Playoff Picture: Football (Sept. 30)

With the calendar flipping from September to October this weekend, the midway point of the 2022 football season is here.

Going into Friday night, every team in the state has played at least three games, and the playoff picture is, at the very least, starting to develop. Here is where every team and every division stands before 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

1. Londonderry (3-0, 15.3333)
2. Pinkerton (3-1, 8.5000)
3. Concord (3-1, 8.0000)
4. Windham (3-3, 5.5000)
5. Salem (1-3, 2.5000)
6. Manchester Central (0-3, 0.0000)
7. Alvirne (0-4, 0.0000)

East Conference

1. Spaulding (3-0, 12.6667)
2. Exeter (3-0, 12.0000)
3. Timberlane (3-1, 8.0000)
4. Dover (2-1, 6.6667)
5. Portsmouth-Oyster River (2-2, 5.0000)
6. Manchester Memorial (0-3. 0.0000)
7. Winnacunnet (0-4, 0.0000)

West Conference

1. Bishop Guertin (4-0, 12.5000)
2. Nashua North (4-0, 11.5000)
3. Bedford (2-1, 7.3333)
4. Merrimack (2-1, 6.6667)
5. Keene (1-3, 2.5000)
6. Goffstown (0-4, 0.0000)
7. Nashua South (0-4, 0.0000)

Tiebreakers

• Concord wins the tiebreaker with Timberlane thanks to a better football rating in road games within the division.
• Merrimack wins the tiebreaker with Dover thanks to a better football rating in road games within the division.

First-round byes

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

First-round matchups

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

1. Gilford-Belmont (4-0, 13.5000)
2. Bow (3-1, 10.0000)
3. St. Thomas (3-1, 10.0000)
4. Plymouth (3-1, 9.5000)
5. Kennett (2-2, 6.0000)
6. Merrimack Valley (2-2, 5.5000)
7. Sanborn (1-3, 3.0000)
8. Pembroke (1-3, 3.0000)
9. Laconia (1-3, 2.5000)

West Conference

1. Pelham (4-0, 12.5000)
2. Hanover (4-0, 11.5000)
3. Souhegan (4-0, 11.5000)
4. Hillsboro-Deering/Hopkinton (1-3, 3.0000)
5. Hollis Brookline (1-3, 2.5000)
6. Manchester West (1-3, 2.5000)
7. Milford (1-3, 2.5000)
8. Lebanon (0-4, 0.0000)
9. John Stark (0-4, 0.0000)

Tiebreakers

• Souhegan Hanover
• Bow wins the tiebreaker with St. Thomas thanks to a better football rating against tournament teams.

First-round matchups

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

Division III

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

1. Trinity (4-0, 12.0000)
2. Campbell (4-0, 12.0000)
3. Monadnoack (3-1, 10.0000)
4. Fall Mountain (3-1, 9.5000)
5. Kearsarge (2-2, 5.0000)
6. Epping-Newmarket (2-2, 5.0000)
7. Stevens (1-3, 3.5000)
8. Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (1-3, 3.0000)
9. ConVal (0-4, 0.0000)*
10. Kingswood (0-4, 0.0000)*

*-ineligible for the playoffs in 2022

Tiebreakers

• Trinity wins the tiebreaker with Campbell thanks to a better football rating against tournament teams.

Semifinal matchups

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

Division IV

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

1. Newport (3-0, 11.3333)
2. Somersworth (3-0, 10.6667)
3. Bishop Brady (2-1, 8.0000)
4. Raymond (2-1, 7.3333)
5. Winnisquam (1-2, 4.6667)*
6. Newfound (1-2, 3.3333)
7. Franklin (0-3, 0.0000)
8. Mascoma Valley (0-3, 0.0000)

*-ineligible for the playoffs in 2022

Semifinal matchups

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