33 Annual Football Playoffs
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33RD ANNUAL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Rules and Regulations Introduction (9) MHSAA Handbook policies on inclement weather The 33rd Annual MHSAA Football Playoff Series will be (lightning and tornado specifically) shall be followed. The played Oct. 26-27, Nov. 2-3, 9 or 10, 17 and 23-24, 2007. It is game resumption delays may be extended by host the responsibility of each competing school to be familiar with schools as a tournament policy superseding the game the rules and regulations that follow. time and delay schedules used for regular season. Regu- The Representative Council has attempted to set up lar season games cancelled because of acts of God or emer- financial allowances for competing team expenses and for gency closing of facilities will not be counted unless they are schools hosting playoff games. It should be kept in mind that rescheduled and played before Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007. All participation in MHSAA tournaments is voluntary and that total games contracted before Sept. 28, 2007 and played before expenses of teams are not guaranteed. Cooperation of all Oct. 21, 2007 will count toward the playoffs even though the schools will assure an equitable return of funds to both enter- game may not have been reported to the MHSAA. taining and competing schools and will enable the MHSAA to (10) Students who transfer from one school to another and continue services to member schools and promote meets and are eligible immediately under one or more of the exceptions to tournaments in all sports. the transfer rule and eligible under all other regulations, are eligible for MHSAA tournaments only if they are reenrolled in Scoring System the new school (actual attendance in one or more classes and (1) Playoff points are earned as follows and are on the official records of the school) prior to Oct. 1 (fall sports). figured only on the basis of games played: Eligibility lists shall be treated the same as during the regular 80 points if you defeat a Class A team; season as in Regulation II, Section 4. 64 points if you defeat a Class B team; (11) Games forfeited for reasons including but not limited to: 48 points if you defeat a Class C team; 1) Use of an ineligible player 32 points if you defeat a Class D team. 2) Refusal to play for any reason will be recorded as a 40 points if you tie a Class A team; win for the aggrieved school and a loss for the offending 32 points if you tie a Class B team; school. All playoff and bonus points will be awarded even if 24 points if you tie a Class C team; the game was not played. 16 points if you tie a Class D team; 3) If a member school forfeits a varsity football contest and it is alleged by the opposing school that the forfeit is for All varsity football games involving MHSAA member schools reasons other than health or risk issues or other compelling must result in a win or loss. Varsity games ending regulation circumstances but rather to avoid competition, the forfeiting play in a tie score must be decided by the MHSAA-approved school principal, athletic director and head coach must appear overtime procedures. Sub-varsity games will not use the tie- before the Executive Committee to show cause why other breaking procedure. sanctions should not be applied to the forfeiting school. (2) Bonus points are earned as follows and are figured only (12) Prearranged league games will be figured into the scor- on the basis of games played: ing if designated prior to Sept. 28. Games played after Satur- 8 bonus points are earned for each game one of the opponents day, Oct. 20, 2007 will not be figured into the 2007 playoff you defeated wins. scoring. Leagues and conferences engaged in crossover mat- 4 bonus points are earned for each game one of the opponents chups must submit to the MHSAA office prior to the start of the you defeated ties. regular season, the exact method of matching teams in cros- 4 bonus points are earned for each game one of the opponents sover games. you tied wins. (13) Out-of-state games played before the selection of Pre- 1 bonus point is earned for each game one of the opponents District qualifiers will be limited to a maximum of nine (9) you tied ties. games. Whenever a Michigan school or a school playing a 1 bonus point is awarded when an opponent who defeated you Michigan team appears on the schedule of an out-of-state wins. (No points for your defeat to the opponent.) team after the ninth date on that schedule, the last game(s) (3) Add the playoff points and write as a fraction. The sum which does not otherwise contribute bonus points to a Michi- of the playoff points is the numerator and the number of games gan school shall be deleted from the schedule. played is the denominator. (14) Out-of-state schools playing more than nine games con- (4) Add the bonus points for each opponent separately and tinuing beyond Michigan’s final regular season date will not write as a fraction. The bonus points of the opposing team are have those final game/games bonus points counted for Michi- the numerator and the number of games played by that oppo- gan playoff standings. nent is the denominator. Then add these two fractions for a (15) Schools may play the same opponent more than once total. (After adding the fractions, adjust to a decimal number during the season and receive separate playoff and bonus to the nearest thousandth (92.8888 will become 92.889) to point totals for each game. determine the playoff average.) (16) Schools are responsible for reporting weekly (5) Varsity games only are to be counted. Non-varsity win/loss records to the MHSAA. Also, schools are responsi- games are not recorded. ble for knowing their playoff total and average score. If a dis- (6) Schools may continue to choose to play at any higher crepancy occurs, the MHSAA is to be notified by the aggrieved classification in football, but must do so by April 15. Enrollment school before 4:30 p.m. Thursday of that week. Changes figures for schools opting to play in a higher classification will made after 4:30 p.m. Thursday may not be reflected in the next be set at the midpoint enrollment for the higher classification. release of team standings. Playoff points will be based on the higher classification. (17) After the first week of competition football averages as (7) Out-of-state opponents are classified on the basis of determined by MHSAA systems will be released not later than Michigan classification. each Wednesday. It is the intention of the MHSAA to publish (8) The number of points a team scores against an oppo- names of schools in position to qualify for the playoffs by their nent has no bearing on the playoff point system. team record and/or playoff average. School enrollments and (3) Changes in home and away designations and oppo- number of scheduled games will be included in the report. nents within a Pre-District may be made no later than 10 a.m. (18) Once qualifying teams are publicized Selection Sunday Monday, Oct. 22, if they are the result of MHSAA clerical error. (Oct. 21, 2007), if it is discovered that a qualifying team used Unless teams mutually agree to a different time, Pre- an ineligible player during the regular season and the forfeiture District games scheduled on Saturday, Oct. 27, shall be at of that game(s) would have caused that qualifying team to not 7 p.m. or, where host facilities lack lights, at 2:30 pm. qualify, that team will be withdrawn from the Playoffs but no (4) In the second week of playoffs the Pre-District winner team will replace it. That team’s scheduled Pre-District oppo- with the highest playoff average will host the District cham- nent will receive a ‘bye’ and advance in the bracket. If it is pionship game. discovered that a non-qualifying team used an ineligible player, (5) When the distance between competing schools is within no changes will be made in qualifying teams, their seeding or 75 miles, the host school will determine the day and time of home and away designations. game. Games may be played at 7 or 7:30 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon or 7 or 7:30 p.m. Saturday. If the distance Reporting Procedure between schools is over 75 miles, agreement as to date and Each home team is responsible for entering their time must be made by both schools. If agreement is not own win/loss on the MHSAA Web site within one hour reached, the game must be played Saturday afternoon. after game. (6) An alternate site mutually agreed upon by the principals of the competing schools may be used at any time. Selection Process (7) Schools listed as being on a probationary status with no There will be 256 teams selected to participate in a five- hosting or reimbursement privileges may not host any level of week playoff in 8 separate divisions. A minimum of seven competition and will not receive any share of competition re- games must be played to be declared a qualifier. Qualifiers ceipts or reimbursement for participation. will be selected as follows: (1) All schools finishing with six or more wins playing a Regional Game Hosts nine-game schedule, and schools with five or more wins play- (1) Regional championship games will be hosted by the ing an eight or seven-game schedule will qualify automatically District winner with the highest regular season playoff average.