In Madison, Wisconsin, there’s a big change on the horizon for high school football. The WIAA football coaches advisory committee is gearing up to discuss a new way to qualify for the playoffs. This meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, as the proposal comes from the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA). Coaches are eager to create a fairer system after two teams were unfairly left out of last season’s postseason.
Brian Kaminski, the Sun Prairie East coach and WFCA president, explained, “There are a couple hiccups to what happened in the playoffs last season, so we got together with some people and wanted to come up with the best way to seed, qualify and do groupings for our state.” The new plan, called the Wisconsin Football Playoff Matrix, aims to improve clarity and fairness in the selection process.
This idea was developed by Madison Edgewood coach Jesse Norris in partnership with assistant Andy LaVoy, along with the WFCA Executive Board. The proposed system would categorize teams based on enrollment across seven divisions, while also using a points-based system for qualification, rankings, and seedings. This new model draws inspiration from a system that has been successfully implemented in Ohio since 1972.
The proposed matrix will give all teams a fair shot by awarding points for wins based on their opponents’ division. For example, a win against a Division 1 team earns 6.5 points, while a win against a Division 7 team earns 3.5 points. Combining these Tier 1 and Tier 2 points will produce a team’s total score, influencing their playoff position.
Norris, who has experience with the Ohio system, believes not knowing divisional placements until late in the season is confusing and problematic. He stated, “You had no idea… who you were trying to qualify against.” Coaches across the state have shown strong support for this new proposal, with about 85.7% of surveyed coaches backing the change.
If the committee approves the new structure, it will be forwarded to the WIAA for further discussions in February. If everything goes smoothly, the new playoff matrix could start in the 2025 season. This initiative represents a major step towards transparency and fairness in Wisconsin high school football.
