Football: Proposal would alter playoffs in 2012

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The Southern Section football advisory committee will be presenting a proposal at the Oct. 21 Southern Section Council meeting that would reduce the number of automatic playoff berths in football beginning in 2012.

The proposal would remove the requirement that teams have a record of .500 or better to apply for an at-large berth, rewarding schools that play tough schedules. It would also reduce the number of automatic playoff berths and create more at-large berths in a bid to add competitiveness in the early playoff rounds.

Leagues with four or five teams would have two playoff berths. Leagues with six to eight teams would have three berths. Nine to 10 teams would get four entrants.

For example, in the the 16-team Pac-5 Division playoffs this season, there will be no at-large berths, and the eight-team Moore League will have four automatic berths. Under the proposal, the Moore League would have three berths and there would be three at-large spots.

Research has concluded that in the last five years, fourth-place teams in the playoffs have a record of 2-47 while at-large teams are 17-40.

I think it’s a good proposal and is likely to pass next year.

-- Eric Sondheimer