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Football Playoff Qualifying Report - Week 7

09/26/2022, 8:00am 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. A caveat is that there are an odd-number of teams in the state this year, and the Lakeland Conference only has seven teams and is unpaired, so those teams will play six games, meaning four conference wins clinches a spot and three conference wins gets you qualified and very likely 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, 74 teams have clinched playoff spots. 

67 teams are on the Bubble with three conference wins.

82 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 2022 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.

-- In addition to the teams below, Ladysmith and Unity from the Lakeland Conference (which has just seven teams and will play six conference games unlike all other teams) have guaranteed themselves a conference record of at least .500 and are almost certainly in the playoffs. Hurley can join them with one more conference win, as can Webster (who has an upcoming forfeit against Flambeau).


TEAMS THAT HAVE CLINCHED A PLAYOFF SPOT

74 teams

(Guaranteed conference record over .500)

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Milwaukee Vincent/Destiny 1175 2 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn
Adams-Friendship 477 4 South Central
Amherst 338 5 CWC-Large
Aquinas 313 5 Coulee
Assumption 132 7 CWC-Small
Auburndale 224 6 Marawood
Badger 1336 2 Southern Lakes
Baraboo 925 3 Mississippi Valley
Bay Port 1916 1 FRCC-North
Belleville 284 6 SWAL
Berlin 465 4 East Central
Blair-Taylor 189 7 Dairyland
Brodhead/Juda 411 5 SWC
Cambria-Friesland 97 7 Trailways
Cashton 194 7 Scenic Bluffs
Catholic Memorial 566 4 Parkland
Cedar Grove-Belgium 296 5 Big East
Chilton 405 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Cochrane-Fountain City 184 7 Dairyland
Colby 320 5 Marawood
Coleman 221 6 Northwoods
Columbus 428 4 Capitol
Cumberland 310 5 Heart O'North
Darlington 272 6 SWAL
Ellsworth 531 4 Middle Border
Freedom 521 4 North Eastern
Grafton 693 3 Woodland
Grantsburg 223 6 Lakeland
Hartford Union 1320 2 North Shore
Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic 220 6 Midwest Classic
Kewaunee 319 5 Packerland
Kimberly 1587 1 Fox Valley Association
Little Chute 530 4 North Eastern
Lodi 456 4 Capitol
Lourdes Academy * 161 7 Trailways
Luther 231 6 Scenic Bluffs
Markesan 273 6 Eastern Suburban
Marshall 295 5 Eastern Suburban
Marshfield 1233 2 Valley Football Association
Martin Luther 631 3 Metro Classic
Mayville 393 5 Flyway
Medford 705 3 Great Northern
Menasha 963 3 FRCC-South
Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon Tech 1798 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Milwaukee Pulaski/Carmen South/Carmen SE 2172 1 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn
Mondovi 256 6 Cloverbelt
Monroe 740 3 Rock Valley
Mosinee 643 3 Great Northern
Mount Horeb/Barneveld 899 3 Badger-Small
Mukwonago 1669 1 Classic Eight
Neenah 2015 1 Fox Valley Association
Northwestern 412 5 Heart O'North
Notre Dame 755 3 FRCC-South
Oak Creek 2122 1 Southeast
Onalaska 953 3 Mississippi Valley
Pepin/Alma 138 7 Dairyland
Prairie du Chien 373 5 SWC
Racine Lutheran 325 5 Midwest Classic
Racine Saint Catherine’s 464 4 Metro Classic
Regis 200 7 Cloverbelt
River Falls 1101 2 Big Rivers
River Ridge 196 7 Six Rivers
Saint Mary's Springs 273 6 Flyway
Southern Door 323 5 Packerland
Spring Valley 199 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Stratford 272 6 CWC-Large
Two Rivers 553 4 Eastern Wisconsin
University School of Milwaukee 403 5 Metro Classic
Verona 1756 1 Big Eight
Waunakee 1336 2 Badger-Large
West De Pere 1042 2 FRCC-North
West Salem 592 4 Coulee
Wisconsin Dells 591 4 South Central
Wisconsin Rapids 1491 1 Valley Football Association

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

67 teams

(Teams that have guaranteed at least three conference wins)

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Arrowhead 2070 1 Classic Eight
Baldwin-Woodville 476 4 Middle Border
Bangor 214 6 Scenic Bluffs
Benton/Scales Mound IL/Shullsburg 243 6 Six Rivers
Brookfield Central 1212 2 Greater Metro
Brookfield East 1336 2 Greater Metro
Cadott 260 6 Dunn-St. Croix
Campbellsport 435 4 Flyway
Catholic Central 129 7 Midwest Classic
Crandon 235 6 Northwoods
Crivitz 237 6 Northwoods
D.C. Everest 1819 1 Valley Football Association
DeForest 1071 2 Badger-Small
Durand 319 5 Cloverbelt
Edgar 195 7 Marawood
Elmwood/Plum City 177 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Evansville 561 4 Rock Valley
Fox Valley Lutheran 670 3 North Eastern
Franklin 1569 1 Southeast
Germantown 1332 2 Greater Metro
Greendale 953 3 Woodland
Howards Grove 262 6 Big East
Hudson 1830 1 Big Rivers
Ithaca 143 7 Ridge & Valley
Kaukauna 1233 2 Fox Valley Association
Kettle Moraine 1277 2 Classic Eight
Kewaskum 580 4 East Central
Lakeside Lutheran 459 4 Capitol
Lancaster 297 5 SWC
Marquette 1786 1 Greater Metro
McFarland 769 3 Rock Valley
Middleton 2378 1 Big Eight
Milwaukee King 1332 2 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Milwaukee Marshall/Carmen NW/Milw Juneau/Milw Languages 2267 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Milwaukee Riverside/Golda Meir 2431 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Milwaukee Washington/Fuller Collegiate 934 3 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn
Muskego 1637 1 Classic Eight
New Berlin Eisenhower 715 3 Parkland
New Berlin West 716 3 Parkland
New Lisbon 171 7 Scenic Bluffs
Oconto Falls 490 4 Northwoods
Oostburg 343 5 Big East
Oregon 1252 2 Badger-Large
Pewaukee 839 3 Parkland
Plymouth 739 3 East Central
Port Washington 825 3 East Central
Portage 730 3 Badger-Small
Potosi/Cassville 182 7 Six Rivers
Racine Horlick 1403 2 Southeast
Randolph * 196 7 Trailways
Reedsburg 890 3 Mississippi Valley
Reedsville 187 7 Big East
Saint Croix Falls 352 5 Heart O'North
Sheboygan North 1726 1 FRCC-South
Slinger 1069 2 North Shore
Sturgeon Bay 411 5 Packerland
Sun Prairie East 1238 2 Badger-Large
Sussex Hamilton 1508 1 Greater Metro
Turtle Lake 121 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Waterford 984 3 Southern Lakes
Wausau West 1530 1 Valley Football Association
Wautoma 399 5 South Central
Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca 160 7 Ridge & Valley
West Bend East 971 3 North Shore
Westosha Central 1184 2 Southern Lakes
Wisconsin Lutheran 857 3 Woodland
Wrightstown 427 4 North Eastern

TEAMS THAT CAN GET ON THE BUBBLE WITH ONE MORE WIN

82 teams

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

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Abbotsford 241 6 Marawood
Altoona 529 4 Coulee
Appleton North 1736 1 Fox Valley Association
Arcadia 418 4 Coulee
Ashwaubenon 1013 2 FRCC-North
Augusta 216 6 Dairyland
Black Hawk/Warren IL 200 7 Six Rivers
Bonduel 270 6 Packerland
Boyceville 200 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Brillion 353 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Brookfield Academy * 337 5 Midwest Classic
Burlington 1040 2 Southern Lakes
Cameron 268 6 Heart O'North
Cedarburg 1107 2 North Shore
Chippewa Falls 1485 1 Big Rivers
Clinton 394 5 Eastern Suburban
Clintonville 403 5 Northwoods
De Pere 1455 1 FRCC-North
Delavan-Darien 654 3 Rock Valley
Denmark 496 4 North Eastern
Eau Claire North 1622 1 Big Rivers
Edgerton 527 4 Rock Valley
Edgewood 528 4 Capitol
Fall Creek 240 6 Cloverbelt
Fall River/Rio 289 6 Trailways
Fond du Lac 2037 1 Fox Valley Association
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau 427 4 Coulee
Greenfield 1136 2 Woodland
Highland 107 7 Ridge & Valley
Hillsboro 181 7 Ridge & Valley
Holmen 1228 2 Mississippi Valley
Horicon/Hustisford 379 5 Eastern Suburban
Hortonville 1253 2 Valley Football Association
Iola-Scandinavia 193 7 CWC-Small
Iowa-Grant 199 7 Ridge & Valley
Janesville Craig 1740 1 Big Eight
Janesville Parker 1442 2 Big Eight
Johnson Creek 178 7 Trailways
Kenosha Christian Life 213 6 Midwest Classic
Kenosha Indian Trail 2286 1 Southeast
Kiel 390 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Kohler/Sheboygan Christian/Sheboygan Lutheran 545 4 Eastern Wisconsin
Laconia 311 5 Flyway
Lake Country Lutheran 353 5 Metro Classic
Lake Mills 488 4 Capitol
Lakeland 749 3 Great Northern
Luxemburg-Casco 601 3 North Eastern
Madison Memorial 2150 1 Big Eight
Madison West 2276 1 Big Eight
Marathon 249 6 Marawood
Mauston 490 4 South Central
Menomonie 1034 2 Big Rivers
Merrill 786 3 Great Northern
Milton 1075 2 Badger-Large
Milwaukee Lutheran 860 3 Parkland
Milwaukee Reagan 1286 2 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Mineral Point 239 6 SWAL
Mishicot 275 6 Packerland
New Richmond 1057 2 Big Rivers
Oconomowoc 1676 1 Classic Eight
Omro 339 5 Flyway
Pacelli 175 7 CWC-Small
Pardeeville 259 6 Trailways
Pulaski 1161 2 FRCC-North
Racine Case 1828 1 Southeast
Racine Park 1081 2 Southeast
Rice Lake 711 3 Middle Border
Saint Croix Central 531 4 Middle Border
Saint Francis 504 4 Midwest Classic
Sheboygan Falls 522 4 East Central
Shiocton 213 6 CWC-Large
Shorewood/Messmer 1205 2 Woodland
Somerset 463 4 Middle Border
Stevens Point * 2096 1 Valley Football Association
Stoughton 905 3 Badger-Small
Waterloo 268 6 Eastern Suburban
Watertown Luther Prep 423 4 Metro Classic
Westby 308 5 Coulee
Weyauwega-Fremont 289 6 CWC-Large
Wilmot Union 906 3 Southern Lakes
Wittenberg-Birnamwood 322 5 CWC-Large
Xavier 479 4 Bay

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