How are the playoff brackets determined in your state

[Bones]

With playoffs approaching it's interesting to see how states differ in determining their champs.

In Illinois they take the top 256 schools based 1st on W/L record and # of opponents wins. Once the field is set they are assorted by enrollment and any enrollment modifiers or requests to "play up". Once the 8 classes of 32 are set they are seeded by W/L record and playoff points again. All 9-0's are higher than all 8-1's so on and so forth. In classes 6A through 1A the brackets are split in half typically north and south in order to limit travel. They can one again be broken into 8 team regions if too many teams are still traveling too far. In Rd 1 the better seed hosts the game. After Rd 1 the team that has hosted least hosts the game. If the two schools have hosted the same amount of games then the better seed hosts. The only neutral site game is the championship.

[SJR89]

http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news/article/99483329406756248/football-playoff-forecast-predicting-the-teams-with-two-games-left-to-play/#North1Group2pp

 

 

[Fred]

In general in GA, the top 4 teams in each region in each class makes the playoffs with the winner of the region getting the top seed.  The top seed (#1) generally is matched with bottom seed (#4) from another region and the 2s and 3s pay each other.  There are two sides and top and bottom so you work forward to the semis where the top and bottom on the same side play and the final where the winner from each side plays.  In the smallest class, the publics and the privates get split up and power rankings come into play.  I don't have a dog in that hunt so I don't pay any attention to them.  Perhaps someone else from GA can speak to that better. 

A major exception to this is region 1 in the top class of 7A.  Since there are only 4 teams in the region, the top 3 get automatic berths and the 4th spot goes to the top #5 team of the other 7 regions.  That is decided by a power ranking formula.  The various spots in the bracket rotate such that R1 #1 doesn't always play R5 #4 for example.  So not only do you have the variable of region ranking with the method of ranking determined by the various regions before the season starts, you have the variable of the playoff slots rotating between the 4 quadrants at least some. 

When there were only two regions filled with Gwinnett teams, those two regions *always* played each other in the 1st or 2nd round.  That kept Gwinnett from having "too many" teams in the later rounds.  I really haven't looked that closely since the classifications changed and the regions were changed.  Now there are 3 regions that are primarily Gwinnett with only 1 or 2 non-Gwinnett teams.

Since on here we primarily talk about the top class of 7A, here is a link to the brackets.  Those are determined by the GHSA each year before the season starts.  Unlike what a certain GA poster (and maybe an Alabama one as well!) may lead you to believe, there is no conspiracy by the GHSA to favor one team over another.  The brackets are laid out prior to the season beginning and the spot in the bracket is determined by region play.

https://www.ghsa.net/2018-2019-ghsa-class-aaaaaaa-state-football-championship-bracket

[bigrobstercraws]

In CIF SS D1, the bottom part is determined by who doesn't lose at the end of the season.

[Fred]

Here is a current link from the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  Loren Maxwell is a statistician that provides this.  This particular link is based on his number crunching.

https://www.ajc.com/blog/high-school-sports/maxwell-playoff-projections-after-week/XPiBJveV1PXWf5WTs9uM1J/

[Bones]

@Fred so schools know what class they are in from the get go and the regions are done by class I assume?

[Reb72]

Basically in LA, the Top 32 teams by Power Ranking and seeded by same.  District champions (9) are the only automatics and could, in theory, take the spot of a higher rated team (not likely).  This is how 5A Non-select stands as of now:

Louisiana Sportsline 2018 Football Power Ratings - Week 7
Class 5A (Non-Select)
								Last Updated:	10/17/18 7:01 PM
Power Rating Using LHSAA Formula (Current Week)							Power Rating Using Full Schedule
RK	Team	Win	Loss	PR	SF		RK	Team	**PR2	**SF2
1	West Monroe	7	0	16.54	9.29		1	West Monroe	13.290	9.20
2	Alexandria	6	1	14.45	7.43		2	Alexandria	11.976	8.00
3	Destrehan	6	1	14.29	8.71		3	Acadiana	11.905	8.00
4	John Ehret	6	1	14.08	8.86		4	Destrehan	11.857	8.90
5	Acadiana	6	1	14.08	8.43		5	East Ascension	11.571	7.70
6	East Ascension	7	0	13.88	7.00		6	Terrebonne	11.571	7.70
7	Terrebonne	7	0	13.88	7.00		7	Ouachita Parish	10.952	8.60
8	Zachary	5	2	13.67	9.00		8	Zachary	10.857	8.70
9	Haughton	6	1	13.67	8.00		9	Ruston	10.667	9.30
10	Sam Houston	6	1	12.86	7.29		10	Walker	10.571	8.10
11	Walker	6	1	12.65	7.71		11	Haughton	10.500	7.70
12	Ruston	4	3	12.59	9.29		12	John Ehret	10.429	8.10
13	Captain Shreve	5	2	12.55	8.00		13	St. Amant	10.143	8.10
14	St. Amant	5	2	12.45	8.00		14	Sam Houston	10.143	7.40
15	Ouachita Parish	5	2	12.38	7.86		15	Barbe	10.026	7.30
16	Slidell	5	2	11.91	8.14		16	Central LaFourche	9.857	8.00
17	Comeaux	4	3	11.84	8.86		17	Central - B.R.	9.857	8.60
18	Central LaFourche	5	2	11.43	7.43		18	Captain Shreve	9.786	7.80
19	Sulphur	4	3	11.22	8.71		19	Slidell	9.762	8.20
20	Hahnville	3	4	11.19	9.57		20	Comeaux	9.714	8.70
21	Central - B.R.	4	3	11.02	8.00		21	Pineville	9.714	8.50
22	Live Oak	4	3	10.88	8.14		22	Sulphur	9.429	8.70
23	Barbe	5	2	10.85	6.86		23	Live Oak	9.333	8.40
24	Parkway	3	3	10.71	8.33		24	Natchitoches Central	9.286	8.90
25	Fontainebleau	4	3	10.68	8.14		25	Denham Springs	9.286	8.40
26	Thibodaux	3	4	10.61	9.14		26	Hahnville	9.119	9.10
27	Chalmette	4	3	10.61	7.86		27	Fontainebleau	9.048	8.30
28	Dutchtown	3	4	10.41	8.86		28	Parkway	9.048	8.11
29	Denham Springs	4	3	10.41	7.86		29	Thibodaux	9.000	9.00
30	Pineville	4	3	10.41	7.57		30	Dutchtown	8.571	8.60
31	Landry-Walker	3	4	10.37	8.86		31	Lafayette	8.571	8.60
32	Natchitoches Central	3	4	10.00	8.29		32	Landry-Walker	8.405	8.50
33	Covington	3	4	9.59	8.57		33	Airline	8.333	8.80
34	East St. John	2	5	9.18	9.14		34	Chalmette	8.286	7.60
35	Mandeville	2	4	9.05	8.67		35	H.L. Bourgeois	7.857	8.70
36	Hammond	3	4	8.77	7.86		36	Covington	7.762	8.20
37	Lafayette	2	5	8.57	8.43		37	Mandeville	7.619	8.56
38	East Jefferson	2	5	8.57	8.29		38	East St. John	7.571	8.60
39	Airline	2	5	8.43	8.00		39	Broadmoor	7.429	8.50
40	H.L. Bourgeois	2	5	7.96	8.00		40	East Jefferson	7.286	8.20
41	Ponchatoula	2	5	7.82	8.14		41	Hammond	7.190	7.70
42	Broadmoor	1	6	7.76	8.00		42	Ponchatoula	6.762	8.10
43	Bonnabel	2	5	7.76	7.14		43	Belaire	6.720	7.40
44	West Jefferson	2	5	7.55	8.29		44	New Iberia	6.714	8.70
45	Northshore	2	5	7.34	8.00		45	Bonnabel	6.571	7.30
46	Belaire	1	6	6.80	7.43		46	Northshore	6.565	8.10
47	New Iberia	1	6	6.74	8.29		47	Southwood	6.500	8.50
48	Southwood	1	6	6.33	8.00		48	West Jefferson	6.143	7.90
49	LaGrange	0	7	5.92	8.14		49	LaGrange	6.000	8.50
50	Higgins	1	6	5.92	7.86		50	Higgins	5.857	8.20
51	Grace King	1	6	4.63	6.43		51	Grace King	4.667	7.00
- Power Ratings on the Left Side are calculated using the LHSAA Formula for all games played to date.
-Power Ratings on the Right Side (**PR2) are calculated using all schools on the current schedule.
The top 32 teams based on Power Rating qualify for the playoffs

[93CardinalsFan]

Harbin System...don't ask.

But if you must....https://www.ohsaa.org/sports/football/computerrankingsinfo

Current rankings report HERE

-93CardinalsFan

[Texasvic]

Texas is just simple, divided into 4 regions, each region has a certain amount of districts, top 4 from each district make playoffs then from their they just play other districts none of that weird stuff lol 

[Fred]

8 hours ago, Bones said:

@Fred so schools know what class they are in from the get go and the regions are done by class I assume?

Yes.  Classes are determined by a range of student populations with the smallest in A and the Largest in 7A,  Each class is split into regions and that is reviewed every 4 years.  It used to be reviewed every 2 years but that changed last year or this year, I don't remember.

I realized when I reread it that I left an import part of region 1 out.  The region 1 #4 is part of the power rankings for all of the other regions' #5s.  If the region 1 #4 is the top seed in the power rankings, then they get the slot.  Otherwise, if a #5 from another region is ranked above them they the #5 team gets the slot.

[MA Fan]

On 10/17/2018 at 3:39 PM, Bones said:

In Illinois they take the top 256 schools based 1st on W/L record and # of opponents wins. Once the field is set they are assorted by enrollment

After Rd 1 the team that has hosted least hosts the game.

Both of these features are unusual and a little controversial but I always liked them.

In Virginia it's pretty simple currently, each class is split into four regions and up to eight teams per region as determined by a point system qualify for the playoffs--some regions go with six or seven qualifiers but most take eight. No cross-bracketing, you play for a regional championship and then the regional champions play each other in the semis and final. Higher seed hosts except for the state finals which are at predetermined sites. Almost all games are on Friday night until the semifinals which are sometimes on Saturday afternoon and then all the finals are on Saturday.

[NotBigdaddybloom]

Voodoo, dark magic and pin the tail on the Folsom!

[Bones]

4 hours ago, MA Fan said:

Both of these features are unusual and a little controversial but I always liked them.

In Virginia it's pretty simple currently, each class is split into four regions and up to eight teams per region as determined by a point system qualify for the playoffs--some regions go with six or seven qualifiers but most take eight. No cross-bracketing, you play for a regional championship and then the regional champions play each other in the semis and final. Higher seed hosts except for the state finals which are at predetermined sites. Almost all games are on Friday night until the semifinals which are sometimes on Saturday afternoon and then all the finals are on Saturday.

Is the seeding by record? how do brackets of 6 or 7 teams work, byes?

[Frosty4024]

23 hours ago, Reb72 said:

Basically in LA, the Top 32 teams by Power Ranking and seeded by same.  District champions (9) are the only automatics and could, in theory, take the spot of a higher rated team (not likely).  This is how 5A Non-select stands as of now:

Louisiana Sportsline 2018 Football Power Ratings - Week 7
Class 5A (Non-Select)
								Last Updated:	10/17/18 7:01 PM
Power Rating Using LHSAA Formula (Current Week)							Power Rating Using Full Schedule
RK	Team	Win	Loss	PR	SF		RK	Team	**PR2	**SF2
1	West Monroe	7	0	16.54	9.29		1	West Monroe	13.290	9.20
2	Alexandria	6	1	14.45	7.43		2	Alexandria	11.976	8.00
3	Destrehan	6	1	14.29	8.71		3	Acadiana	11.905	8.00
4	John Ehret	6	1	14.08	8.86		4	Destrehan	11.857	8.90
5	Acadiana	6	1	14.08	8.43		5	East Ascension	11.571	7.70
6	East Ascension	7	0	13.88	7.00		6	Terrebonne	11.571	7.70
7	Terrebonne	7	0	13.88	7.00		7	Ouachita Parish	10.952	8.60
8	Zachary	5	2	13.67	9.00		8	Zachary	10.857	8.70
9	Haughton	6	1	13.67	8.00		9	Ruston	10.667	9.30
10	Sam Houston	6	1	12.86	7.29		10	Walker	10.571	8.10
11	Walker	6	1	12.65	7.71		11	Haughton	10.500	7.70
12	Ruston	4	3	12.59	9.29		12	John Ehret	10.429	8.10
13	Captain Shreve	5	2	12.55	8.00		13	St. Amant	10.143	8.10
14	St. Amant	5	2	12.45	8.00		14	Sam Houston	10.143	7.40
15	Ouachita Parish	5	2	12.38	7.86		15	Barbe	10.026	7.30
16	Slidell	5	2	11.91	8.14		16	Central LaFourche	9.857	8.00
17	Comeaux	4	3	11.84	8.86		17	Central - B.R.	9.857	8.60
18	Central LaFourche	5	2	11.43	7.43		18	Captain Shreve	9.786	7.80
19	Sulphur	4	3	11.22	8.71		19	Slidell	9.762	8.20
20	Hahnville	3	4	11.19	9.57		20	Comeaux	9.714	8.70
21	Central - B.R.	4	3	11.02	8.00		21	Pineville	9.714	8.50
22	Live Oak	4	3	10.88	8.14		22	Sulphur	9.429	8.70
23	Barbe	5	2	10.85	6.86		23	Live Oak	9.333	8.40
24	Parkway	3	3	10.71	8.33		24	Natchitoches Central	9.286	8.90
25	Fontainebleau	4	3	10.68	8.14		25	Denham Springs	9.286	8.40
26	Thibodaux	3	4	10.61	9.14		26	Hahnville	9.119	9.10
27	Chalmette	4	3	10.61	7.86		27	Fontainebleau	9.048	8.30
28	Dutchtown	3	4	10.41	8.86		28	Parkway	9.048	8.11
29	Denham Springs	4	3	10.41	7.86		29	Thibodaux	9.000	9.00
30	Pineville	4	3	10.41	7.57		30	Dutchtown	8.571	8.60
31	Landry-Walker	3	4	10.37	8.86		31	Lafayette	8.571	8.60
32	Natchitoches Central	3	4	10.00	8.29		32	Landry-Walker	8.405	8.50
33	Covington	3	4	9.59	8.57		33	Airline	8.333	8.80
34	East St. John	2	5	9.18	9.14		34	Chalmette	8.286	7.60
35	Mandeville	2	4	9.05	8.67		35	H.L. Bourgeois	7.857	8.70
36	Hammond	3	4	8.77	7.86		36	Covington	7.762	8.20
37	Lafayette	2	5	8.57	8.43		37	Mandeville	7.619	8.56
38	East Jefferson	2	5	8.57	8.29		38	East St. John	7.571	8.60
39	Airline	2	5	8.43	8.00		39	Broadmoor	7.429	8.50
40	H.L. Bourgeois	2	5	7.96	8.00		40	East Jefferson	7.286	8.20
41	Ponchatoula	2	5	7.82	8.14		41	Hammond	7.190	7.70
42	Broadmoor	1	6	7.76	8.00		42	Ponchatoula	6.762	8.10
43	Bonnabel	2	5	7.76	7.14		43	Belaire	6.720	7.40
44	West Jefferson	2	5	7.55	8.29		44	New Iberia	6.714	8.70
45	Northshore	2	5	7.34	8.00		45	Bonnabel	6.571	7.30
46	Belaire	1	6	6.80	7.43		46	Northshore	6.565	8.10
47	New Iberia	1	6	6.74	8.29		47	Southwood	6.500	8.50
48	Southwood	1	6	6.33	8.00		48	West Jefferson	6.143	7.90
49	LaGrange	0	7	5.92	8.14		49	LaGrange	6.000	8.50
50	Higgins	1	6	5.92	7.86		50	Higgins	5.857	8.20
51	Grace King	1	6	4.63	6.43		51	Grace King	4.667	7.00
- Power Ratings on the Left Side are calculated using the LHSAA Formula for all games played to date.
-Power Ratings on the Right Side (**PR2) are calculated using all schools on the current schedule.
The top 32 teams based on Power Rating qualify for the playoffs

Yeah Imma need those to change quickly!  Last thing Haughton needs to see is a 3-5A squad.

[StingMan44]

In Arizona, the Arizona Interscholastic Athletic Association pays MaxPreps to run a secret algorithm  (formula not released) to seed the top 16 in each of the 6 conferences!!! Its not the same algorithm that ranks teams on the website itself.

[Reb72]

1 hour ago, Frosty4024 said:

Yeah Imma need those to change quickly!  Last thing Haughton needs to see is a 3-5A squad.

you know things are gonna change...  no way Alexandria stays that high unless they go undefeated the rest of the way.  Lafayette and Natchitoches Central will fall out of the Top 32 and maybe Pineville as well.  Even the top half will shuffle a bit.

Of course if the playoffs started today, Landry-Walker would travel to West Monroe in the 1st round  🤗

[hardhit1]

1 hour ago, StingMan44 said:

In Arizona, the Arizona Interscholastic Athletic Association pays MaxPreps to run a secret algorithm  (formula not released) to seed the top 16 in each of the 6 conferences!!! Its not the same algorithm that ranks teams on the website itself.

You must be seriously messing with us

Maxpreps really?😂😂😂

[StingMan44]

45 minutes ago, hardhit1 said:

You must be seriously messing with us

Maxpreps really?😂😂😂

Wish I was

[MA Fan]

17 hours ago, Bones said:

Is the seeding by record? how do brackets of 6 or 7 teams work, byes?

There's a point system based on what class your opponent is in how many wins they have. Unlike some states where you get zero points for a loss regardless of the opponent, losing to a stronger team will get you more points than losing to a weaker team.

With 6 or 7 teams in a bracket the top teams just get a first-round bye.