Playoff Picture: Football (Oct. 18)

There were a couple of signs last week that we're getting closer to a decision on what to do about postponed/cancelled football games in 2021.

Another source said over the weekend that it sounded like the football committee was leaning toward using football rating to seed all four divisions, which is what is typically done for every division except for Division I.

Either way, we are headed into the Week 8 of the football season with a little bit clearer picture of what the postseason will look like, whether games that haven't been played are made up or not.

In the time before COVID-19, I would put together scenarios on what each team needed to do in order to make the playoffs and where they might be seeded. In 2020, that wasn't the case because regular-season results were not counted for the open tournament. This year, given the uncertainty each week of which games will or won't be played, I will refrain from those predictions as well.

Here is where teams stand going into the next-to-last week of the regular season.

Division I

For the 2021 season, the division is divided into two clusters - East/North and West/South. The winner of each conference makes the playoffs and receives the top two seeds in each cluster, with the next two best teams from the cluster getting the final two spots. Playoff spots are determined by win/loss record, but due to COVID-19 causing the cancelation of some games, it is likely football rating will be used instead to determine the standings. These standings and matchups reflect that potential change.

East/North Cluster

East Conference

1. Winnacunnet (7-0, 16.5714)
2. Portsmouth-Oyster River (5-2, 9.1429)
3. Exeter (4-2, 8.6667)
4. Dover (3-4, 5.1429)
5. Spaulding (0-7, 0.0000)

North Conference

1. Bedford (5-2, 10.8571)
2. Goffstown (3-2, 9.2000)
3. Concord (3-4, 4.5714)
4. Manchester Central (1-3, 2.5000)
5. Manchester Memorial (0-5, 0.0000)

Playoff Matchups

• No. 4 Portsmouth-Oyster River at No. 1 Winnacunnet
• No. 3 Goffstown at No. 2 Bedford

This Week's Schedule

• Friday: Manchester Memorial at Spaulding, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday: Concord at Bedford, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Goffstown at Dover, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Exeter at Portsmouth, 7 p.m.
• Saturday: Manchester Central at Winnacunnet, 7 p.m.

West/South Cluster

West Conference

1. Bishop Guertin (5-2, 11.4286)
2. Keene (3-4, 5.4286)
3. Nashua North (3-4, 5.4286)
4. Merrimack (3-4, 5.1429)
5. Nashua South (2-5, 3.7143)

South Conference

1. Londonderry (7-0, 15.7143)
2. Pinkerton (6-1, 13.7143)
3. Salem (4-2, 9.6667)
4. Windham (1-6, 1.4286)
5. Alvirne (0-6, 0.0000)

Playoff Matchups

• No. 4 Salem at No. 1 Londonderry
• No. 3 Pinkerton at No. 2 Bishop Guertin

This Week's Schedule

• Thursday: Nashua North at Pinkerton, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Windham at Nashua South, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday: Londonderry at Salem, 7 p.m.
• Saturday: Merrimack at Keene, 1:30 p.m.
• Saturday: Alvirne at Bishop Guertin, 6:30 p.m.

Division II

The top two teams in each conference, based on point rating, get the top two seeds. The next six teams with the best point rating fill out the playoff field.

East Conference

1. Timberlane (7-0, 15.7143)
2. St. Thomas (6-1, 11.4286)
3. Plymouth (5-2, 8.5714)
4. Gilford-Belmont (4-2, 8.0000)
5. Sanborn (2-4, 3.667)
6. Kennett (1-4, 2.4000)
7. Merrimack Valley (1-6, 1.4286)
8. Pembroke (1-6, 1.4286)
9. Kingswood (0-7, 0.0000)

West Conference

1. Lebanon (6-0, 16.6667)
2. Milford (5-1, 13.0000)
3. Hanover (5-2, 10.2857)
4. Manchester West (4-2, 8.6667)
5. Souhegan (4-3, 8.5714)
6. Bow (2-3, 6.4000)
7. Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton (2-4, 3.6667)
8. Hollis Brookline (2-5, 3.4286)
9. John Stark (1-6, 1.7143)

Tiebreakers

• Souhegan wins the tiebreaker with Plymouth thanks to a better football rating against tournament teams.

Playoff Matchups

• No. 8 Plymouth at No. 1 Lebanon
• No. 5 Hanover at No. 4 St. Thomas
• No. 7 Souhegan at No. 2 Timberlane
• No. 6 Manchester West at No. 3 Milford

This Week's Schedule

• Friday: St. Thomas at Hollis Brookline, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Lebanon at Hanover, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Timberlane at Kingswood, 7 p.m.
• Saturday: Milford at Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton, 1 p.m.
• Saturday: Bow at John Stark, 1 p.m.
• Saturday: Merrimack Valley at Sanborn, 1:30 p.m.
• Saturday: Plymouth at Gilford-Belmont, 2 p.m.
• Saturday: Kennett at Pembroke, 2:30 p.m.
• Cancelled: Souhegan at Manchester West

Division III

The top four teams, based on point rating, will make the playoffs.

1. Pelham (6-0, 15.6667)
2. Trinity (6-0, 14.0000)
3. Campbell (5-2, 9.4286)
4. Kearsarge (4-2, 9.0000)
5. Monadnock (3-2, 8.0000)
6. Laconia (4-3, 6.8571)
7. Stevens (3-4, 4.5714)
8. Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (1-6, 1.4286)
9. Winnisquam (0-6, 0.0000)
10. ConVal (0-7, 0.0000)

Playoff Matchups

• No. 4 Kearsarge at No. 1 Pelham
• No. 3 Campbell at No. 2 Trinity

This Week's Schedule

• Friday: Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough at Kearsarge, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday: Campbell at Stevens, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Winnisquam at ConVal, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Trinity at Laconia, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Monadnock at Pelham, 7 p.m.

Division IV

The top four teams, based on point rating, will make the playoffs.

1. Newport (5-0, 15.6000)
2. Somersworth (5-1, 11.3333)
3. Epping-Newmarket (4-1, 11.2000)
4. Raymond (2-1, 8.6667)
5. Fall Mountain (3-3, 6.6667)
6. Mascoma Valley (3-3, 6.0000)
7. Bishop Brady (2-5, 3.1429)
8. Newfound (1-4, 2.0000)
9. Franklin (0-7, 0.0000)

Playoff Matchups

• No. 4 Raymond at No. 1 Newport
• No. 3 Epping-Newmarket at No. 2 Somersworth

This Week's Schedule

• Friday: Franklin at Fall Mountain, 7 p.m.
• Friday: Somersworth at Raymond, 7 p.m.
• Saturday: Newfound at Epping-Newmarket, 2 p.m.
• Saturday: Mascoma Valley at Newport, 2 p.m.
• Bye: Bishop Brady

Playoff Schedule

Saturday, Nov. 6

• Division I Quarterfinals at home of higher seed*
• Division II Quarterfinals at home of higher seed*
• Division III Semifinals at home of higher seed*
• Division IV Semifinals at home of higher seed*

Saturday, Nov. 13

• Division I Semifinals at home of higher seed*
• Division II Semifinals at home of higher seed*
• Division III Championship at TBD
• Division IV Championship at TBD

Saturday, Nov. 20

• Division I Championship at TBD
• Division II Championship at TBD

*Games may be moved to Friday night upon mutual agreement.