Monday Mailbag: strictly playoff football

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

This week’s Monday Mailbag features questions about the timeline of playoff expansion, playoff qualifiers and non-qualifiers, the current playoff format, and two games, one stadium.

Q: Can you explain how the football playoffs have expanded over the years? I know when they began back in the early 1970s, very few teams got in. Name withheld upon request

A: I’ll try. When the playoffs began in 1972, there were three classes: AAA, AA and A, and just four teams, the regional champions from each classification, were awarded a playoff spot. That was it. There were two semifinal games then the state championship game in each class. A lot of very good teams were left out, including some 10-0 teams. Strength of schedule was huge back then.

• In 1980, the OHSAA went to five divisions and took the top two teams per region, meaning there were regional championship games, the state semifinals and the state title games.
• In 1985, the playoffs expanded to four teams per region.
• In 1994, the OHSAA added Division VI.
• In 1999, the playoffs expanded to eight teams per region.
• Division VII came along in 2013.
• The expansion to 16 teams per region was approved in 2021.

So when the playoffs began in 1972, there were 12 qualifying teams. Now, 448 teams get in each season.

I hope this helps you.

Q: Can you tell me how Delphos St. John’s finishes 4-6 and misses the playoffs but Parkway gets in with a 2-8 record? That doesn’t make sense to me. Name withheld upon request

A: The key win for Parkway was over 9-1 North Central in week No. 2. That gave the Panthers a ton of second level points. The other win over St. Henry (3-7). didn’t hurt either. There’s one more thing – Region 24 isn’t as strong as it has been in the past.

Region 26 is much stronger, at least on paper. Every single playoff qualifier is above .500. Two of the wins by Delphos St. John’s came against a pair of 1-9 teams and a third win, ironically, was against Parkway. Not many second level points there. The other victory was over Lima Central Catholic (6-3).

Q: What are your thoughts on changing the football playoff format to exclude any team with a losing record? If you can’t win at least six games, you don’t belong in the playoffs, right? Name withheld upon request

A: If you do that, it’s going to eliminate a substantial number of teams, and that’s not going to happen. There are exceptions – what about a 4-6 MAC team that played a typically brutal schedule?

To be clear – I’m not a fan of the expanded playoff format. Yes, I realize that teams from all other sports qualify for the postseason but football is different and honestly, I cringe when I see some of these matchups. I do understand it gives more teams a chance to qualify for the playoffs, but at what cost?

Bottom line – this format isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Q: What happens if two teams play in the same stadium, yet all playoff games are on Friday night? Does one get bumped to Thursday or Saturday? Name withheld upon request

A: Those are possibilities and another is to switch to a different venue. Crestview is affected by this. The Knights will play Tiffin Calvert in the Region 26 opener on Friday. The Senecas play their home games at Frost-Kalnow Stadium, which is owned by the Tiffin City Schools and is the home of Tiffin Columbian Tornadoes. Columbian (Division III) has a game there Friday, so Calvert and Crestview will be played at Heidelberg College.

Not all teams have this luxury though so more often, the game is bumped to a different night.

As always, if you have a sports question or comment for the next Monday Mailbag, please email it to sports@thevwindependent.com.