RIVER RADIO SPORTS CENTRAL — As we head into the final week of the high school football regular season, 19 teams from the region have already clinched playoff spots, either by reaching six wins or winning their conference championship.
There are nine other teams with five wins, which the IHSA refers to as “playoff eligible.” A win for any of these teams in week 9 would clinch a playoff spot, although many, perhaps all, could make it with five wins based on their playoff points (see below). Nine more teams have the ability to become playoff eligible with wins in the regular season finale.
The 3-5 teams have been included in the list because we have seen 4-5 teams make it the past three seasons, but as a footnote, 49 playoff points was the lowest number to get in for a 4-5 team.
As a refresher, the IHSA takes the top 256 teams to make its playoff field. The playoff points (listed in parentheses) are the total number of opponents’ wins. Playoff points are used to break ties and determine seeding. The number of playoff clinchers (conference champions plus all other teams with six or more wins) determines the number of at large teams. Those at large teams start with the playoff eligible teams (five wins) and are based on their playoff points. For example, if there are 36 at large spots but 40 playoff eligible teams, then the top 36 eligible teams based on playoff points will get in. Now if the number of playoff eligible teams does not fill the field, then they will go to the 4-5 teams with the most playoff points to complete the field. Once the 256-team field is set, it is divided into eight classes with seeds based on playoff points, starting with 9-0s, then 8-1s, etc. Unlike the NCAA, there is nothing selective about this process. There is no committee debating the merits of teams who should be in, or the seeding of the teams.
The playoff pairings will be announced Saturday night starting at 8:00. We will have our annual Playoff Pairings show on 103.5 ESPN, with coverage starting at 7:30.
Clinched (19):
Richland Co. 8-0 (33)* vs Robinson
Johnston City 8-0 (32)* vs Sesser-Valier/Waltonville
Benton 8-0 (29)* vs Harrisburg
Carterville 8-0 (24)* at Anna-Jonesboro
Casey-Westfield 7-1 (35) at Paris
Breese Central 7-1 (34)* vs Herrin
Flora 7-1 (33) vs Red Hill
Du Quoin 7-1 (31) vs Murphysboro
Freeburg 7-1 (31) at STL Priory (MO)
Cahokia 7-1 (30)* vs Sycamore
Chester 7-1 (28)* vs Nashville
Dupo 7-1 (22) at East Alton/Wood River
Waterloo 6-2 (37) at Rochelle
East St. Louis 6-2 (35)* at IMG Academy (FL)
Sesser-Valier/Waltonville 6-2 (34) at Johnston City
Centralia 6-2 (33) vs Effingham
Columbia 6-2 (32) at Jerseyville
Belleville East 6-2 (31) vs Capital City (MO)
Mascoutah 5-3 (31)* at Carbondale
Playoff Eligible/Win and In (9):
Nashville 5-3 (41) at Chester
West Frankfort 5-3 (36) vs Sparta/Steeleville
Fairfield 5-3 (35) at Hamilton Co.
Marion 5-3 (35) vs Mattoon
Red Hill 5-3 (35) at Flora
Highland 5-3 (33) vs Alton
Roxana 5-3 (31) at Alton Marquette
Paris 5-3 (31) vs Casey-Westfield
Alton Marquette 5-3 (29) vs Roxana
Win to be Playoff Eligible (9):
Mt. Carmel 4-4 (42) vs Lawrenceville
Edwardsville 4-4 (41) at STL De Smet (MO)
Marshall 4-4 (39) at Newton
Murphysboro 4-4 (37) at Du Quoin
Althoff 4-4 (36) at Kaneland
CZRE 4-4 (36) at Edwards Co.
Wesclin 4-4 (32) vs Madison
Triad 4-4 (32) at Collinsville
Sparta/Steeleville 4-4 (31) at West Frankfort
So you’re saying there’s a chance (10):
Breese Mater Dei 3-5 (42) vs Mt. Zion
Mt. Vernon 3-5 (41) vs Tolono Unity
Robinson 3-5 (41) at Richland Co.
Collinsville 3-5 (38) vs Triad
Newton 3-5 (38) vs Marshall
O’Fallon 3-5 (35) at LaSalle Peru
Harrisburg 3-5 (34) at Benton
Carbondale 3-5 (33) vs Mascoutah
Belleville West 3-5 (31) at Vianney (MO)
Massac Co. 3-5 (24) vs Pinckneyville
*Conference champions
