Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association

2013-2014 STATE PLAYOFF PROPOSAL MISSION STATEMENT

Provide a Playoff Concept that the MIAA Football Committee can use that meets all the current and familiar standards the Eastern, Central and Western Massachusetts member schools are a accustomed to. The format will be flexible, create opportu nity for all schools and finish with a true State Champion in 6 divisions across the state. GOALS OF PROPOSAL

• Have a State Champion – in 6 Divisions • Maintain Leagues & Thanksgiving Day Games. • Increase Post-Season Opportunities for student-athletes in football. • Create Divisions based on Enrollment & Competitive Balance •ImproveSafety – Eliminate 3 games in 9 days. STRENGTH OF THE PLAN

• EhLEach League &Shl& School will de term ine its own schedule; Post-Season Games set for week 8 or 9 Non-Qualifiers - Against like opponent Opportunity for All • Junior Varsity & Freshman games scheduled before the season. • Multiple teams from each League can qualify for the playoffs •Travel limited to Sectional Area. • Revenue Sharing for all games after the qualification period. •No Tuesday night playoff games. • All State Championship Games held at Gillette Stadium. • Less Intrusive on Winter Sports, only 12 teams play after Thanksgiving vs 74. • This plan is a 2 year pilot. THE PLAN The Sections

NORTH 8 Playoff Qualifiers in each Division ¾ 6 Divisions ¾ D1 & D2 Approximately 12 teams per division * & ** ¾ D3, 2 Sections; Northwest & Northeast, 12 teams per division * & ** ¾ D4, D5 & D6 Approximately 16 teams per division * & **

SOUTH 8 Playoff Qualifiers in each Division ¾ 6 Divisions (1-6) ¾ D1 & D2 Approximately 12 teams per division * & ** ¾ D3, 2 S ecti ons; Sou thwes t & Sou theas t, 12 teams per div is ion * & ** ¾ D4, D5 & D6 Approximately 16 teams per division * & **

CENTRAL 8 Playoff Qualifiers in each Division ¾ 4 Divisions (2, 4, 5, 6) ¾ Approx ima tltely 13T13 Teams per diiidivision *

WEST 4 Playoff Qualifiers in each Division ¾ 4 Divisions (2, 4, 5, 6) ¾ Approximately 10 Teams per division *

* Division size is flexible and based on male enrollment.

** D1 (800+), D2 (800-625), D3 (625-400) D4 (400-300), D5 ( 300-200), D6 (200-0) THE PLAN The 2013 Season Calendar

Qualification Period - Weeks 1-7 Week 1 September 6/7 Week 2 September 13/14 Week 3 September 20/21 Week 4 September 27/28 Week 5 October 4/5 Week 6 October 11/12 Week 7 October 18/19 Post-Qualification Period Week 8 October 25/26 Playoffs/Re-scheduling Week 9 November 1/2 West Begins

Week 10 November 8/9 Sectional Championships

Week 11 November 15/16 Semi-Finals (only games) Wk12Week 12 Nb21November 21 Thanksgiving Day Games Week 13 November 30 State Championships THE PLAN The Post-Qualification Period Calendar

Wk8Week 8 Oct ob er 25/26 *Sectional Playoffs begin in the North, South & Central. • Seeding by Power Rating: 1vs.8, 2vs.7, 3vs.6, 4vs.5 • Higher seed is home team / Revenue split after expenses •Reeamainin gteasdso(og teams in division (non-qualifi er s) – sch edul ed by Sectional Scheduling Committee

Week 9 November 1/2 *Sectional Semi-Finals – Western Section begins Playoffs • Semi-Finals at the Higher Seed / Revenue split after expenses • Remaining teams, including first round losing teams scheduled by Sectional Scheduling Committee

Week 10 November 8/9 *Sectional Finals – Higher Seed is the Home Team • 22 Sectional Champppionship Games / Revenue split according to MIAA revenue plan • Trophy Awarded to Champion & Finalist • Remaining teams, including first & second round losing teams scheduled by Sectional Scheduling Committee THE PLAN The Post-Qualification Period Calendar

Week 11 November 15 (Friday) STATE SEMI-FINAL GAMES (North vs. South, Central vs. Western) • 10 Games – 1 D3 Nor theas t vs Nor thwes t, 1 D3 Sou theas t vs Southwest, 4 North vs South & 4 Central vs Western • MIAA – Selects neutral location /retains revenue • This date takes place of Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day Game (eliminates 3 games in 9 days)

Week 12 November 21 THANKSGIVING DAY GAMES • Thanksgiving Day Games as usual and end of the season for all but 12 teams in the state

Week 13 November 30 (Saturday) STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES • All 6 games at Gillette Stadium / MIAA retains revenue • A true SChiCState Champion Crowned • Same end date as current – No extension of season HOW TO QUALIFY All Sections

Sectional Flexibility These are our recommendations but we would defer to the appropriate MIAA Committees • Each Section will continue to set the qualification standards for playoff bids with approval from the MIAA Football Committee. • The objective for non-qualifiers will be to schedule similar level opponents. • Qualifying Teams will be placed in appropriate division by school enrollment. • All Sections will seed the playoff teams by Power Rating once they are selected. • The Sectional Scheduling Committees will schedule the non-qualifiers according to a formula with flexibility to prevent extra travel, repeat games, etc. HOW TO QUALIFY Specific Sectional Details

North & South Sections • The North and South sections will continue to provide an automatic playoff bid for each league. • Leagues with 5 or more teams they will receive 2 automatic berths. The remaining teams will be selected as “Wild Card” teams to complete the bracket by Power Rating. • Each League is responsible to forward its playoff team(s) to the MIAA. Leagues can dtdeterm ine thitheir own tibtiebrea ker po licy to select their qualifying teams or MIAA policy will be used as some leagues may not be settled by the end of the qualification period. • Teams on the border of the North/South sections could be switched to provide divisional balance. HOW TO QUALIFY Specific Sectional Details

Central & West Sections

• The Central and Western sections will continue to select their playoff qualifiers by Power Rating.

• The Central and Western sections will only compete in Divisions 2, 4, 5 and 6 per their request. NEW MECHANICS

Power Rating System • Each Team will have a Power Rating (PR). • We would defer to the MIAA for a universal system or sectional choice.

Wild Card System For North & South Sections Only • The Wild Card System is a way to complete the brackets if not filled by automatic league qualifiers. • Once the automatic qualifiers are placed into their divisions the open spots will be filled. • The Automatic Qualifiers will ggpet first preference when completing the brackets.

Sectional Scheduling Committees • OSOur recommendation is that the MHSFCA handles the scheduling of the non-qualifiers in the North and South.

• The Central and Western sections will establish committees to handle the scheduling of non- qualifies. SAMPLES

• Rating System

• Post-Qualification Schedule – 12 & 16 Team Divisions – Excel file attached POWER RATING Example

Each Section of the State (Eastern, Central & Western) will determine it’s own Power Rating System and this system will be used for all teams in that area. Formula The Power Rating System has two parts; your value & your opponents value. OWN VALUE 12 points for a win over a team in a higher division. 10 points for a win over a team in the same division. 8 points for a win over a team in a lower division. OPPONENTS VALUE 3 points for every win an opponent that you have beaten has. 1 points for every win an opponent that you lost to has. Ties are half the value (1.5/0.5) FINAL RATING (Own Value + Opponents Value)/ Number of games played