As strange as the 2020 High School Football season has been with a shortened season, last minute schedule changes due to COVID cases and shutdowns, and the smaller spectator size to start the season (a little more will be allowed starting this week), the postseason also brings changes that can be beneficial for what could have been a lost season or repositioned to spring.

This season for the 11-Man ranks every team that is playing will reach the playoffs, a first for the Michigan High School Athletic Association in the sport. After predetermining the divisions for schools by enrollment, the much easier past is putting teams in regions and districts well before the playoffs begin. The only issue could become the lost of luster that the annual Selection Sunday brings at the end of the regular season.

Included in the new playoff point system used this year is the points received for wins based on division. Depending on who the schools play, a win over another team based on their division provides points from 60 for Division 1 schools (the largest schools) to 25 points for Division 8 (the smallest schools) separated in five-point increments. Bonus points are also received based on the opponents of a school outside of their head-to-head contests. The formula remains the same from previous years -

Playoff points / Games Played = Playoff Point Average
Playoff Point Average + Bonus Point Average = Total Playoff Points

With eight teams in each district and 16 teams total in the regions, the only time seeding will take place with be in district play based on playoff points. If there are ties, the first tie-breaker is the result when two teams play each other in the regular season. If that is not the case, the second tie-breaker is the combined winning percentage of all teams on one school's schedule.

With that preface, here's a look at who would play who if the postseason began after Week 3's play with three weeks remaining in our area.

MHSAA Division 2 - Region 5 - District 10 Playoff Points (after Week 3)

SeedTeamWin-LossOpposition W-LPlayoff Points
1Battle Creek Lakeview3-01-858.667
2Portage Northern3-03-657.000
3East Lansing3-02-655.833
4Mattawan1-25-422.667
5Battle Creek Central1-25-422.333
6Jackson1-24-418.667
7Portage Central0-39-011.333
8Okemos0-37-26.667

First round games - Okemos at Lakeview / Portage Central at Portage Northern / Jackson at East Lansing / Battle Creek Central at Mattawan

Three undefeated teams are atop of this Division that is loaded with talent. The difference in playoff points involves the schedules for Lakeview, Portage Northern and East Lansing. Lakeview topped Division 1's Kalamazoo Central while East Lansing earned a win over Division 3's Lansing Waverly. Northern has played two Division 3 foes, but one had a 2-1 record in Stevensville Lakeshore. Lakeview sees current four-seed Mattawan this week while the two Portage schools square off in their annual rivalry battle.

MHSAA Division 3 - Region 10 - District 19 Playoff Points (after Week 3)

SeedTeamWin-LossOpposition W-LPlayoff Points
1St. Joseph3-00-956.667
2Coldwater3-01-753.333
3Parma Western3-03-650.000
4Stevensville Lakeshore2-14-544.333
5Sturgis2-13-633.333
6Harper Creek1-24-517.667
7Gull Lake0-35-44.000
8Niles0-33-60.000

First round games - Niles at St. Joseph / Gull Lake at Coldwater / Harper Creek at Parma Western / Sturgis at Stevensville Lakeshore

Like in Division 2, three undefeated teams vie for the top spot and two of them will see tough challenges within this district in conference rivalries. St. Joseph has Lakeshore this week in what could flip the seeding between the current top spot and four-seed. Harper Creek hosts Coldwater in their only home contest this season. Niles could earn their first points on the year as they take on Loy Norrix this week, their lone Division 1 squad on a Division 5 and 6-heavy slate in 2020.

MHSAA Division 4 - Region 15 - District 29 Playoff Points (after Week 3)

SeedTeamWin-LossOpposition W-LPlayoff Points
1Williamston3-02-753.333
2Lake Fenton2-13-635.000
3Pennfield1-26-323.333
4Owosso1-25-421.667
5Eaton Rapids1-25-421.333
6 (tie)Marshall1-25-321.000
6 (tie)Flint Powers Catholic1-25-421.000
8Charlotte1-25-420.667

First round games - Charlotte at Williamston / Flint Powers at Lake Fenton / Marshall at Pennfield / Eaton Rapids at Owosso

Williamston is the clear number one in this district so far. With six teams all at 1-2, the small differences all are based on the schedules completed and what lies ahead for the remainder of the year. The current tie-breaker between Marshall and Flint Powers is the opposition winning percentage sitting better for the Redhawks. Most of the shifting will involve the teams in the Capital Area Athetic Conference and the Flint Metro Conference, as Pennfield and Marshall won't play each other in the Interstate 8 in 2020.

MHSAA Division 4 - Region 14 - District 28 Playoff Points (after Week 3)

SeedTeamWin-LossOpposition W-LPlayoff Points
1Paw Paw3-04-551.333
2Edwardsburg3-06-351.000
3Plainwell2-14-538.000
4Vicksburg2-13-633.333
5Hastings2-16-333.000
6Otsego1-24-518.333
7Three Rivers0-37-26.667
8Allegan0-35-43.333

First round games - Allegan at Paw Paw / Three Rivers at Edwardsburg / Otsego at Plainwell / Hastings at Vicksburg

One other area team in Division 4 is in with a batch of Wolverine Conference squads that will continue to duel for the remainder of the season. Hastings' 2-1 start has put them in good standing in the district with their lone drawback being the low playoff points against Division 7 powerhouse Jackson Lumen Christi in Week 2.

MHSAA Division 5 - Region 19 - District 37 Playoff Points (after Week 3)

SeedTeamWin-LossOpposition W-LPlayoff Points
1Kalamazoo United3-03-640.667
2Olivet3-03-638.667
3Lansing Catholic3-03-634.667
4Hillsdale2-15-425.000
5Benton Harbor1-26-322.000
6Dowagiac1-26-321.667
7 (tie)Berrien Springs1-25-420.667
7 (tie)South Haven1-25-420.667

First round games - Berrien Springs or South Haven at Kalamazoo United / Berrien Springs at South Haven at Olivet / Dowagiac at Lansing Catholic / Benton Harbor at Hillsdale

In this spread out district, Olivet is not too far behind the Kalamazoo United squad (Kalamazoo Hackett-Kalamazoo Christian co-op). The Eagles are playing larger schools in the second half of their schedule that could help them slide into the top spot if they stay undefeated. A tough task is their Week 5 battle with Williamston, who sits atop their Division 4 district (see above). Also, the Berrien Springs-South Haven tie at the bottom will be determined this week in their head-to-head battle.

MHSAA Division 6 - Region 23 - District 46 Playoff Points (after Week 3)

SeedTeamWin-LossOpposition W-LPlayoff Points
1Brooklyn Columbia Central2-13-627.667
2Jonesville2-15-323.667
3Adrian Madison2-15-421.333
4Stockbridge1-26-316.667
5Quincy1-26-312.333
6Napoleon1-25-411.333
7Onsted0-34-51.333
8Michigan Center0-11-20.000

First round games - Michigan Center at Brooklyn Columbia Central / Onsted at Jonesville / Napoleon at Adrian Madison / Quincy at Stockbridge

The top six seeds are very close and could change on a week-by-week basis. Michigan Center has yet to earn a point and are expected to play their first game in two weeks this week after COVID-19 cases down the district. Quincy, the local team in this district, has second-seed Jonesville this week.

MHSAA Division 7 - Region 28 - District 55 Playoff Points (after Week 3)

SeedTeamWin-LossOpposition W-LPlayoff Points
1Lawton3-03-637.000
2Homer3-02-634.000
3Schoolcraft2-17-228.000
4Delton1-25-313.333
5Union City1-25-411.333
6Bronson0-35-13.333
7Hartford0-36-33.000
8Galesburg-Augusta0-23-31.333

First round games - Galesburg-Augusta at Lawton / Hartford at Homer / Bronson at Schoolcraft / Union City at Delton

There are five area squads in this district with Homer being the front-runner at snagging a top spot. Galesburg-Augusta has one less game after cancelling their Week 3 match-up with Schoolcraft due to COVID-19. You can circle the Schoolcraft-Lawton contest as one to watch in Week 5.

8-Man Football
The same playoff point formula applies in 8-Man, but only the top 32 teams in each of the two divisions will make it to the postseason this year. Teams on the outside will be allowed to play one more game but won't be within the playoff brackets.

Division 1 - Four area schools reside in the top division including newcomer Athens. One of the area teams, Maple Valley, is still out of the postseason due to their enrollment surpassing the 215-student limit. There are currently four teams above the 215 threshold, putting Athens and Bellevue currently in the playoffs (22nd and 29th, respectively). St. Philip is on the outside and two points out of the 32nd spot.

Division 2 - The other two area squads in the area sit in Division 2, with Tekonsha and Climax-Scotts both sitting comfortably in the postseason at 2-1. Respectively, the Indians are ninth and the Panthers are tenth in playoff points. Just sitting behind them is Colon, the defending Division 1 state champs.

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