2023-2024 Proposal 18 – 5.070 Boys Football
New By-law 5.074 District Football Proposal Regular Season and Playoffs
Submitted By: Matt Hensley, Official Representative – Mahomet (M.-Seymour) on behalf of the Apollo Conference, Big Twelve Conference, DuPage Valley Conference, and Interstate 8 Conference
Summary of Proposed Changes:
Football Districts to be formed by geography and classification. 8 districts in each class with 8 schools in each district. District games in weeks 3 – 9 of the regular season. Top 4 schools in each district qualify for the IHSA Play-offs. Seeding procedures will be similar to current seeding procedures. Teams from the same district cannot play in the first round.
Rationale of Submitters:
A. Conference Stability
I. In the last fifteen years, 20+ conferences have changed alignment due to departures or additions.
II. In the last five years, 4 new conferences have been formed.
B. Eliminate creative scheduling to get the magic 5th win
I. Schedules are set by the state
C. Give some type of system that the public understands
I. The public can see the standings to see where their team is in the standing
1. Similar to how they follow their favorite pro teams
II. Can keep running total of the tiebreakers with the records
D. Teams earning playoff bids versus like schools
I. Every year there are teams that earn playoff berths on the backs of schools that are significantly smaller.
II. The same can be said in reverse, some schools do not make the playoffs due to playing schools significantly larger.
Pros:
Cons:
Text of By-law with Proposed Changes
New By-law 5.074 - District Football Proposal Regular Season and Playoffs
I. CREATING A NEW BY-LAW TO GOVERN IHSA FOOTBALL
a. This proposal is creating a system for how the IHSA runs football.
i. Establishes regions of eight (8) schools to determine the teams that will make the IHSA Playoffs.
ii. This proposal will direct the IHSA Board of Directors to start district football in 2024.
II. ESTABLISHING EIGHT (8) CLASSIFICATIONS – (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A)
a. Enrollment
i. Each school will use their IHSA Enrollment during the cycle for class placement.
ii. The multiplier will then be enforced to the schools that have met the criteria.
iii. The Success Factor by-law will also be applied.
iv. A list will be formed from the greatest number to the smallest number.
b. Placing Schools in a Classification
i. The IHSA will divide the state into eight (8) classifications.
ii. The number of districts in each classification will be 8.
c. Moving Up in Classification
i. Any school interested in playing up a classification needs to notify the IHSA by Monday of Week 28.
III. ESTABLISHING REGIONS WITHIN THE EIGHT (8) CLASSIFICATIONS
a. The IHSA will set the districts in all classifications.
b. The districts will be set by geography.
c. Three districts will be announced by the Monday of Week 31.
d. Each district will be labeled by their classification and a number.
i. Example – 8A-District 1
IV. ESTABLISHING SCHEDULES
a. District Schedules
i. Each school will play seven (7) district games.
ii. All district games will be played Week 3-9 of the regular season.
b. Non-District Games
i. All schools will be allowed to play two (2) non region games.
c. Levels of Play
i. Schools will be playing all levels that schools offer.
1. The preference would be to play one game before the varsity game.
2. Other levels could be played on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Monday.
3. If a school has a level and their opponent does not, they are free to seek another school to play for
that specific week.
d. Game Times, Dates, Locations
i. Schools must mutually agree upon dates and times by the Monday of Week 1 of the IHSA calendar.
ii. Schools need to be flexible for conditions that may necessitate dates of specific games. (Examples –
Religious Holidays, Homecoming Traditions, Community Events, Travel, Stadium Availability)
V. ESTABLISHING PLAYOFF TEAMS
a. The top 4 (four) schools in each district will make the IHSA Football Playoffs.
b. If two schools are tied for a place, the following criteria will break the tie:
i. Head to Head Competition
c. If 3 (three) or more schools are tied for a place, the following criteria will break the tie:
i. Head to Head Competition
ii. Total Point Differential for all games within the District
iii. Total Point Differential for all games won within the District
iv. Total Point Differential for all games lost within the District
v. Schools will be eliminated from the tiebreakers, when one position is determined, we will then return to
the appropriate criteria for any remaining schools
d. Point Differential
i. A maximum of +/-10 can be earned for point differential in a single game
1. If Team A defeats Team B, 28-14, Team A has a +10 point differential, while Team B has a -10
point differential
2. This number is set so that there is no need to ‘run up’ the score during a game.
ii. If a game goes to overtime, the winning team will have a +1 point differential, with the losing team having
a -1 point differential, regardless of the final score
VI. BRACKETING THE IHSA PLAYOFFS
a. Seeding will be determined by the number of wins a school has earned and their playoff points.
i. All schools with nine (9) wins will be seeded.
1. Tiebreakers
a. Total Playoff Points=one (1) point for every opponent win in all nine (9) games.
b. Playoff Points in all Wins=one (1) point for every opponent win in games in which your
school won.
c. Playoff Points in all Losses=one (1) point for every opponent win in games in which your
school lost.
ii. This procedure will continue to the schools with eight (8) wins; then schools with seven (7) wins; then
schools with six (6) wins; then the schools with five (5) wins; then schools with four (4) wins; this will
continue until all seeds are filled.
b. Teams from the same district cannot play in the first round of the IHSA Playoffs
i. If a match up occurs, the lower seeded team will move down one seed, to avoid this conflict.
VII. HOME SITES FOR THE IHSA PLAYOFFS
a. In the first round, the better seed will host the game.
b. In the second round through the semi-finals, the host will be the school that has hosted the least number of games.
i. If the number of games hosted is equal, the better seed will host the game.
VIII. OFFICIATING
a. For all District games, the host school is responsible for the hiring of the officials.
i. It is recommended that the host school’s conference assignor be used.
b. The host school is responsible for the payment of officials at all levels.
c. The IHSA will assign and pay for all playoff games.
Appendix A – Regular Season Schedule
New By-law 5.074 District Football Proposal Regular Season and Playoffs
Submitted By: Matt Hensley, Official Representative – Mahomet (M.-Seymour) on behalf of the Apollo Conference, Big Twelve Conference, DuPage Valley Conference, and Interstate 8 Conference
Summary of Proposed Changes:
Football Districts to be formed by geography and classification. 8 districts in each class with 8 schools in each district. District games in weeks 3 – 9 of the regular season. Top 4 schools in each district qualify for the IHSA Play-offs. Seeding procedures will be similar to current seeding procedures. Teams from the same district cannot play in the first round.
Rationale of Submitters:
A. Conference Stability
I. In the last fifteen years, 20+ conferences have changed alignment due to departures or additions.
II. In the last five years, 4 new conferences have been formed.
B. Eliminate creative scheduling to get the magic 5th win
I. Schedules are set by the state
C. Give some type of system that the public understands
I. The public can see the standings to see where their team is in the standing
1. Similar to how they follow their favorite pro teams
II. Can keep running total of the tiebreakers with the records
D. Teams earning playoff bids versus like schools
I. Every year there are teams that earn playoff berths on the backs of schools that are significantly smaller.
II. The same can be said in reverse, some schools do not make the playoffs due to playing schools significantly larger.
Pros:
Cons:
Text of By-law with Proposed Changes
New By-law 5.074 - District Football Proposal Regular Season and Playoffs
I. CREATING A NEW BY-LAW TO GOVERN IHSA FOOTBALL
a. This proposal is creating a system for how the IHSA runs football.
i. Establishes regions of eight (8) schools to determine the teams that will make the IHSA Playoffs.
ii. This proposal will direct the IHSA Board of Directors to start district football in 2024.
II. ESTABLISHING EIGHT (8) CLASSIFICATIONS – (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A)
a. Enrollment
i. Each school will use their IHSA Enrollment during the cycle for class placement.
ii. The multiplier will then be enforced to the schools that have met the criteria.
iii. The Success Factor by-law will also be applied.
iv. A list will be formed from the greatest number to the smallest number.
b. Placing Schools in a Classification
i. The IHSA will divide the state into eight (8) classifications.
ii. The number of districts in each classification will be 8.
c. Moving Up in Classification
i. Any school interested in playing up a classification needs to notify the IHSA by Monday of Week 28.
III. ESTABLISHING REGIONS WITHIN THE EIGHT (8) CLASSIFICATIONS
a. The IHSA will set the districts in all classifications.
b. The districts will be set by geography.
c. Three districts will be announced by the Monday of Week 31.
d. Each district will be labeled by their classification and a number.
i. Example – 8A-District 1
IV. ESTABLISHING SCHEDULES
a. District Schedules
i. Each school will play seven (7) district games.
ii. All district games will be played Week 3-9 of the regular season.
b. Non-District Games
i. All schools will be allowed to play two (2) non region games.
c. Levels of Play
i. Schools will be playing all levels that schools offer.
1. The preference would be to play one game before the varsity game.
2. Other levels could be played on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Monday.
3. If a school has a level and their opponent does not, they are free to seek another school to play for
that specific week.
d. Game Times, Dates, Locations
i. Schools must mutually agree upon dates and times by the Monday of Week 1 of the IHSA calendar.
ii. Schools need to be flexible for conditions that may necessitate dates of specific games. (Examples –
Religious Holidays, Homecoming Traditions, Community Events, Travel, Stadium Availability)
V. ESTABLISHING PLAYOFF TEAMS
a. The top 4 (four) schools in each district will make the IHSA Football Playoffs.
b. If two schools are tied for a place, the following criteria will break the tie:
i. Head to Head Competition
c. If 3 (three) or more schools are tied for a place, the following criteria will break the tie:
i. Head to Head Competition
ii. Total Point Differential for all games within the District
iii. Total Point Differential for all games won within the District
iv. Total Point Differential for all games lost within the District
v. Schools will be eliminated from the tiebreakers, when one position is determined, we will then return to
the appropriate criteria for any remaining schools
d. Point Differential
i. A maximum of +/-10 can be earned for point differential in a single game
1. If Team A defeats Team B, 28-14, Team A has a +10 point differential, while Team B has a -10
point differential
2. This number is set so that there is no need to ‘run up’ the score during a game.
ii. If a game goes to overtime, the winning team will have a +1 point differential, with the losing team having
a -1 point differential, regardless of the final score
VI. BRACKETING THE IHSA PLAYOFFS
a. Seeding will be determined by the number of wins a school has earned and their playoff points.
i. All schools with nine (9) wins will be seeded.
1. Tiebreakers
a. Total Playoff Points=one (1) point for every opponent win in all nine (9) games.
b. Playoff Points in all Wins=one (1) point for every opponent win in games in which your
school won.
c. Playoff Points in all Losses=one (1) point for every opponent win in games in which your
school lost.
ii. This procedure will continue to the schools with eight (8) wins; then schools with seven (7) wins; then
schools with six (6) wins; then the schools with five (5) wins; then schools with four (4) wins; this will
continue until all seeds are filled.
b. Teams from the same district cannot play in the first round of the IHSA Playoffs
i. If a match up occurs, the lower seeded team will move down one seed, to avoid this conflict.
VII. HOME SITES FOR THE IHSA PLAYOFFS
a. In the first round, the better seed will host the game.
b. In the second round through the semi-finals, the host will be the school that has hosted the least number of games.
i. If the number of games hosted is equal, the better seed will host the game.
VIII. OFFICIATING
a. For all District games, the host school is responsible for the hiring of the officials.
i. It is recommended that the host school’s conference assignor be used.
b. The host school is responsible for the payment of officials at all levels.
c. The IHSA will assign and pay for all playoff games.
Appendix A – Regular Season Schedule
| Week 3 A at B C at H D at G F at E | Week 4 B at F E at D G at C H at A | Week 5 C at E D at B F at A G at H | Week 6 A at D B at C E at G H at F | Week 7 C at A D at F E at H G at B | Week 8 A at G B at E D at H F at C | Week 9 C at D E at A G at F H at B |
