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Football Playoff Qualifying Report - Week 7

09/29/2024, 11:00pm CDT
By Travis Wilson

WSN Football Playoff Coverage presented by the Buckle Up Phone Down Pledge

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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 Capitol 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, and we are considering that in the "Clinched" category).

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 (except Capitol Conference) 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. 

74 teams are on the Bubble with three conference wins.

75 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 2024 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 THAT HAVE CLINCHED A PLAYOFF SPOT

71 teams

(Guaranteed conference record at least .500)

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Abbotsford 240 6 Marawood/CWC
Amherst 357 5 CWC-Large
Aquinas 318 4 Coulee
Badger 1293 2 Southern Lakes
Baldwin-Woodville 509 4 Middle Border
Bay Port 1952 1 FRCC-North
Berlin 479 4 South Central
Black Hawk/Warren (IL) 218 7 Six Rivers
Bonduel 263 6 Packerland
Boyceville 213 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Cambridge 280 6 Eastern Suburban
Catholic Memorial 571 3 Parkland
Cedar Grove-Belgium 291 6 Big East
Cedarburg 1087 2 North Shore
Coleman 225 6 Northwoods
Columbus 373 4 Capitol
Cuba City 269 6 SWAL
D.C. Everest 1830 1 Wisconsin Valley
Darlington 258 5 SWAL
Edgar 201 7 Marawood/CWC
Eleva-Strum 194 7 Dairyland
Franklin 1606 1 Southeast
Freedom 481 4 North Eastern
Grafton 718 3 Woodland
Grantsburg 270 6 Lakeland
Greendale 915 3 Woodland
Holmen 1254 2 Mississippi Valley
Homestead 1227 2 North Shore
Ithaca 116 7 Scenic Bluffs
Johnson Creek 181 7 Trailways
Kaukauna 1262 2 Fox Valley Association
Kiel 420 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Kimberly 1574 1 Fox Valley Association
Ladysmith 249 6 Lakeland
Lake Mills 482 4 Capitol
Lomira 315 5 Flyway
Marquette 1786 1 Greater Metro
Mayville 363 4 Flyway
Medford 715 3 Great Northern
Milwaukee Academy of Science 392 5 Midwest Classic-Large
Milwaukee King 1349 2 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Milwaukee Washington/Fuller Collegiate Academy 825 3 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn
Monroe 715 2 Rock Valley
Mount Horeb/Barneveld 910 3 Badger-Small
New Richmond 1088 2 Big Rivers
Notre Dame 739 3 FRCC-South
Obama SCTE 782 3 Milwaukee City-Blackbourn
Oconomowoc 1628 1 Classic Eight
Pardeeville 274 6 Eastern Suburban
Pepin/Alma 148 7 Dairyland
Port Washington 804 3 East Central
Potosi/Cassville 166 7 Six Rivers
Prairie du Chien 323 5 SWC
Prescott 427 4 Middle Border
Racine St. Catherine’s 456 4 Metro Classic
Regis 212 6 Cloverbelt
Saint Croix Falls 358 5 Heart O'North
Saint Mary’s Springs 263 5 Flyway
Slinger 1041 2 North Shore
Spring Valley 180 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Stanley-Boyd 321 5 Cloverbelt
Stratford 271 5 CWC-Large
Sun Prairie East 1342 2 Badger-Large
Sussex Hamilton 1554 1 Greater Metro
Verona 1794 1 Big Eight
Waunakee 1352 1 Badger-Large
West De Pere 1081 2 FRCC-North
West Salem 603 4 Coulee
Winneconne 510 4 Bay
Wisconsin Dells 572 4 South Central
Wrightstown 399 5 North Eastern

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

74 teams

(Teams that have guaranteed at least three conference wins)

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Appleton North 1720 1 Fox Valley Association
Arrowhead 2037 1 Classic Eight
Auburndale 230 6 Marawood/CWC
Bangor 215 7 Scenic Bluffs
Barron 325 5 Heart O'North
Beaver Dam 1047 2 East Central
Blair-Taylor 174 7 Dairyland
Brookfield Academy 333 5 Midwest Classic-Small
Burlington 961 3 Southern Lakes
Cambria-Friesland 113 7 Trailways
Cashton 194 7 Scenic Bluffs
Chetek-Weyerhaeuser 251 6 Lakeland
Cochrane-Fountain City 180 7 Dairyland
Crivitz 202 7 Northwoods
De Pere 1464 1 FRCC-North
DeForest 1141 2 Badger-Large
Delavan-Darien 620 4 Rock Valley
Edgerton 551 4 Rock Valley
Edgewood 619 4 Badger-Small
Elk Mound 368 5 Cloverbelt
Ellsworth 527 4 Middle Border
Evansville 513 4 Rock Valley
Germantown 1295 2 Greater Metro
Hillsboro 151 7 Scenic Bluffs
Iola-Scandinavia 201 7 Marawood/CWC
Janesville Craig 1632 1 Big Eight
Kenosha Christian Life 196 7 Midwest Classic-Small
Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic 219 7 Midwest Classic-Small
Kewaunee 308 5 Packerland
La Crosse Central 1011 2 Mississippi Valley
La Crosse Logan 714 3 Mississippi Valley
Lake Country Lutheran 350 5 Metro Classic
Lancaster 318 5 SWC
Luxemburg-Casco 648 3 North Eastern
Madison Memorial 2031 1 Big Eight
Madison West 2193 1 Big Eight
Martin Luther 676 3 Metro Classic
Menasha 1022 2 FRCC-South
Menomonie 966 3 Big Rivers
Milton 1054 2 Badger-Large
Milwaukee Hamilton/Audubon Technology 1946 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Milwaukee Reagan 1365 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Mosinee 625 4 Great Northern
Mukwonago 1588 1 Classic Eight
Neenah 1977 1 Fox Valley Association
Nekoosa 288 6 South Central
New Holstein 327 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Northwestern 392 5 Heart O'North
Oak Creek 2177 1 Southeast
Oconto Falls 533 4 Northwoods
Oostburg 324 5 Big East
Oshkosh North 1268 2 FRCC-South
Platteville 489 4 SWC
Plymouth 733 3 East Central
Racine Case 1849 1 Southeast
Racine Horlick 1289 2 Southeast
Racine Lutheran 343 5 Midwest Classic-Large
Randolph 171 7 Trailways
Reedsville 192 6 Big East
Rice Lake 706 2 Big Rivers
Seymour 595 4 Bay
Sheboygan North 1662 1 FRCC-South
Shoreland Lutheran 425 5 Metro Classic
Southern Door 311 5 Packerland
Stevens Point 2083 1 Wisconsin Valley
Stoughton 861 3 Badger-Small
Sturgeon Bay 404 5 Packerland
Wauwatosa East 1035 2 Parkland
Wauwatosa West 1027 2 Parkland
Westby 297 6 Coulee
Westosha Central 1283 2 Southern Lakes
Wisconsin Lutheran 924 3 Woodland
Wittenberg-Birnamwood 338 5 CWC-Large

TEAMS THAT CAN GET ON THE BUBBLE WITH ONE MORE WIN

75 teams

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

Team Enrollment Projected Division Conference
Antigo 642 3 Great Northern
Appleton West 1602 1 FRCC-North
Belleville 294 6 SWAL
Beloit Memorial 1576 1 Southern Lakes
Bloomer 408 5 Heart O'North
Brillion 319 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Brodhead/Juda 413 5 SWC
Brookfield Central 1173 2 Greater Metro
Cameron 310 5 Lakeland
Campbellsport 492 4 Flyway
Chilton 396 5 Eastern Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls 1424 1 Big Rivers
Colby 307 5 CWC-Large
Crandon 232 6 Northwoods
Cudahy 683 3 Midwest Classic-Large
Durand-Arkansaw 313 5 Cloverbelt
Eau Claire North 1697 1 Wisconsin Valley
Fennimore 246 6 SWAL
Fox Valley Lutheran 745 3 Bay
Glenwood City 203 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Greenfield 1136 2 Woodland
Hartford 1337 2 North Shore
Hilbert 143 7 Big East
Howards Grove 266 6 Big East
Hudson 1732 1 Big Rivers
Iowa-Grant 212 7 Six Rivers
Kenosha Bradford 1887 1 Southeast
Kettle Moraine 1274 1 Classic Eight
Kohler/Sheboygan Christian/Lutheran 565 4 Eastern Wisconsin
Little Chute 477 4 North Eastern
Luther 253 6 Coulee
Manitowoc Lutheran 248 6 Big East
Markesan 243 6 Eastern Suburban
Marshall 287 6 Eastern Suburban
Marshfield 1252 2 Wisconsin Valley
Mauston 442 4 South Central
Merrill 762 3 Great Northern
Middleton 2388 1 Big Eight
Milwaukee Bradley Tech/Milwaukee Arts 1986 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Milwaukee Marshall/Carmen Northwest/Juneau/School of Languages 1844 1 Milwaukee City-Richardson
Mineral Point 240 6 SWAL
Mondovi 270 6 Cloverbelt
Monona Grove 1184 2 Badger-Large
New Berlin Eisenhower 724 3 Parkland
New Berlin West 689 3 Parkland
New Glarus 320 5 SWC
Onalaska 920 3 Mississippi Valley
Osceola 511 4 Middle Border
Palmyra-Eagle 178 7 Trailways
Pecatonica/Argyle 196 7 Six Rivers
Peshtigo 340 5 Packerland
Pius XI Catholic 737 3 Midwest Classic-Large
Poynette 307 5 Eastern Suburban
Pulaski 1114 2 FRCC-North
Reedsburg 857 3 Mississippi Valley
River Ridge 166 7 Six Rivers
River Valley 379 5 SWC
Roncalli 229 6 Eastern Wisconsin
Royall 140 7 Scenic Bluffs
Saint Croix Central 506 4 Middle Border
Saint Francis 553 4 Midwest Classic-Large
Sauk Prairie 864 3 Badger-Small
Shiocton 214 7 Northwoods
Spooner 373 5 Heart O'North
Turtle Lake 122 7 Dunn-St. Croix
Waterford 889 3 Southern Lakes
Waukesha North 962 3 Parkland
Waupaca 644 3 Bay
Waupun 569 4 South Central
Wausau East 941 3 Great Northern
Wausau West 1537 1 Wisconsin Valley
Wauzeka-Steuben/Seneca 186 7 Six Rivers
Westfield 295 6 Trailways
Weyauwega-Fremont 290 6 CWC-Large
Whitnall 850 3 Woodland

 

 

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.

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