Class 8a Playoff Clinchers Entering Week Nine

[NNFAN]

Updated/fixed: Now that we know all 5-4 teams make the playoffs, these 26 teams have locked up spots in class 8a. Here goes...

1 Loyola (playing up 8a)
2 South Elgin
3 Neuqua Valley
4 Lockport
5 Maine South
6 York
7 Gurnee Warren
8 Glenbrook South
9 Hinsdale Central
10 Glenbard West
11 Oswego East
12 Oswego
13 LWE
14 Marist
15 Plainfield North
16 O'Fallon
17 Bolingbrook
18 Naper North
19 Palatine
20 Naper Central
21 New Trier
22 Chicago Taft
23 Evanston
24 Glenbard East
25 Glenbard North
26 Edwardsville

* Bubble teams: Sandburg (4-4 has 42 playoff points and plays LWC), Minooka (4-4 has 39 PP and plays W Aurora), OPRF (4-4 has 39 PP and plays York), HF (4-4 has 37 PP and plays LWW), Lyons (4-4 has 37 PP and plays DGN), Bartlett (4-4 has 35 PP and plays East Aurora).

 

[QBcoachMell]

what do you think the playoff point cut off will be?

 

[GhostOfTheGhhost]

These are the 21 teams that have locked up spots in class 8a. Here goes...

1 Loyola (playing up 8a)
2 South Elgin
3 Neuqua Valley
4 Lockport
5 Maine South
6 York
7 Gurnee Warren
8 Glenbrook South
9 Hinsdale Central
10 Glenbard West
11 Oswego East
12 Oswego
13 LWE
14 Marist
15 Plainfield North
16 O'Fallon
17 Bolingbrook
18 Naper North
19 Palatine
20 Naper Central
21 New Trier

* Glenbard East (2264) and Glenbard North (2237) are on the 7a/8a bubble. They are also in. If Chicago Taft participates in the playoffs they would be in 8a. Some bubble teams... Evanston (5-3 most likely in), Edwardsville (5-3 playoff points bubble), HF (4-4 plays LWW), Lyons (4-4 plays DGN), Bartlett (4-4 plays East Aurora), Sandburg (4-4 plays LWC) and Rich Twp. (4-4 has forfeited last three games).

IF Chicago Taft participates in the playoffs? Why wouldn't they? Do you have some hot CPL inside information? Do tell!

 

[lurker74]

Some bubble teams... Evanston (5-3 most likely in), Edwardsville (5-3 playoff points bubble)

I've read from many people here that there almost certainly will be 4-5 playoff teams this year. If true, 5-3 teams aren't on the bubble, they are in.

 

[shep99]

I've read from many people here that there almost certainly will be 4-5 playoff teams this year. If true, 5-3 teams aren't on the bubble, they are in.

All 5-4 will make it. A few 4-5 will make it. Cutoff will be around 4-5 and 48 pts. Could go lower if some 4-4 teams with low points get upset this week.

 

[NNFAN]

I've read from many people here that there almost certainly will be 4-5 playoff teams this year. If true, 5-3 teams aren't on the bubble, they are in.

I have corrected the OP to include all 5-4 teams. As recently as 2018, there were 18 5-4 teams that didn't qualify.

 

[NNFAN]

All 5-4 will make it. A few 4-5 will make it. Cutoff will be around 4-5 and 48 pts. Could go lower if some 4-4 teams with low points get upset this week.

Help me out here, shep... what makes this year different from all others?

* The last time a team with a 4-5 record made the playoffs was eight years ago (2014), when conference champion (Chicago Payton) finished 4-5.

* Historically... playoff point cutoff has been between 35-40 points over the last twenty years.

Is it because of forfeits, or the fact that only Chicago Public League "Illini" divisions are eligible?

 

[NNFAN]

IF Chicago Taft participates in the playoffs? Why wouldn't they? Do you have some hot CPL inside information? Do tell!

I updated the OP to include Taft. They are in the Illini division, which is eligible for the IHSA playoffs.

 

[RockSoup]

Help me out here, shep... what makes this year different from all others?

* The last time a team with a 4-5 record made the playoffs was eight years ago (2014), when conference champion (Chicago Payton) finished 4-5.

* Historically... playoff point cutoff has been between 35-40 points over the last twenty years.

Is it because of forfeits, or the fact that only Chicago Public League "Illinois" divisions are eligible?

Less 11-man football teams, means less qualifiers from the old standards to fill the 256 spots, means some 4-5 teams without conference titles but with enough playoff points will qualify.

 

[missingwalter]

Help me out here, shep... what makes this year different from all others?

* The last time a team with a 4-5 record made the playoffs was eight years ago (2014), when conference champion (Chicago Payton) finished 4-5.

* Historically... playoff point cutoff has been between 35-40 points over the last twenty years.

Is it because of forfeits, or the fact that only Chicago Public League "Illini" divisions are eligible?

Joliet West made the playoffs in '19 at 4-5.

 

[godfthr53]

Help me out here, shep... what makes this year different from all others?

* The last time a team with a 4-5 record made the playoffs was eight years ago (2014), when conference champion (Chicago Payton) finished 4-5.

* Historically... playoff point cutoff has been between 35-40 points over the last twenty years.

Is it because of forfeits, or the fact that only Chicago Public League "Illini" divisions are eligible?

There are considerable less teams playing football than in years past. That combined with Covid weeks and rescheduling means less "wins". For example
a few weeks back Rochester and Loyola could've both taken wins due to their opponents forfeit. Instead they scheduled a game and Loyola won. Which means those 2 original games only produced 1 win instead of 2.

 

[NNFAN]

Joliet West made the playoffs in '19 at 4-5.

Good catch missingwalter, but that was because of the Chicago teacher's strike, an aberration. I should have noted that.

 

[missingwalter]

Good catch missingwalter, but that was because of the Chicago teacher's strike, an aberration. I should have noted that.

no it wasn't, they won their division.

 

[NNFAN]

Less 11-man football teams, means less qualifiers from the old standards to fill the 256 spots, means some 4-5 teams without conference titles but with enough playoff points will qualify.

I think you nailed it, RockSoup. I will go back into retirement now.

 

[McEvergreen]

Besides conference champs, how many points will a 4-5 need to qualify?

 

[RockSoup]

Besides conference champs, how many points will a 4-5 need to qualify?

That’s the unknown right now since it’s a matter of seeing how many qualify at each of the classes’ parameters under the normal, well-known standard and go from there.

And I’m not up to that task😂

 

[NNFAN]

That’s the unknown right now since it’s a matter of seeing how many qualify at each of the classes’ parameters under the normal, well-known standard and go from there.

And I’m not up to that task😂

I'm done trying to figure this crap out. I have a headache.

 

[NNFAN]

Times sure have changed. As recently as 2018 there were 18 5-4 teams that didn't qualify for the playoffs. In 2019, the Chicago teacher's strike messed things up and last year Covid caused further havoc.

 

[shep99]

Besides conference champs, how many points will a 4-5 need to qualify?

About 48. The winner of Stl and Provi will likely make it.

 

[shep99]

Less 11-man football teams, means less qualifiers from the old standards to fill the 256 spots, means some 4-5 teams without conference titles but with enough playoff points will qualify.

Correct. More than half the teams in Illinois will make it.

 

[godfthr53]

About 48. The winner of Stl and Provi will likely make it.

I think that's too many, My calc 45-46

 

[big daddy looch]

Where is Soucie when we need him???

 

[RD_Watcher]

Looking at the bubble teams, you don’t mention Downers North who is 4-4 and has 45 points. They play Lyons, but could get in even with a loss due to points.