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Football Playoff Qualifying Report - Week 7

09/26/2021, 11:00pm CDT
By Travis Wilson

The WIAA football playoff qualification process used to be much more confusing, but with statewide conference realignment that went into effect last year, things are easier to follow. This report attempts to simplify where teams stand as of games played through Week 6. This report will be updated again after each week of the season.

The WIAA 11-player football postseason features seven divisions of 32 teams, for a total of 224 teams that qualify for the playoffs. Those 224 teams are determined after the completion of the regular season, and then split into seven equal divisions.

Teams that have a conference winning percentage better than .500 are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, thus with every team in the state playing (or being credited with) seven conference games, winning four of them guarantees you a spot in the postseason.

With the number of teams playing 11-player football under 370, there are a number of teams that will finish under .500 in conference play that will make the postseason. However, we do not know how many of those under .500 conference teams will qualify, or which tiebreakers the WIAA will have to go through to figure out which ones make it.

For our purposes, teams that reach three conference wins will be on the "Bubble", having a chance to get in via tiebreakers but not guaranteed a spot.

Through games played in Week Six, 71 teams have clinched playoff spots. 

73 teams are on the Bubble with three conference wins.

92 teams can get on the Bubble with one more conference win.

This Playoff Qualifying Report lists those teams that have clinched a playoff spot, those that are on the Bubble, and those that need one more conference win to get on the Bubble.

The Playoff Qualifying Report will be updated each week for the rest of the regular season.

To view the full WIAA playoff qualifying procedures, click here.
 
To view Standings for all conferences on one page, please click here.
 
To view Enrollment numbers and a projected divisional placement for each team for the 2021 season, please click here.
 
You can sort by the different columns (School, Enrollment, Projected Division, Conference) by clicking on the heading on each particular table.

* - Teams listed with an asterisk have an upcoming game that will be forfeited to them due to a conference opponent on their schedule canceling their season or moving to 8-player. These future canceled games are factored into the information below.

^ - Teams listed with a (^) will receive an upcoming forfeit win due to a COVID cancelation with an opponent and that game is factored into their projected record and qualification below.


TEAMS THAT HAVE CLINCHED A PLAYOFF SPOT

71 teams

(Guaranteed conference record over .500)

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Abbotsford * 222 6 Marawood
Amherst 347 5 CWC-Large
Aquinas 302 5 Coulee
Auburndale 227 6 Marawood
Augusta 215 6 Dairyland
Badger 1339 2 Southern Lakes
Bangor 181 7 Scenic Bluffs
Brillion 339 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Brodhead/Juda 393 5 SWC
Catholic Memorial 547 4 Parkland
Cedar Grove-Belgium 297 5 Big East
Colby * 281 6 Marawood
Coleman 202 6 Northwoods
Cumberland 290 5 Heart O’North
Darlington 264 6 SWAL
De Pere 1395 2 FRCC-North
De Soto 136 7 Ridge & Valley
Edgar * 175 7 Marawood
Edgewood 499 4 Rock Valley
Ellsworth 488 4 Middle Border
Fort Atkinson 980 3 Badger-Small
Franklin 1547 1 Southeast
Freedom 535 4 North Eastern
Germantown * 1352 2 Greater Metro
Grantsburg * 219 6 Lakeland
Greendale 942 3 Woodland
Hartford Union 1331 2 North Shore
Highland 92 7 Ridge & Valley
Hurley * 181 7 Lakeland
Iola-Scandinavia 200 6 CWC-Small
Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic 233 6 Midwest Classic
Kewaunee * 324 5 Packerland
Kimberly 1586 1 Fox Valley Association
Kohler/Sheboygan Christian/Sheboygan Lutheran 479 4 Eastern Wisconsin
Lake Country Lutheran 347 5 Metro Classic
Lodi 450 4 Capitol
Lourdes Academy 166 7 Trailways
Luxemburg-Casco 603 3 North Eastern
Manitowoc Lincoln 1507 1 FRCC-South
Markesan 271 6 Eastern Suburban
Marshall 298 5 Eastern Suburban
Mauston 507 4 South Central
Mayville 369 5 Flyway
Middleton 2283 1 Big Eight
Monroe 717 3 Rock Valley
Mosinee 618 3 Great Northern
Northwestern 419 4 Heart O’North
Oak Creek 2113 1 Southeast
Oconto Falls * 465 4 Northwoods
Pacelli 168 7 CWC-Small
Plymouth 728 3 East Central
Potosi/Cassville 172 7 Six Rivers
Prescott 429 4 Middle Border
Racine Lutheran * 318 5 Midwest Classic
Reedsville 182 7 Big East
Regis 198 6 Cloverbelt
Rhinelander 792 3 Great Northern
Rice Lake 726 3 Big Rivers
River Falls 1097 2 Mississippi Valley
River Ridge 187 7 Six Rivers
Southern Door 335 5 Packerland
Spring Valley 204 6 Dunn-St. Croix
Stevens Point 2028 1 VFA
Sun Prairie 2520 1 Big Eight
Sussex Hamilton * 1462 1 Greater Metro
Union Grove 993 3 Southern Lakes
Unity * 285 6 Lakeland
Waunakee 1356 2 Badger-Large
West Salem 539 4 Mississippi Valley
Wisconsin Dells 549 4 South Central
Xavier 500 4 Bay

TEAMS THAT ARE ON THE BUBBLE & CAN CLINCH WITH ONE MORE WIN

73 teams

(Teams that have guaranteed at least three conference wins)

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Altoona 486 4 Coulee
Appleton North 1735 1 Fox Valley Association
Arcadia 387 5 Coulee
Arrowhead 2088 1 Classic Eight
Assumption * 138 7 CWC-Small
Baraboo 911 3 Badger-Small
Bay Port 1899 1 FRCC-North
Belleville 303 5 SWAL
Berlin 495 4 East Central
Black Hawk/Warren IL 101 7 Six Rivers
Bloomer 386 5 Heart O’North
Brookfield Academy 323 5 Midwest Classic
Brookfield East 1345 2 Greater Metro
Cambria-Friesland * 105 7 Trailways
Campbellsport 417 4 Flyway
Cashton 204 6 Scenic Bluffs
Catholic Central * 128 7 Midwest Classic
Columbus 433 4 Capitol
Crivitz 214 6 Northwoods
Cuba City 242 6 SWAL
DeForest 1014 2 Badger-Large
Denmark 483 4 North Eastern
Durand 295 5 Cloverbelt
Elmwood/Plum City 190 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Fond du Lac 2018 1 Fox Valley Association
Grafton 692 3 Woodland
Hilbert 158 7 Big East
Homestead 1270 2 North Shore
Howards Grove 276 6 Big East
Hudson 1832 1 Big Rivers
Ithaca 141 7 Ridge & Valley
Janesville Craig 1714 1 Badger-Large
Lake Mills 496 4 Capitol
Lancaster 290 5 SWAL
Loyal 155 7 CWC-Small
Marathon * 258 6 Marawood
Martin Luther 593 3 Metro Classic
McFarland 763 3 Rock Valley
Medford 667 3 Great Northern
Melrose-Mindoro 234 6 Dairyland
Menasha 910 3 FRCC-South
Menomonie 1027 2 Big Rivers
Milwaukee King 1441 2 Milwaukee-Richardson
Mondovi 272 6 Cloverbelt
Monona Grove 1146 2 Badger-Small
Mount Horeb/Barneveld 913 3 Badger-Small
Mukwonago 1653 1 Classic Eight
Muskego 1688 1 Classic Eight
Notre Dame 780 3 FRCC-South
Oconto * 284 6 Packerland
Osceola 518 4 Middle Border
Pardeeville 237 6 Eastern Suburban
Pepin/Alma 141 7 Dairyland
Pewaukee 866 3 Parkland
Port Washington 796 3 East Central
Pulaski 1196 2 FRCC-North
Racine Saint Catherine’s 467 4 Metro Classic
Randolph * 185 7 Trailways
Richland Center 400 5 SWC
River Valley 408 4 SWC
Saint Croix Falls 333 5 Heart O’North
Saint Mary's Springs 288 5 Flyway
Stratford 301 5 CWC-Large
Tomahawk * 372 5 Northwoods
Verona 1676 1 Big Eight
Wausau West 1445 1 VFA
Wauwatosa West 1039 2 Parkland
Webster * 196 7 Lakeland
Whitefish Bay 975 3 North Shore
Whitnall 831 3 Woodland
Winnebago Lutheran Academy 309 5 Flyway
Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 1482 1 VFA
Wittenberg-Birnamwood 317 5 CWC-Large

TEAMS THAT CAN GET ON THE BUBBLE WITH ONE MORE WIN

92 teams

(Teams with two conference wins that need one more to get on the bubble)

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Adams-Friendship 435 4 South Central
Appleton West 1352 2 VFA
Beaver Dam 1094 2 Badger-Large
Big Foot 496 4 Capitol
Blair-Taylor 179 7 Dairyland
Bonduel 254 6 Packerland
Boyceville 207 6 Dunn-St. Croix
Brookfield Central 1146 2 Greater Metro
Burlington 1044 2 Southern Lakes
Cadott 245 6 Dunn-St. Croix
Cambridge 284 6 Eastern Suburban
Cedarburg 1072 2 North Shore
Chilton 382 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls 1455 1 Big Rivers
Clintonville 401 5 Packerland
Cochrane-Fountain City 189 7 Dairyland
Crandon 234 6 Northwoods
D.C. Everest 1771 1 VFA
Elkhorn Area 1012 2 Southern Lakes
Evansville 548 4 Rock Valley
Fall Creek 237 6 Cloverbelt
Fall River/Rio * 275 6 Trailways
Fox Valley Lutheran 658 3 Bay
Glenwood City 188 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Green Bay Preble 2154 1 FRCC-North
Greenfield 1138 2 Woodland
Holmen 1180 2 Mississippi Valley
Jefferson 597 3 Rock Valley
Johnson Creek 187 7 Trailways
Kaukauna 1208 2 Fox Valley Association
Kenosha Bradford/Kenosha Reuther 2014 1 Southeast
Kenosha Christian Life * 215 6 Midwest Classic
Kenosha Indian Trail 2329 1 Southeast
Kenosha Tremper 1913 1 Southeast
Kettle Moraine 1298 2 Classic Eight
Kewaskum 568 4 East Central
Kiel 430 4 Eastern Wisconsin
La Crosse Central 1059 2 Mississippi Valley
Ladysmith * 243 6 Lakeland
Lakeside Lutheran 428 4 Capitol
Lomira 341 5 Flyway
Luther 237 6 Scenic Bluffs
Madison Memorial 2183 1 Big Eight
Marquette University * 1844 1 Greater Metro
Marshfield 1219 2 VFA
Menominee Indian 336 5 Northwoods
Milwaukee Bradley Tech/Milw Arts 2038 1 Milwaukee-Richardson
Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon Tech 1802 1 Milwaukee-Richardson
Milwaukee Marshall/Carmen NW/Milw Juneau/Milw Languages 2578 1 Milwaukee-Richardson
Mishicot * 255 6 Packerland
Necedah 231 6 Scenic Bluffs
Neenah 2014 1 Fox Valley Association
Nekoosa 288 5 CWC-Large
New Berlin Eisenhower 732 3 Parkland
New Holstein 337 5 Eastern Wisconsin
New Lisbon 180 7 Scenic Bluffs
New Richmond 991 3 Big Rivers
Nicolet 1090 2 North Shore
Oconomowoc 1682 1 Classic Eight
Onalaska 951 3 Mississippi Valley
Oshkosh West 1675 1 Fox Valley Association
Pittsville 179 7 CWC-Small
Portage 753 3 Badger-Small
Prairie du Chien 371 5 SWC
Rib Lake/Prentice 243 6 Lakeland
Rosholt * 177 7 CWC-Small
Saint Croix Central 486 4 Middle Border
Saint Thomas More 529 4 Metro Classic
Sheboygan Falls 478 4 East Central
Sheboygan South 1310 2 FRCC-South
Slinger 1032 2 North Shore
South Milwaukee 1041 2 Woodland
Sparta 850 3 Mississippi Valley
Spencer/Columbus Catholic 333 5 CWC-Large
Stanley-Boyd 330 5 Cloverbelt
Turtle Lake 121 7 Dunn-St. Croix
University School of Milwaukee 410 4 Metro Classic
Waterford 1034 2 Southern Lakes
Waterloo 259 6 Eastern Suburban
Watertown 1208 2 Badger-Large
Watertown Luther Prep 397 5 Capitol
Waukesha West 1191 2 Classic Eight
Waupaca 591 3 Bay
Wautoma 395 5 South Central
Wauwatosa East 1153 2 Parkland
Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca 153 7 Ridge & Valley
West Allis Hale 1336 2 Greater Metro
West De Pere 1046 2 FRCC-North
Westby 324 5 Coulee
Winneconne 537 4 Bay
Wisconsin Lutheran 883 3 Woodland
Wrightstown 445 4 North Eastern

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.

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