Playoff Picture: Football (Oct. 6)

This weekend's football schedule features a matchup in Division I that hasn't been seen during the regular season in quite some time.

Under the previous format, teams were separated into two clusters for scheduling purposes, with 10 teams to a side. Since teams from either side didn't play during the regular season, that meant the championship game was not only between two teams who hadn't played yet, they also didn't have any common opponents.

But Friday night will feature a game between teams that are currently Nos. 1 and 2 in the playoff standings, giving the state its first potential championship game preview in D1 in the regular season since 2012, when Bishop Guertin goes to Londonderry for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

There is still a lot of football left to be played after this week, but that game will go a long way to determining the top seed in the postseason.

Here is where every team and every division stand going into this weekend's games.

Division I

In 2022, the top team in each conference, determined by football rating, will receive the top three seeds and get a first-round bye. The remaining 10 playoff spots will be determined by football rating and seeded 4-13.

Central Conference

Team (record, rating, last week)

1. Londonderry (4-0, 15.0000, 1st)
2. Pinkerton (4-1, 9.6000, 6th)
3. Concord (3-1, 8.0000, 7th)
4. Windham (3-2, 6.4000, 12th)
5. Salem (1-4, 2.0000)
6. Manchester Central (0-4, 0.0000)
7. Alvirne (0-5, 0.0000)

East Conference

Team (record, rating, last week)

1. Spaulding (3-1, 10.0000, 2nd)
2. Timberlane (4-1, 10.0000, 8th)
3. Exeter (3-1, 9.0000, 4th)
4. Dover (3-1, 9.0000, 11th)
5. Portsmouth-Oyster River (2-3, 4.4000, 13th)
6. Manchester Memorial (1-3. 4.0000)
7. Winnacunnet (0-5, 0.0000)

West Conference

Team (record, rating, last week)

1. Bishop Guertin (5-0, 12.8000, 3rd)
2. Nashua North (5-0, 11.6000, 5th)
3. Merrimack (3-1, 8.0000, 10th)
4. Bedford (3-1, 8.0000, 9th)
5. Keene (1-4, 2.0000)
6. Goffstown (0-5, 0.0000)
7. Nashua South (0-5, 0.0000)

Tiebreakers

• Spaulding wins the tiebreaker with Timberlane thanks to a better rating against tournament teams.
• Exeter wins the tiebreaker with Dover thanks to a better rating in road games against divisional opponents.
• In a three-way tiebreaker, Merrimack and Concord finish ahead of Bedford thanks to a better rating in road games against divisional opponents.
• Concord wins the tiebreaker with Merrimack thanks to having more home wins against all opponents.

First-round byes (changes in bold)

• No. 1 Londonderry
• No. 2 Bishop Guertin
• No. 3 Spaulding

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Concord at No. 8 Dover
• No. 13 Portsmouth-Oyster River at No. 4 Nashua North
• No. 12 Windham at No. 5 Timberlane
• No. 10 Merrimack at No. 7 Exeter
• No. 11 Bedford at No. 6 Pinkerton

Division II

The top seed in each conference, determined by football rating, will receive the top two seeds. The remaining six playoff spots will be determined by football rating and seeded 3-8.

East Conference

Team (record, rating, last week)

1. Gilford-Belmont (5-0, 14.4000, 1st)
2. Bow (4-1, 11.2000, 5th)
3. St. Thomas (3-2, 8.4000, 6th)
4. Plymouth (3-2, 8.0000, 7th)
5. Kennett (3-2, 7.6000, 8th)
6. Pembroke (2-3, 5.6000)
7. Merrimack Valley (2-3, 4.8000)
8. Sanborn (1-4, 2.4000)
9. Laconia (1-4, 2.0000)

West Conference

Team (record, rating, last week)

1. Souhegan (5-0, 12.8000, 4th)
2. Pelham (6-0, 12.3333, 2nd)*
3. Hanover (5-0, 12.0000, 3rd)
4. Milford (2-3, 4.8000)
5. Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton (1-4, 2.4000)
6. John Stark (1-4, 2.4000)
7. Hollis Brookline (1-4, 2.0000)
8. Manchester West (1-4, 2.0000)
9. Lebanon (0-6, 0.0000)*

*-Lebanon has forfeited this week's game against Pelham.

First-round matchups (changes in bold)

• No. 8 Kennett at No. 1 Gilford-Belmont
• No. 5 Bow at No. 4 Hanover
• No. 7 Plymouth at No. 2 Souhegan
• No. 6 St. Thomas at No. 3 Pelham

Division III

The top four teams in the division, determined by football rating, will make the playoffs and be seeded 1-4.

Team (record, rating, last week)

1. Trinity (5-0, 14.0000, 1st)
2. Monadnoack (4-1, 11.2000, 3rd)
3. Campbell (4-1, 10.4000, 2nd)
4. Fall Mountain (4-1, 9.6000, 4th)
5. Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (2-3, 5.6000)
6. Stevens (2-3, 5.6000)
7. Kearsarge (2-3, 4.0000)
8. Epping-Newmarket (2-3, 4.0000)
9. ConVal (0-5, 0.0000)*
10. Kingswood (0-5, 0.0000)*

*-ineligible for the playoffs in 2022

Semifinal matchups (changes in bold)

• No. 4 Fall Mountain at No. 1 Trinity
• No. 3 Campbell at No. 2 Monadnock

Division IV

The top four teams in the division, determined by football rating, will make the playoffs and be seeded 1-4.

Team (record, rating, last week)

1. Somersworth (4-0, 12.0000, 2nd)
2. Bishop Brady (3-1, 9.5000, 3rd)
3. Newport (3-1, 9.0000, 1st)
4. Raymond (3-1, 8.5000, 4th)
5. Winnisquam (2-2, 6.5000)*
6. Newfound (1-3, 2.5000)
7. Franklin (0-4, 0.0000)
8. Mascoma Valley (0-4, 0.0000)

*-ineligible for the playoffs in 2022

Semifinal matchups (changes in bold)

• No. 4 Raymond at No. 1 Somersworth
• No. 3 Newport at No. 2 Bishop Brady