The Florida High School Athletic Association(FHSAA) Board of Directors on Sept. 26 approved a new football playoff format. Beginning with the 2017 season, district play will be eliminated in Classes 1A-4A, with teams making the playoffs based on a points system. Classes 5A-8A will retain districts, with the district champion receiving an automatic playoff bid.
The measure was approved by a 14-2 vote.
“Based on the feedback from our membership, the majority of our constituents wanted our old playoff system changed,” FHSAA Executive Director Dr. Roger Dearing said, in a release. “We are hopeful this change will create the most exciting high school football postseason in America.”
For Classes 1A-4A, no region or district play will be required, and each school will control its own schedule. Four teams from each region (16 total) will make the playoffs based on the new points system.
District play for Class 5A-8A will remain, with 32 teams qualifying for the playoffs in each class. District champions will receive an automatic bid to the playoff and will receive a 1-4 seed based on the new points system. Four wild cards will be taken from each region — based on points—following the conclusion of Week 11.
In all eight classes, the higher seed will always host.
For information, visit FHSAA.org.
