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# Playoff Picture: Division I football
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/playoff-picture-division-football/
- Published: 2016-09-22T15:00:01.000Z
- Updated: 2016-09-22T15:00:01.000Z
- Description: It's a rivalry weekend across Division I football, and while the communities involved in each of those games will be psyched up for a big night on Friday, perhaps the biggest game of weekend takes place late Saturday afternoon. That's when undefeated Goffstown and undefeated Bedford meet for a 5 p.m
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, football, playoff picture, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

It's a rivalry weekend across Division I football, and while the communities involved in each of those games will be psyched up for a big night on Friday, perhaps the biggest game of weekend takes place late Saturday afternoon.

That's when undefeated Goffstown and undefeated Bedford meet for a 5 p.m. kickoff on the turf.

These two programs were arguably the two best in the state last year, as Goffstown's championship included two close wins over Bedford, the only two losses the Bulldogs suffered all year.

In fact, of the 23 combined games the teams played in last year, only four times was the game decided by less than two scores: when they played each other, and when each played Bishop Guertin.

This year, Bedford was expected to be back among the top teams in the state, and has held the No. 1 spot in the Union Leader/ESPN NH power poll all season. Goffstown, which lost a ton of seniors from a year ago, was not, and the Grizzlies have survived injuries this year to get to this point.

The winner will have the inside track on the top spot in the North Conference and the top seed that comes with it.

Here's a look at how Division I would look if the playoffs started this week.

## East/West Cluster

### East Conference

1. x-Exeter (3-0), 11.33 rating
2. x-Dover (2-1), 9.33
3. x-Portsmouth (2-1), 7.33
4. Winnacunnet (1-2), 3.33
5. Spaulding (0-3), 0.00

### West Conference

1. x-Bishop Guertin (3-0), 12.00
2. Nashua North (2-1), 6.67
3. Nashua South (2-1), 6.67
4. Keene (0-3), 0.00
5. Alvirne (0-3), 0.00

**Playoff teams:** Bishop Guertin, Dover, Exeter, Portsmouth.

**Quarterfinals:** No. 4 Portsmouth at No. 1 Bishop Guertin; No. 3 Dover at No. 2 Exeter.

**Scenarios:** Bishop Guertin is the top team right now because it has a higher rating than Exeter. Dover is the third seed over Portsmouth because it has a higher rating; the Green Wave also holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.

**Games to watch this week:** Nashua North at Nashua South, Friday, 7 p.m.; Exeter at Winnacunnet, Friday, 7 p.m.

## North/South Cluster

### North Conference

1. x-Bedford (3-0), 12.00
2. x-Goffstown (3-0), 11.33
3. Manchester Central (1-2), 3.33
4. Concord (1-2), 3.33
5. Manchester Memorial (0-3), 0.00

### South Conference

1. x-Salem (3-0), 12.00
2. x-Merrimack (2-1), 7.33
3. Pinkerton (1-2), 4.00
4. Timberlane (1-2), 3.33
5. Londonderry (0-3), 0.00

**Playoff teams:** Bedford, Goffstown, Merrimack, Salem.

**Quarterfinal matchups:** No. 4 Merrimack at No. 1 Bedford; No. 3 Goffstown at No. 2 Salem.

**Scenarios:** Bedford gets the top spot in the North over Goffstown based on rating. Bedford and Salem are currently tied for the No. 1 seed.

**Games to watch this week:** Goffstown at Bedford, Saturday, 5 p.m.; Merrimack at Concord, Saturday, 1 p.m.; Pinkerton at Londonderry, Friday, 7 p.m.