Playoff Picture: Division I Football (Oct. 3)

The season is past the midpoint, and just two undefeated teams remain in Division I, one in each cluster.

What are the chances that the two teams meet in the championship game?

Well, it would be just the second time under the current format that two unbeaten teams would make the D1 final, with the previous one in 2014 when Pinkerton beat Bedford.

This year, Bedford has looked unbeatable in the North/West cluster, having allowed a total of 17 points all season, including shutouts in its last two games. This week, the Bulldogs play a Nashua South (2-3) team that's lost two in a row, followed by two games against Bishop Guertin and Keene, which are a combined 2-8 this year.

The season finale against Merrimack (4-1) could be the mostly likely spot in the regular season for a Bedford loss, as the Tomahawks have been stingy on defense as well. In its four wins, Merrimack has allowed less than six points per game, and in its one loss - a 21-8 setback against Manchester Central - the Tomahawks turned the ball over six times and only gave up three scores.

In the South/East cluster, Winnacunnet is riding an 18-game win streak that dates back to 2016, but the Warriors are hitting the toughest part of their schedule to end the season.

Starting with last week's game against Exeter - a 21-7 win for the Warriors - Winnacunnet faces the best the South Conference has to offer, starting with a road game at Londonderry on Friday. Then its a home game against Salem, a trip to Timberlane, and a rematch of last year's championship game against Pinkerton in the finale.

Here’s what the D1 postseason would look like if the playoffs started this week.

South/East Cluster

East Conference

1. Winnacunnet (5-0), 12.8000
2. Exeter (2-3), 5.2000
3. Dover (2-3), 4.4000
4. Portsmouth (1-4), 2.0000
5. Spaulding (0-5), 0.0000

South Conference

1. Pinkerton (4-1), 11.2000
2. Londonderry (4-1), 11.2000
3. Salem (4-1), 11.2000
4. Windham (2-3), 4.8000
5. Timberlane (1-4), 2.4000

Tiebreakers

• Pinkerton wins the three-way tiebreaker with Londonderry and Salem thanks to a better football rating in road games against division opponents.
• Londonderry wins the tiebreaker with Salem thanks to a head-to-head victory.

Playoff teams: Pinkerton, Winnacunnet, Londonderry, Salem.

Quarterfinal matchups: No. 4 Salem at No. 1 Pinkerton; No. 3 Londonderry at No. 2 Winnacunnet.

Games to watch: Winnacunnet at Londonderry, Friday, 7 p.m.; Windham at Salem, Friday, 7 p.m.

North/West Cluster

North Conference

1. Bedford (5-0), 14.8000
2. Manchester Central (3-2), 8.400
3. Concord (3-2), 7.6000
4. Goffstown (2-3), 5.2000
5. Manchester Memorial (0-5), 0.0000

West Conference

1. Nashua North (4-1), 10.8000
2. Merrimack (4-1), 10.0000
3. Nashua South (2-3), 4.8000
4. Bishop Guertin (1-4), 2.4000
5. Keene (1-4), 2.0000

Playoff teams: Bedford, Nashua North, Merrimack, Manchester Central.

Quarterfinals: No. 4 Manchester Central at No. 1 Bedford; No. 3 Merrimack at No. 2 Nashua North.

Games to watch: Goffstown at Manchester Central, Friday, 7:15 p.m.; Bedford at Nashua South, Friday, 6:30 p.m.