With the release of our Colorado Preps consensus rankings, we can again project potential playoff pairings in each football classification. Our process is very simple as we choose league champions and fill out the remaining playoff teams based on RPI. Then once those playoff qualifiers are determined, we bring in the consensus rankings to seed the teams in the bracket.
Pairings below are listed in bracket order and in true seed order using consensus rankings. Underneath each bracket, we mention the changes that are possible if any.
These are unofficial pairings based on unofficial consensus football rankings compiled by Colorado Preps. Our rankings though follow the same formula used by CHSAA at the end of the regular season.
SIX-MAN
#1 Cheyenne Wells vs #16 Mountain Valley
#8 Prairie vs #9 Kim/Branson
#4 Idalia vs #13 Briggsdale
#5 Fleming vs #12 Hanover
#3 Granada vs #14 Hi Plains
#6 Sierra Grande vs #11 Genoa Hugo
#2 Stratton vs #15 Eads
#7 Cheraw vs #10 Arickaree/Woodlin
NOTES: This is a very good bracket and probably would not need any changes. Two league champions would be on the road as Kim/Branson and Genoa Hugo would visit Prairie and Sierra Grande in round one. League champions are not guaranteed home games in the playoffs this year.
EIGHT-MAN
#1 Mancos vs #16 Byers
#8 Dove Creek vs #9 Merino
#4 Sedgwick County vs #13 Crowley County
#5 Akron vs #12 Swink
#3 Vail Christian vs #14 Pikes Peak Christian
#6 Holly vs #11 Calhan
#2 Haxtun vs #15 Hayden
#7 Dayspring Christian vs #10 Sanford
NOTES: This is also a very good bracket. There is some travel concern with Byers going to Mancos and Merino headed all the way to Dove Creek. The committee could swap Hayden and Byers in the lowest two seeds but the trek for Hayden down to Mancos is still a long one. Harder to move Merino as you can’t swap them with Sanford because that would create a conference matchup between Sanford and Dove Creek. And then the committee has not wanted to move a team up or down more than one spot to alleviate some travel so that matchup may be stuck even with the major travel involved in round one.
CLASS 1A
#1 Limon vs #16 Platte Canyon
#8 Strasburg vs #9 Wiggins
#4 Wray vs #13 Monte Vista
#5 Florence vs #12 Gunnison
#3 Buena Vista vs #14 Highland
#6 Meeker vs #11 Yuma
#2 Centauri vs #15 Peyton
#7 Holyoke vs #10 North Fork
NOTES: Conference pairings are not an issue and the only travel conflict involves Yuma with a long trip to Meeker. But that matchup would likely stand as Yuma is surrounded by North Fork and Gunnison in the seed order and both of those clubs are in the same conference with Meeker. So again the committee would likely leave the bracket as is. UPDATE: A reader also pointed out that the committee could easily exchange Highland and Monte Vista in the pairings as well since the Huskies are closer to Wray and the Pirates would save miles by boing to Buena Vista.
CLASS 2A
#1 Eaton vs #16 Kent Denver
#8 Bayfield vs #9 Elizabeth
#4 Delta vs #13 Alamosa
#5 Moffat County vs #12 University
#3 Classical Academy vs #14 Academy
#6 Severance vs #11 Platte Valley
#2 Resurrection Christian vs #15 Northfield
#7 Brush vs #10 Basalt
NOTES: The bracket in a true seeded format as shown above does not have a conference pairing in round one. Travel concerns involve Basalt to Brush and Elizabeth to Bayfield. Elizabeth and Basalt could be swapped in the pairings but Basalt to Bayfield is not an easy trip either so I’m guessing the committee would keep the bracket as is.
CLASS 3A
#1 Roosevelt vs #16 Steamboat Springs
#8 Pueblo South vs #9 Frederick
#4 Mead vs #13 Northridge
#5 Durango vs #12 Discovery Canyon
#3 Fort Morgan vs #14 Pueblo County
#6 Holy Family vs #11 Evergreen
#2 Lutheran vs #15 Thomas Jefferson
#7 Palisade vs #10 Pueblo East
NOTES: A change would be made to move Discovery Canyon away from a first round pairing with Durango since both clubs are in the same conference. The seeding committee likely chooses Evergreen to swap with DC since they are closer to Durango than Northridge. Otherwise, the pairings are in good shape.
CLASS 4A
First Round Byes
#1 Montrose
#2 Dakota Ridge
#3 Erie
#4 Pine Creek
#5 Palmer Ridge
#6 Loveland
#7 Chatfield
#8 Fountain Fort Carson
First Round
#9 Vista Ridge vs #24 Vista Peak (winner plays Fountain Fort Carson)
#10 Ponderosa vs #23 Aurora Central (winner plays Chatfield)
#11 Golden vs #22 Cheyenne Mountain (winner plays Loveland)
#12 Bear Creek vs #21 Brighton (winner plays Palmer Ridge)
#13 Pueblo West vs #20 Skyline (winner plays Pine Creek)
#14 Fruita Monument vs #19 Windsor (winner plays Erie)
#15 Denver South vs #18 Longmont (winner plays Dakota Ridge)
#16 Mesa Ridge vs #17 Broomfield (winner plays Montrose)
NOTES: The bracket true seeded lays out nicely without the need of any changes. The top eight teams receive first round byes with teams seeded 9-16 hosting a first round game.
CLASS 5A
First Round Byes
#1 Valor Christian
#2 Cherry Creek
#3 Legend
#4 Ralston Valley
#5 Arapahoe
#6 Regis
#7 Grandview
#8 Pomona
First Round
#9 Columbine vs #24 Far Northeast
#10 ThunderRidge vs #23 Fossil Ridge
#11 Arvada West vs #22 Lakewood
#12 Legacy vs #21 Mountain Vista
#13 Cherokee Trail vs #20 Douglas County
#14 Smoky Hill vs #19 Fairview
#15 Fort Collins vs #18 Castle View
#16 Chaparral vs #17 Mullen
NOTES: There would be one change in this bracket as Lakewood would be moved away from a first round pairing from Arvada West since they are both in the Jeffco. The Tigers could be moved up or down one spot and trade places with either Fossil Ridge or Mountain Vista.
