New changes for football playoffs

Rick Patrick, ECB Publishing, Inc.

In a continuing effort to make the high school football season more competitive, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has announced a few changes to the football playoff system. Last year, the FHSAA instituted a point system for determining playoff participation for teams in Class 1A. This year, the point system remains, with some minor changes.
The first change is that teams will be rewarded a potential greater number of points for scheduling more challenging opponents. The points awarded for winning games remains the same as last season. However, the points for losing games to better opponents has changed. For instance, if a team loses to an opponent who wins more than 80 percent of their games, that losing team is awarded 35 points. If a team defeats another team that wins less than 39 percent of their games, they get the same 35 points. Up to three bonus points are awarded for each opponent played that participated in the playoffs during the previous two years. Three bonus points can also be awarded for scheduling teams that were listed in the top 25 end of the year MaxPreps or USA Today final expert football rankings. A maximum of three points per game can be awarded. So, a team can get more points by losing to a better team than by beating a weaker team.
Another change is in the number of teams participating in the playoffs. Whereas last season, the top four teams (based on point totals) from each region were in the playoffs, this year the top six teams (based on point totals) will be in the playoffs. At the end of the regular season, the top two teams from each region will receive a first-round bye. In the first round, the number three seeded team will host the number six team. The number four seeded team will host the number five team. In the second round, the number one seed will host the lowest remaining seed team. The number two seed team will host the next lowest remaining seed team.
Jefferson Somerset remains in Region Two for Class 1A. The other seven teams in Region Two include: Blountstown, Cottondale, Franklin County, Liberty County, Port St. Joe, Sneads and Wewahitchka.