Playoff Picture: Division I football

When the regular season is only nine games long, it's never too early to start thinking of the playoffs. Here's where the teams in Division I football stand after six weeks.

Note: The NHIAA will be using head-to-head results as the first tiebreaker for postseason qualification, but because not every team has played each other yet, football rating is used here, unless otherwise noted.

East/South Cluster

East Conference

1. Exeter (6-0, 14.67)
2. Winnacunnet (3-3, 8.33)
3. Portsmouth (1-5, 1.67)
4. Dover (1-5, 1.67)
5. Spaulding (0-6, 0.0)

South Conference

1. Pinkerton (5-1, 12.00)
2. Salem (4-2, 9.33)
3. Timberlane (4-2, 9.00)
4. Merrimack (4-2, 8.00)
5. Londonderry (2-4, 4.00)

Conference winners: Exeter and Pinkerton. Next two: Salem and Timberlane.

Quarterfinals: Salem at Pinkerton; Timberlane at Exeter. No change here at all, although Winnacunnet made things a lot more interesting with its upset of Pinkerton. Merrimack also remains in the mix, but is going to have to win some big games to end the season, starting Friday at Salem.

Key games this week: Timberlane at Pinkerton; Merrimack at Salem.

West/North Cluster

West Conference

1. Nashua North (4-2, 9.67)
2. Bishop Guertin (4-2, 8.67)
3. Keene (2-4, 3.33)
4. Nashua South (2-4, 3.33)
5. Alvirne (0-6, 0.0)

North Conference

1. Goffstown (6-0, 15.33)
2. Bedford (5-1, 12.33)
3. Manchester Central (4-2, 8.33)
4. Concord (3-3, 7.00)
5. Manchester Memorial (0-6, 0.0)

Conference winners: Goffstown and Nashua North. Next two: Bedford and Bishop Guertin.

Quarterfinals: Bishop Guertin at Goffstown; Bedford at Nashua North. Same teams, same matchups as last week, just different locations. North and Bishop Guertin will determine who gets the lead in the conference, while Central could slip back into the field with a win.

Key games this week: Nashua North at Bishop Guertin; Goffstown at Manchester Central; Bedford at Concord.