Undefeated and conference-leading Madison Memorial and McFarland punched their playoff tickets with wins last week, and this week, they could be joined in the postseason by several more area teams.
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: Madison Memorial (5-0), Big 8/D1; McFarland (5-0), Rock Valley/D3; Potosi/Cassville (4-1, 4-1), Six Rivers/D7.
Area Teams Eligible: Markesan (4-1, 3-0), Trailways-Large/D6; Fennimore (5-0, 3-0), Southwestern/D6.
Big 8
*Five wins clinches a playoff spot... four wins is usually enough to get in
Clinched: Madison Memorial (5-0), D1.
Can Clinch: Sun Prairie (4-1) can clinch with a win over Madison La Follette (3-2)... Janesville Craig (4-1) can clinch with a win over Madison East (1-4).
Eliminated: None.
Risk of Elimination: Janesville Parker (0-5) is eliminated with a loss to Middleton (3-2). Madison East (1-4) can no longer clinch a playoff spot with a loss to Janesville Craig (4-1). The losing team between Madison West (1-4) and Beloit Memorial (1-4) can no longer clinch a playoff spot.
"Four Wins Gets You In": Sun Prairie (4-1) and Janesville Craig (4-1) are likely in to the postseason. Verona (3-2) can get to four wins by beating Madison Memorial (5-0). Madison La Follette (3-2) can get to four wins by beating Sun Prairie (4-1). Middleton can get to four wins by defeating Janesville Parker (0-5).
Badger North
*Four wins clinches a playoff spot... three wins is right about the cut line for the postseason
Clinched: None.
Can Clinch: Waunakee (5-0, 3-0) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Sauk Prairie (1-4, 1-2).
Eliminated: None.
Risk of Elimination: The losing team between Beaver Dam (1-4, 0-3) and Portage (0-5, 0-3) can no longer clinch a playoff spot. A 3-4 team would possibly be on the bubble to make the playoffs.
"Three Wins Gets You In": The winning teams between Mount Horeb/Barneveld (4-1, 2-1) and Reedsburg (4-1, 2-1), as well as Baraboo (2-3, 2-1) and DeForest (3-2, 2-1), will get to three wins, which would be on the bubble for getting into the playoffs.
Badger South
*Four wins clinches a playoff spot... three wins is right about the cut line for the postseason
Clinched: None.
Can Clinch: Stoughton (5-0, 3-0) clinches a playoff spot with a win over Oregon (3-2, 2-1). Watertown (4-1, 3-0) clinches a playoff spot with a win over Milton (2-3, 1-2). Monona Grove (5-0, 3-0) clinches a playoff spot with a win over Monroe (5-0, 3-0).
Eliminated: None.
Risk of Elimination: Monroe (0-5, 0-3) can no longer clinch a playoff spot with a loss to Monona Grove (5-0, 3-0). The losing team between Edgewood (1-4, 0-3) and Fort Atkinson (0-5, 0-3) can no longer clinch a playoff spot. A 3-4 team would possibly be on the bubble to make the playoffs.
"Three Wins Gets You In": Oregon (3-2, 2-1) can get to three wins if they defeat Stoughton (5-0, 3-0), which would be on the bubble for getting into the playoffs.
Rock Valley
*Five wins clinches a playoff spot... four wins is usually enough to get in
Clinched: McFarland (5-0), D3.
Can Clinch: The winning team between Beloit Turner (4-1) and Edgerton (4-1) will clinch a playoff spot. East Troy (4-1) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Brodhead/Juda (2-3).
Eliminated: None.
Risk of Elimination: The losing team between Whitewater (0-5) and Evansville/Albany (0-5) will be eliminted. Clinton (1-4) can no longer clinch a playoff spot with a loss to Jefferson (3-2).
"Four Wins Gets You In": Beloit Turner, Edgerton, and East Troy (all 4-1) are all likely into the postseason. Jefferson (3-2) can join them with a win over Clinton (1-4).
Capitol North
*Three wins clinches a playoff spot
Clinched: None.
Can Clinch: None.
Eliminated: None.
Risk of Elimination: None.
*The Capitol North is entering Week 2 of conference play, so there are no playoff scenarios until next week since three wins is the playoff threshold.
Capitol South
*Two wins for playoff eligibility, three wins to clinch a playoff spot
Clinched: None.
Can Clinch: None.
Eligible: None.
Can Become Eligible: New Glarus/Monticello (2-3, 1-0) becomes playoff-eligible with a win over Marshall (1-4, 0-0).
Eliminated: None.
Risk of Elimination: The losing team between Belleville (4-1, 0-1) and Waterloo (0-5, 0-1) can no longer clinch a playoff spot; however, they can still become playoff eligible.
Other Area Teams
Trailways-Large: Markesan (4-1, 3-0) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Horicon/Hustisford (4-1, 2-0). Markesan is already playoff-eligible. Horicon/Hustisford in turn could become playoff-eligible with a win.
Trailways-Small: The winner between Fall River (5-0, 3-0) and Johnson Creek (5-0, 3-0) will clinch a playoff spot. The losing team between Deerfield (0-5, 0-3) and Wayland Academy (0-3, 0-3) will no longer be able to clinch a playoff spot. If Rio (1-4, 0-3) loses to Cambria-Friesland (2-3, 2-1), they can no longer clinch a playoff spot.
SWAL: Fennimore (5-0, 3-0) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Southwestern (1-4, 0-2). Fennimore is already playoff-eligible. The winning team between Cuba City (2-3, 2-1) and Iowa-Grant (2-3, 2-1) will become playoff-eligible. Cuba City (2-3, 2-1) can become playoff-eligible with a win over Boscobel.
Southwestern: No playoff scenarios until Week 7.
South Central: No playoff scenarios until Week 7.
Six Rivers: Potosi/Cassville (4-1, 4-1) has clinched a playoff spot. Black Hawk (4-0, 3-0) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Belmont (0-5, 0-4), which would in turn eliminate Belmont from postseason consideration. Pecatonica/Argyle (4-1, 3-1) can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Potosi/Cassville (4-1, 4-1).
Ridge & Valley: Wauzeka/Seneca (5-0, 2-0) can become playoff-eligible with a win over Wonewoc Center/Weston (0-4, 0-2). Ithaca (3-2, 2-0) can become playoff-eligible with a win over Kickapoo/La Farge (0-4, 0-2). Riverdale (3-1, 2-1) can become playoff-eligible with a win over De Soto (3-2, 1-1).
Great 8: Oakfield is tied for first in the East with Florence and Newman Catholic with perfect records. The top four teams in each division make the playoffs. Playoffs are decided by best winning percentages during the regular season among the top four eligible teams, so at the moment Oakfield is in good shape, but probably can't clinch until the final week of the season. (If the Oaks win out, they're in).