Playoff Picture: Division I Football (Sept. 18)

Don't look now, but with three weeks in the books, the high school football season is already a third of the way over.

Five undefeated teams remain in Division I, but that number will drop to three, and maybe even two, after this week with a pair of huge games on the schedule Friday.

The biggest game of the weekend takes place in Londonderry, as the Lancers (3-0) will host Pinkerton (3-0) in this year's edition of Mack Plaque weekend. The series has been dominated by the Astros, especially of late, as they've won the last 19 meetings going back to 2001. The winner will be up at least a game in the South Conference.

On the other side of the division, Manchester Central (3-0) will host Nashua North (2-1) in a game that should have big playoff implications. Meanwhile, Nashua South (2-1) will host Merrimack (2-1) in another game where the loser could be on the outside of the postseason picture.

Here's a look at what the D1 postseason would look like if the playoff started this week.

South/East Cluster

East Conference

1. Winnacunnet (3-0), 12.0000
2. Dover (1-2), 3.3333
3. Exeter (1-2), 3.3333
4. Portsmouth (0-3), 0.0000
5. Spaulding (0-3), 0.0000

South Conference

1. Londonderry (3-0), 11.3333
2. Pinkerton (3-0), 11.3333
3. Windham (2-1), 7.3333
4. Salem (2-1), 7.3333
5. Timberlane (0-3), 0.0000

Tiebreakers

• Londonderry wins the tiebreaker with Pinkerton thanks to more wins on the road against divisional opponents.
• Windham wins the tiebreaker with Salems thanks to better rating on the road against divisional opponents.

Playoff teams: Winnacunnet, Londonderry, Pinkerton, Windham.

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

Games to watch: Pinkerton at Londonderry, Friday, 7 p.m.; Windham at Exeter, Friday, 7 p.m.; Winnacunnet at Dover, Friday, 7 p.m.

North/West Cluster

North Conference

1. Bedford (3-0), 12.6667
2. Manchester Central (3-0), 12.000
3. Concord (2-1), 8.0000
4. Manchester Memorial (0-3), 0.0000
5. Goffstown (0-3), 0.0000

West Conference

1. Nashua South (2-1), 7.3333
2. Nashua North (2-1), 6.6667
3. Merrimack (2-1), 2.6667
4. Keene (1-2), 3.3333
5. Bishop Guertin (0-3), 0.0000

Playoff teams: Bedford, Nashua South, Manchester Central, Concord.

Quarterfinals: No. 4 Concord at No. 1 Bedford; No. 3 Manchester Central at No. 2 Nashua South.

Games to watch: Merrimack at Nashua South, Friday, 7 p.m.; Nashua North at Manchester Central, Friday, 7:15 p.m.; Concord at Goffstown, Saturday, 1:30 p.m.