Oh, you didn't know? We're halfway through the high school football season, which means it's time to see which teams can begin wrapping up playoff berths as early as this week.
Each week leading up to the games in the final half of the regular season in high school football, we'll take a look at area teams that can clinch a playoff spot, become playoff-eligible, or risk elimination from the postseason field.
In the past two years, teams with 4-5 and 3-4 conference records have made the playoff field; therefore, we won't consider a team eliminated unless they can no longer get to those marks in the Big 8, Badger, and Rock Valley conferences. With 224 playoff spots and around 395 teams competing for those spots, it's expected several teams that finish with records under .500 will again make the postseason.
The division listed with a team is based on the projections at WisSports.net for divisional placement. The final determination of football divisions is made when the full postseason field is announced after Week 9.
Area Teams Clinched: None.
Big 8
*Five wins clinches a playoff spot... four wins is usually enough to get in
Clinched: None
Can Clinch: Madison Memorial (4-0) clinches a playoff spot with a win over Madison West (1-3).
Eliminated: None
Risk of Elimination: The losing team between Janesville Parker (0-4) and Madison East (0-4) will not be able to clinch a playoff spot.
"Four Wins Gets You In": The winning team in the games between Sun Prairie (3-1) and Verona (3-1), as well as Madison La Follette (3-1) and Janesville Craig (3-1), will have a fourth win. Madison Memorial already has the fourth win, which likely puts them into the playoff field.
Badger North
*Four wins clinches a playoff spot... three wins is right about the cut line for the postseason
Clinched: None
Can Clinch: No teams can clinch this week.
Eliminated: None
Risk of Elimination: No teams can be eliminated this week.
"Three Wins Gets You In": If Waunakee (4-0, 2-0) can top Portage (0-4, 0-2) and Baraboo (2-2, 2-0) can get past Mount Horeb/Barneveld (3-1, 1-1), those two teams will be a win away from clinching.
Badger South
*Four wins clinches a playoff spot... three wins is right about the cut line for the postseason
Clinched: None
Can Clinch: No teams can clinch this week.
Eliminated: None
Risk of Elimination: No teams can be eliminated this week.
"Three Wins Gets You In": Both Monona Grove (4-0, 2-0), playing Fort Atkinson (0-4, 0-2), and Stoughton (4-0, 2-0), playing Monroe (0-4, 0-2), can get a win away from a playoff spot with victories this week.
Rock Valley
*Five wins clinches a playoff spot... four wins is usually enough to get in
Clinched: None
Can Clinch: McFarland (4-0) can clinch with a victory over Whitewater (0-4).
Eliminated: None
Risk of Elimination: If Whitewater (0-4) or Evansville/Albany (0-4, playing 3-1 East Troy) lose this week, they will not be able to clinch a playoff berth.
"Four Wins Gets You In": McFarland is already at their fourth win, which likely puts them into the postseason. If Beloit Turner (3-1) beats Brodhead/Juda (2-2), they'd get to win number four, and the winner of Jefferson (3-1) vs. Edgerton (3-1) will also have their fourth win of the season.
Capitol North
*Three wins clinches a playoff spot
Clinched: None
Can Clinch: None
Eliminated: None
Risk of Elimination: None
The Capitol North is beginning conference play this week, so there are no playoff scenarios yet.
Capitol South
*Two wins for playoff eligibility, three wins to clinch a playoff spot
Clinched: None
Can Clinch: None
Eliminated: None
Risk of Elimination: None
The Capitol South is beginning conference play this week, so there are no playoff scenarios yet.
Other Area Teams
There are no scenarios this week for other area teams to clinch a playoff spot.