As we start practice for the the COVID shortened 2020 football season, we thought it might be fun to look back to last year and which teams would have qualified under the guidelines for this season.  A regular year sees 16 teams in each of the seven classes qualify for the playoffs but this year the field has been reduced to eight in each.  And in the past, conference champions would earn automatic bids to the post-season but that’s not the case this year.  The eight teams will be chosen based on a formula combining RPI and polls from the coaches, MaxPreps and Packard.

That formula was in effect last year for Classes 1A through 5A so we can look back to numbers from the end of the regular season to determine which eight teams would have qualified.  In Class 5A, the top eight were separated by over half point from the second eight but in the remaining four classes, the races for the final playoff spot were very tight.  The narrowest margin occurred in Class 2A where Classical Academy and Basalt were separated by just .000932 points.  We think very tight races will be the norm this year as the shortened six-game regular season will not allow for much separation between the top eight teams.

Below the list the top eight teams in each of the 11-man classes and the next four teams along with the separation of spots eight and nine.

CLASS 1A

  1. Strasburg
  2. Holyoke
  3. Limon
  4. Meeker
  5. Centauri
  6. Florence
  7. Colorado Springs Christian
  8. Highland
  • Next 4:  #9 Hotchkiss, #10 Yuma, #11 Wray, #12 Flatirons Academy
  • Separation of numbers 8-9:  .00514

CLASS 2A

  1. Rifle
  2. Sterling
  3. Resurrection Christian
  4. Delta
  5. Faith Christian
  6. Platte Valley
  7. Lamar
  8. Classical Academy
  • Next 4:  #9 Basalt, #10 Eaton, #11 Elizabeth, #12 Bennett
  • Separation of numbers 8-9:  .000932

CLASS 3A

  1. Mead
  2. Pueblo South
  3. Discovery Canyon
  4. Palmer Ridge
  5. Conifer
  6. Frederick
  7. Durango
  8. Green Mountain
  • Next 4:  #9 Erie, #10 Palisade, #11 Thomas Jefferson, #12 Fort Morgan
  • Separation of numbers 8-9:  .029353

CLASS 4A

  1. Pine Creek
  2. Broomfield
  3. Vista Peak
  4. Montrose
  5. Pueblo West
  6. Dakota Ridge
  7. Chatfield
  8. Skyline
  • Next 4:  #9 Ponderosa, #10 Loveland, #11 Golden, #12 Fruita Monument
  • Separation of numbers 8-9:  0.1345

CLASS 5A

  1. Cherry Creek
  2. Ralston Valley
  3. Valor Christian
  4. Regis
  5. Columbine
  6. Pomona
  7. Grandview
  8. Pomona
  • Next 4:  #9 Cherokee Trail, #10 Eaglecrest, #11 Smoky Hill, #12 Legend
  • Separation of numbers 8-9:  .569289

For the six and eight man ranks, RPI was the lone factor on determining playoff qualifiers so in looking back, that’s the only formula we can use.  Past RPI numbers are not available for football on the CHSAA website, so we can only list the eight teams that would have qualified in a reduced playoff field.

SIX MAN

  1.  Kit Carson
  2. Stratton/Liberty
  3. Cheyenne Wells
  4. Fleming
  5. Prairie
  6. Granada
  7. Branson/Kim
  8. Flagler/Hi Plains
  • Next 4:  #9 Eads, #10 Briggsdale, #11 North Park, #12 Cotopaxi
  • Note:  Eads and North Park were two lower seeds that earned first round wins on the road last year.

EIGHT MAN

  1. Sedgwick County
  2. Sanford
  3. Dayspring Christian
  4. Vail Christian
  5. Mancos
  6. Fowler
  7. West Grand
  8. Merino
  • Next 4:  #9 Pikes Peak Christian, #10 Caliche, #11 Sargent, #12 Rangely
  • Note:  Higher seeds won all eight first round games