up 1 and 2 classes for the small schools is hard to imagine.

Self scheduling problems is exactly why we have district football. The Lake conference fell to five teams at one point because teams refused to schedule Eden Prairie to the point they did a home and home with a team from Winnipeg.

 

[disco]

Just to play devils advocate.

Its ok for Baseball to run from mid March-August, but not add 1 week to football?

Why is it ok for summer sports to encroach on fall sports?

If things are scheduled they aren't messing up a vacation. If it just popped up one day then it could, but the main reason I have heard for the start date not moving up 1 week to coincide with 40 of the other states in the country is our state fair attendance could take a hit on that 1st Friday night game.

It's not summer vs. winter vs. fall.

It's year-round sports (hockey, basketball, and to some extent baseball with training) vs. the shortest season sport with the fewest number of games (football).

It's the sports parents have literally paid thousands and thousands of dollars on training, camps, travel teams, equipment etc. vs. the cheapest sport to play that has no club/travel equivalent (football).

It's why at the youth level kids miss football GAMES for other sports TRYOUTS.

I know I'm a broken record on this, but it's specialization in these other sports that is hurting football participation more than fear of head injury.

 

[gopher-revolution]

But Wisconsin doesn't determine the class you play in for the playoffs until the playoffs are seeded. It's strange.

I believe (too short of time to look it up, going with what a buddy told me) that Wisconsin takes all of the .500 and better teams to playoffs. Looks at the school size of those teams and divides them equally into classes, so yes, not all teams know for sure what class they are in come playoff time. If a class is short a team they reach down and take the next best sub .500 team. Personally I like the idea, even if I have to admit it comes from sconny. We haven't seen an 8 seed in our area win a first round game since the early 2000s and that team was 4-4 and the section was poor that year. Let the playoffs be earned.

 

[MaxyJR1]

It's not summer vs. winter vs. fall.

It's year-round sports (hockey, basketball, and to some extent baseball with training) vs. the shortest season sport with the fewest number of games (football).

It's the sports parents have literally paid thousands and thousands of dollars on training, camps, travel teams, equipment etc. vs. the cheapest sport to play that has no club/travel equivalent (football).

It's why at the youth level kids miss football GAMES for other sports TRYOUTS.

I know I'm a broken record on this, but it's specialization in these other sports that is hurting football participation more than fear of head injury.

School isn't cheap and people seem to put a lot of money into sports to possibly play at the next level. Had they just invested the money, the kid's schooling would all be paid for.

My kid: "He's playing baseball year around and is always traveling to Missouri for tournaments and games."

Me to myself, he must be really good.

Kid just committed MIAC in baseball.

Hard for me to wrap my head around it, but he really enjoys baseball I guess. He's going to pay over $20,000 per year to go MIAC and play baseball after all that investment.

 

[MNVCGUY]

So how are the 6A brackets determined? I understand about the sections & that placement, but what determined where some of those sections go in what bracket? Is it predetermined? Or do they try to do some snake seeding?

Seems like #1 Maple Grove got the shortest end of the stick with the best 4 seed (EP) & 3 seed (Edina). I understand the "got to beat them eventually" motto, but an easier path is always better than a harder one....

Obviously the seeding is not tied to the rankings but pretty pathetic how it shook out in 6A

Maple Grove gets #3 team (Edina) in the rankings as a 3 seed along with #6 EP and #8 Eagan. So 2 of the top 4 teams and 4 of the top 8 all in one region.

Mounds View is ranked 9th yet gets a 1 seed while the #2 team in the poll Shakopee gets a 2 seed in the same region.

#5 Minnetonka snags a 1 seed and gets a region with #7 Forest Lake and #10 Blaine

#4 Lakeville North doesn't have a single team that finished in the final top 10 in their region with them but at least they did get all 3 teams that go votes I guess.

In the end, Shakopee, North and Minnetonka got pretty soft paths to the prep bowl, doesn't mean they will make it but they all have a great shot at getting there. In the meantime the only unbeaten team in 6A gets rewarded with a murder's row path to the finals.....

 

[GophersInIowa]

I believe (too short of time to look it up, going with what a buddy told me) that Wisconsin takes all of the .500 and better teams to playoffs. Looks at the school size of those teams and divides them equally into classes, so yes, not all teams know for sure what class they are in come playoff time. If a class is short a team they reach down and take the next best sub .500 team. Personally I like the idea, even if I have to admit it comes from sconny. We haven't seen an 8 seed in our area win a first round game since the early 2000s and that team was 4-4 and the section was poor that year. Let the playoffs be earned.

This talks a little bit about how it works.

WIAA mired in controversy over football playoff field as teams believe they were incorrectly left out of bracket

Greenfield among high school football teams questioning whether the WIAA correctly applied tiebreakers in compiling playoff brackets.

www.jsonline.com