Sorting the new Class A playoff system

The Georgia High School Association will be using a points system to seed Class A teams for the state playoffs in separate public-school and private-school divisions this season. Below is a chart that shows how 2011 would have played out had the points system been in place.

But first, here’s a primer on the new system:

*The GHSA will hold state championship draws of 16 teams each in the public and private divisions.

*The 16 teams in each draw will be seeded on a points system that largely ignores region standings.

*Teams earn 10 points for each victory, one point for each victory won by their opponents, and two points for every classification that an opponent is placed higher than Class A. (For example, a victory over a Class AAA opponent that finishes 4-6 is worth 18 points – 10 for the win, four for the opponents’ victories and four for being two classes higher than A).

*Teams that win regions must be seeded higher than non-region champions. Otherwise, teams are seeded strictly by their point totals.

Here are five quick observations on the 2011 standings:

*In 2011, there were 19 public schools and 13 private schools in the playoffs. A points system would make that split 16-16.

*Wesleyan, which failed to make the 2011 playoffs, would have been seeded eighth using the points system, above eventual state runner-up Landmark Christian (8-2), which defeated Wesleyan (7-3) and finished higher in the region standings. Wesleyan would have played a home game in the round-of-16, while Landmark would have been on the road.

*Dooly County, which finished fourth in Region 4 with a 7-3 record, would not have made the playoffs, but Warren County, fifth in Region 7 with the same 7-3 record, would have. Washington-Wilkes (5-5) also would’ve finished higher than Dooly, mainly because Dooly played a full 10-game region schedule. Teams in larger regions are limited in their ability to get bonus points.

*In addition to Dooly, a points system would have eliminated 2011 playoff qualifiers Commerce, Calhoun County and Miller County – each a 4-6 team that lost by an average score of 37-8 in the first round. In their places would be Warren County (7-3 record), Wesleyan (7-3), Our Lady of Mercy (6-4) and Pace Academy (5-5).

*Seminole County and Darlington would have been seeded higher than teams with more points because they won their region championships. Seminole County (135 points) would have earned the No. 4 seed over Charlton County (140) in the public-school division, while Darlington (134) would have been the No. 4 private-school team over Calvary Day and Holy Innocents’ (142 points each).

The top 16 in 2011:

Public schools

Private schools

Thanks to Don Briscoe of the Georgia High School Football Historians Association for his work in compiling these points totals.

Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.