After weeks of anticipation, playoff season has arrived in high school football and from here on out, it’s win or go home.
Nineteen of the 31 football teams in the CSM coverage area qualified for the postseason with the Big 12 leading area conferences in playoff qualifiers with five. Of those 19 qualifiers, 11 of them are playing first-round matchups at home this week as the higher seed.
In Week 9, Washington (Mid-Illini) and Normal Community (Big 12) secured back-to-back seasons finishing unbeaten in conference play while Tri-Valley (Heart of Central Illinois Large) and Farmington (Lincoln Trail/Prairieland Large) were outright title winners as well. Normal U-High finished in a three-way tie with Rochester and Chatham Glenwood atop the Central State Eight East.
The rankings are split up between small schools and large schools with teams from the Mid-Illini and Big 12 making up the large schools while every other area school falls into the small school rankings. Other teams receiving consideration are listed as well.