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BREAKING: Official Football Playoff Qualifying Field is now available

10/18/2019, 10:30pm CDT
By Travis Wilson

12:01 am - The WIAA has released the final, official playoff field and it matches below.

10:42 pm - We have projected the Football Playoff qualifying field and have a PROJECTED field available. Please note it is not official until the WIAA releases their field. 

We will update this article shortly with the methodology we used to determine the field and what WIAA tiebreaker criteria was utilized.

Join in our special Facebook Live event as WSN General Manager Travis Wilson breaks down all the goings-on with the playoff release tonight, provides some reaction and analysis, and answers user questions. 

UPDATE: Due to a score between Kewaunee and Southern Door from earlier in the year being changed in our database in the last day, we incorrectly projected Southern Door to be in the playoffs. However, they will miss out as a 2-3 conference team, and Eau Claire Memorial, who we initially had out, will become the last team to qualify.

The following is an UNOFFICIAL football playoff field based on scores for Week 9 games. While we have been 100% accurate in compiling this information for a dozen years, it is not OFFICIAL until released by the WIAA, which is expected some time closer midnight. To view the WIAA Playoff Qualifying Criteria, please click here.

The WIAA will release the regional groupings some time after 1 am.

202 teams finish with a conference record of .500 or better.

Independent teams Hurley and Northland Pines qualify by virtue of going over .500 overall. That brings us to 202.

That leaves 20 spots for teams that finish under .500 in conference play. The first tiebreaker, something adjusted two years ago, is conference winning percentage. This gives an advantage in the tiebreaker to teams from 10-school conferences that play 9 league games. A 4-5 league record (0.444 conference winning percentage) is better than a 3-4 league record (0.429 conference winning percentage).

There are ten teams that finished 4-5 in conference play: Big Foot, Brodhead/Juda, Cedarburg, De Pere, Green Bay Southwest, Madison West, Manitowoc Lincoln, Ozaukee, Spooner, West Bend East. 

That brings our total to 214 teams, leaving 10 more spots available for teams that finish 3-4 in conference. There are 16 such teams that finish 3-4 in conference. To figure out which 10 of those 16 get into the postseason, we follow WIAA criteria.

First is the combined winning percentage of defeated conference opponents, conference games only. Basically, it rewards teams that have beaten some of the better teams in their league. 

Based on this criteria, the following eight teams get in: Campbellsport, Chippewa Falls, Clear Lake, Eau Claire Memorial, Kenosha Bradford, Oregon, Racine Case, Union Grove, Webster, Whitehall.

Other 3-4 conference teams that were eliminated earlier and do NOT make the playoffs include: Brillion, Ellsworth, Fennimore, Kenosha St. Joseph, Riverdale, Wautoma, and Webster.

Now that we know the 224 teams UNOFFICIAL to be in the playoffs, we can break them into divisions. The full UNOFFICIAL divisional placements are below.

Division One

Group A Seeding Meeting Host - Host HUDSON - Online
Schools: Appleton East, Appleton North, D.C. Everest, Eau Claire Memorial, Hudson, Kimberly, Neenah, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln

Group B Seeding Meeting Host - at MANITOWOC LINCOLN
Schools: Bay Port, Green Bay Preble, Manitowoc Lincoln, Marquette, Milwaukee Bradley/Milw Arts, Milwaukee King, Milwaukee Marshall/Carmen Northwest/Juneau/Languages, Milwaukee Riverside/Golda Meir

Group C Seeding Meeting Host - at SUN PRAIRIE
Schools: Arrowhead, Fond du Lac, Madison La Follette, Madison Memorial, Madison West, Middleton, Sun Prairie, Verona

Group D Seeding Meeting Host - at FRANKLIN
Schools: Franklin, Kenosha Bradford/Reuther, Kenosha Indian Trail, Milwaukee Pulaski/Carmen South/Carmen Southeast, Mukwonago, Muskego, Oak Creek, Racine Case

Division Two

Group A Seeding Meeting Host - Host MARSHFIELD - Online
Schools: Chippewa Falls, De Pere, Green Bay Southwest, Hortonville, Kaukauna, Marshfield, Pulaski, Superior

Group B Seeding Meeting Host - at SLINGER
Schools: Brookfield Central, Brookfield East, Cedarburg, Germantown, Homestead, Menomonee Falls, Slinger, West Bend East

Group C Seeding Meeting Host - at MONONA GROVE
Schools: Hartford, Holmen, La Crosse Central, Milton, Monona Grove, Oregon, Watertown, Waunakee

Group D Seeding Meeting Host - at BURLINGTON
Schools: Badger, Burlington, Kettle Moraine, Milwaukee Reagan, South Milwaukee, Waterford, Waukesha West, Wilmot

Division Three

Group A Seeding Meeting Host - Host MEDFORD - Online
Schools: Hayward/La Courte Oreilles, Lakeland, Medford, Menomonie, Mosinee, New Richmond, Rhinelander, River Falls

Group B Seeding Meeting Host - at MENASHA
Schools: Ashwaubenon, Fox Valley Lutheran, Grafton, Menasha, New London, Shawano, West De Pere, Whitefish Bay

Group C Seeding Meeting Host - at SAUK PRAIRIE
Schools: DeForest, McFarland, Monroe, Onalaska, Reedsburg, Sauk Prairie, Sparta, Stoughton

Group D Seeding Meeting Host - at NEW BERLIN EISENHOWER
Schools: Greendale, New Berlin Eisenhower, New Berlin West, Pewaukee, Plymouth, Union Grove, Whitnall, Wisconsin Lutheran

Division Four

Group A Seeding Meeting Host - at BALDWIN-WOODVILLE - Online
Schools: Baldwin-Woodville, Black River Falls, Freedom, Little Chute, Northland Pines, Osceola, Saint Croix Central, Wrightstown

Group B Seeding Meeting Host - at KIEL
Schools: Berlin, Campbellsport, Denmark, Kiel, Ripon, Sheboygan Falls, Winneconne, Xavier

Group C Seeding Meeting Host - at EDGERTON
Schools: Big Foot, Brodhead/Juda, Edgerton, Evansville, Jefferson, Lakeside Lutheran, Mauston, River Valley

Group D Seeding Meeting Host - at KEWASKUM
Schools: Catholic Memorial, East Troy, Kewaskum, Lake Mills, Martin Luther, Obama SCTE, Saint Francis, University School of Milwaukee

Division Five

Group A Seeding Meeting Host - Host NORTHWESTERN - Online
Schools: Bloomer, Elk Mound, Nekoosa, Northwestern, Saint Croix Falls, Spencer/Columbus Catholic, Spooner, Stratford

Group B Seeding Meeting Host - at OMRO
Schools: Amherst, Chilton, Kewaunee, Laconia, New Holstein, Omro, Peshtigo, Wittenberg-Birnamwood

Group C Seeding Meeting Host - at MARSHALL
Schools: Aquinas, Arcadia, Columbus, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau, Marshall, New Glarus/Monticello, Platteville, Prairie du Chien

Group D Seeding Meeting Host - at LAKE COUNTRY LUTHERAN
Schools: Brookfield Academy, Cedar Grove-Belgium, Horicon/Hustisford, Lake Country Lutheran, Lomira, Oostburg, Racine St. Catherine’s, St. John's NW Military Academy

Division Six

Group A Seeding Meeting Host - at REGIS
Schools: Colby, Cumberland, Durand, Grantsburg, Lake Holcombe/Cornell, Regis, Spring Valley, Unity

Group B Seeding Meeting Host - at MANAWA
Schools: Abbotsford, Auburndale, Bonduel, Coleman, Crivitz, Manawa, Markesan, Pardeeville

Group C Seeding Meeting Host - at MELROSE-MINDORO
Schools: Benton/Scales Mound IL/Shullsburg, Darlington, Lancaster, Melrose-Mindoro, Mineral Point, Mondovi, Osseo-Fairchild, Whitehall

Group D Seeding Meeting Host - at JOHNSON CREEK
Schools: Cambridge, Johnson Creek, Ozaukee, Palmyra-Eagle, Racine Lutheran, Random Lake, Saint Mary's Springs, Winnebago Lutheran

Division Seven

Group A Seeding Meeting Host - at AUGUSTA
Schools: Augusta, Bangor, Blair-Taylor, Clear Lake, Eleva-Strum, Pepin/Alma, Turtle Lake, Webster

Group B Seeding Meeting Host - at EDGAR
Schools: Almond-Bancroft, Athens, Edgar, Gilman, Greenwood, Hurley, Loyal, Pittsville

Group C Seeding Meeting Host - at HIGHLAND
Schools: Black Hawk/Warren IL, Cashton, De Soto, Highland, Ithaca, Potosi/Cassville, River Ridge, Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca

Group D Seeding Meeting Host - at RANDOLPH
Schools: Brookwood, Catholic Central, Hilbert, Hillsboro, Lourdes Academy, Randolph, Reedsville, Rosholt


Division Cutlines

Division 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008
D1 Low Enrollment 1492 1360 1422 1449 1445 1418 1421 1389 1301 1331 1360 1405
D2 Low Enrollment 1038 957 966 953 937 932 936 922 841 878 878 919
D3 Low Enrollment 628 543 540 571 561 528 531 544 504 508 513 557
D4 Low Enrollment 423 398 367 397 393 345 358 362 352 359 336 353
D5 Low Enrollment 299 271 261 290 279 245 266 253 255 252 238 252
D6 Low Enrollment 197 197 194 196 202 194 197 200 194 184 181 195

Official Football Playoff Qualifying Field

Team Enroll Division Conference
Milwaukee Riverside 2595 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson 1
Sun Prairie 2447 1 Big Eight 2
Kenosha Indian Trail 2439 1 Southeast 3
Middleton 2261 1 Big Eight 4
Madison West 2249 1 Big Eight 5
Kenosha Bradford 2176 1 Southeast 6
Milwaukee Marshall 2172 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson 7
Oak Creek 2142 1 Southeast 8
Arrowhead 2133 1 Classic Eight 9
Green Bay Preble 2128 1 FRCC 10
Madison Memorial 2086 1 Big Eight 11
Neenah 2077 1 VFA-South 12
Milwaukee Bradley Tech 2054 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson 13
Milwaukee Pulaski 2052 1 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn 14
Fond du Lac 2006 1 VFA-South 15
Marquette University 1964 1 Greater Metro 16
Bay Port 1894 1 FRCC 17
Hudson 1806 1 Big Rivers 18
Racine Case 1800 1 Southeast 19
Appleton North 1780 1 VFA-North 20
D.C. Everest 1724 1 VFA-West 21
Appleton East 1658 1 VFA-North 22
Eau Claire Memorial 1653 1 Big Rivers 23
Verona 1651 1 Big Eight 24
Muskego 1639 1 Classic Eight 25
Mukwonago 1637 1 Classic Eight 26
Madison La Follette 1599 1 Big Eight 27
Franklin 1566 1 Southeast 28
Kimberly 1564 1 VFA-North 29
Wisconsin Rapids 1541 1 VFA-West 30
Milwaukee King 1537 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson 31
Manitowoc Lincoln 1532 1 FRCC 32
Chippewa Falls 1492 2 Big Rivers 1
Badger 1407 2 Southern Lakes 2
De Pere 1357 2 FRCC 3
Milwaukee Reagan 1351 2 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn 4
Germantown 1328 2 Greater Metro 5
Hartford 1326 2 North Shore 6
Menomonee Falls 1325 2 Greater Metro 7
Homestead 1324 2 North Shore 8
Superior 1309 2 Big Rivers 9
Waunakee 1303 2 Badger-North 10
Watertown 1302 2 Badger-South 11
Brookfield East 1298 2 Greater Metro 12
Brookfield Central 1246 2 Greater Metro 13
Marshfield 1239 2 VFA-West 14
Kettle Moraine 1229 2 Classic Eight 15
Waukesha West 1178 2 Classic Eight 16
Green Bay Southwest 1166 2 FRCC 17
Kaukauna 1165 2 VFA-North 18
Holmen 1152 2 Mississippi Valley 19
Hortonville 1149 2 VFA-South 20
Oregon 1149 2 Badger-South 21
Milton 1126 2 Badger-South 22
La Crosse Central 1120 2 Mississippi Valley 23
Burlington 1109 2 Southern Lakes 24
Pulaski 1103 2 FRCC 25
Cedarburg 1101 2 North Shore 26
South Milwaukee 1085 2 Woodland-East 27
Slinger 1080 2 North Shore 28
Monona Grove 1076 2 Badger-South 29
Waterford 1068 2 Southern Lakes 30
Wilmot 1042 2 Southern Lakes 31
West Bend East 1041 2 North Shore 32
River Falls 1038 3 Big Rivers 1
DeForest 1017 3 Badger-North 2
Ashwaubenon 1008 3 FRCC 3
Union Grove 986 3 Southern Lakes 4
West De Pere 980 3 Bay 5
Menomonie 975 3 Big Rivers 6
Stoughton 968 3 Badger-South 7
Whitefish Bay 959 3 North Shore 8
Onalaska 929 3 Mississippi Valley 9
Menasha 920 3 Bay 10
New Richmond 917 3 Middle Border 11
Greendale 888 3 Woodland-West 12
Reedsburg 881 3 Badger-North 13
Pewaukee 872 3 Woodland-West 14
Whitnall 848 3 Woodland-East 15
Sauk Prairie 834 3 Badger-North 16
Sparta 818 3 Mississippi Valley 17
New Berlin Eisenhower 801 3 Woodland-West 18
Shawano 785 3 Bay 19
Wisconsin Lutheran 773 3 Woodland-West 20
Rhinelander 772 3 Great Northern 21
Plymouth 752 3 East Central 22
New Berlin West 744 3 Woodland-West 23
McFarland 738 3 Rock 24
Grafton 729 3 North Shore 25
Monroe 723 3 Badger-South 26
Lakeland 704 3 Great Northern 27
New London 692 3 Bay 28
Fox Valley Lutheran 655 3 North Eastern 29
Medford 643 3 Great Northern 30
Hayward 638 3 Heart O’North 31
Mosinee 637 3 Great Northern 32
Jefferson 628 4 Rock 1
Catholic Memorial 603 4 Classic Eight 2
Kewaskum 598 4 East Central 3
East Troy 592 4 Rock 4
Berlin 557 4 East Central 5
Evansville 555 4 Rock 6
Freedom 539 4 North Eastern 7
Saint Francis 530 4 Midwest Classic 8
Mauston 526 4 South Central 9
Martin Luther 524 4 Metro Classic 10
Winneconne 521 4 East Central 11
Xavier 519 4 Bay 12
Edgerton 514 4 Rock 13
Ripon 509 4 East Central 14
Little Chute 503 4 North Eastern 15
Osceola 499 4 Middle Border 16
Obama SCTE 487 4 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn 17
Sheboygan Falls 482 4 Eastern Wisconsin 18
Baldwin-Woodville 479 4 Middle Border 19
Denmark 477 4 North Eastern 20
Big Foot 476 4 Rock 21
Black River Falls 475 4 South Central 22
Wrightstown 471 4 North Eastern 23
Lake Mills 457 4 Capitol-North 24
Campbellsport 452 4 East Central 25
Saint Croix Central 450 4 Middle Border 26
Northland Pines 444 4 Independent 27
Brodhead/Juda 430 4 Rock 28
Lakeside Lutheran 430 4 Capitol-North 29
River Valley 427 4 SWC 30
University School 426 4 Midwest Classic 31
Kiel 425 4 Eastern Wisconsin 32
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 423 5 South Central 1
Racine St. Catherine's 421 5 Metro Classic 2
Platteville 416 5 SWC 3
Northwestern 413 5 Heart O’North 4
Columbus 408 5 Capitol-North 5
Horicon/Hustisford 390 5 Trailways-Large 6
New Glarus/Monticello 390 5 Capitol-South 7
Bloomer 377 5 Heart O’North 8
Lake Country Lutheran 373 5 Midwest Classic 9
Prairie du Chien 373 5 SWC 10
Chilton 370 5 Eastern Wisconsin 11
Arcadia 367 5 SWC 12
Peshtigo 367 5 MONLPC-Large 13
Lomira 360 5 Flyway 14
Spooner 360 5 Heart O’North 15
Omro 354 5 Flyway 16
New Holstein 353 5 Eastern Wisconsin 17
Kewaunee 347 5 MONLPC-Large 18
Elk Mound 345 5 Dunn-St. Croix 19
Wittenberg-Birnamwood 337 5 CWC-Large 20
Spencer/Columbus Catholic 336 5 Cloverbelt 21
Nekoosa 335 5 South Central 22
Laconia 332 5 Flyway 23
Saint Croix Falls 332 5 Heart O’North 24
Saint John's NW Military 332 5 Midwest Classic 25
Amherst 329 5 CWC-Large 26
Oostburg 316 5 Big East 27
Brookfield Academy 314 5 Midwest Classic 28
Marshall 314 5 Capitol-South 29
Cedar Grove-Belgium 309 5 Big East 30
Stratford 306 5 Marawood 31
Aquinas 299 5 SWAL 32
Saint Mary's Springs 293 6 Flyway 1
Bonduel 292 6 CWC-Large 2
Cumberland 286 6 Heart O’North 3
Winnebago Lutheran 283 6 Flyway 4
Osseo-Fairchild 279 6 Cloverbelt 5
Cambridge 278 6 Capitol-South 6
Colby 276 6 Cloverbelt 7
Mondovi 274 6 Dunn-St. Croix 8
Durand 271 6 Dunn-St. Croix 9
Lancaster 271 6 SWAL 10
Unity 269 6 Lakeland 11
Racine Lutheran 264 6 Metro Classic 12
Markesan 261 6 Trailways-Large 13
Benton/Scales Mound/Shullsburg 259 6 Six Rivers 14
Palmyra-Eagle 255 6 Trailways-Large 15
Random Lake 252 6 Big East 16
Auburndale 251 6 Marawood 17
Grantsburg 251 6 Lakeland 18
Ozaukee 248 6 Big East 19
Manawa 238 6 CWC-Large 20
Darlington 237 6 SWAL 21
Spring Valley 231 6 Dunn-St. Croix 22
Whitehall 228 6 Dairyland 23
Mineral Point 223 6 SWAL 24
Pardeeville 221 6 Trailways-Large 25
Coleman 220 6 MONLPC-Small 26
Melrose-Mindoro 219 6 Dairyland 27
Abbotsford 215 6 Cloverwood 28
Regis 212 6 Cloverbelt 29
Lake Holcombe/Cornell 209 6 Lakeland 30
Crivitz 202 6 MONLPC-Small 31
Johnson Creek 197 6 Trailways-Small 32
Reedsville 195 7 Big East 1
Brookwood 191 7 Scenic Bluffs 2
Potosi/Cassville 190 7 Six Rivers 3
River Ridge 190 7 Six Rivers 4
Edgar 189 7 Marawood 5
Black Hawk/Warren (IL) 187 7 Six Rivers 6
Webster 187 7 Lakeland 7
Augusta 186 7 Dairyland 8
Lourdes Academy 185 7 Trailways-Small 9
Cashton 184 7 Scenic Bluffs 10
Eleva-Strum 181 7 Dairyland 11
Pittsville 180 7 CWC-Small 12
Wauzeka/Seneca 180 7 Ridge & Valley 13
Bangor 176 7 Scenic Bluffs 14
Clear Lake 176 7 Lakeland 15
Rosholt 175 7 CWC-Small 16
Blair-Taylor 172 7 Dairyland 17
Hurley 172 7 Independent 18
Randolph 167 7 Trailways-Small 19
Athens 161 7 Cloverwood 20
Hillsboro 161 7 Scenic Bluffs 21
De Soto 156 7 Ridge & Valley 22
Loyal 154 7 Cloverwood 23
Hilbert 150 7 Big East 24
Ithaca 135 7 Ridge & Valley 25
Pepin/Alma 133 7 Dairyland 26
Turtle Lake 129 7 Lakeland 27
Catholic Central 127 7 Metro Classic 28
Almond-Bancroft 123 7 CWC-Small 29
Greenwood 121 7 Cloverwood 30
Gilman 114 7 Cloverwood 31
Highland 87 7 Ridge & Valley 32

About the Author

Travis Wilson serves as the WisSports.net General Manager, Football Editor, and contributing writer for other parts of the site. Wilson was selected as part of the Sports 40 Under 40 list by Coach & AD Magazine and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association for 2019. The Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) named Travis the 2015 recipient of the Dave McClain Distinguished Service Award. He currently serves on the WFCA Executive Board and is a member of the Executive Board of the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association. A graduate of Richland Center High School and Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Travis was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, baseball, basketball), inducted to the Richland Center High School Hall of Fame in 2023, and currently resides in Reedsburg. You can follow him on Twitter at @travisWSN.

For the latest and most up to date football news and recruiting information, follow Travis on Twitter @travisWSN. Email story ideas, recruiting info, etc. to Travis at travis(at)wissports.net.

Tag(s): News Archive  News  Travis Wilson  Football Playoffs