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Playoff Bracket · Football Division 2 OFFICIAL

WIAA official bracket, released October 17, 2026Next: Level 1, Fri, Oct 23 · 7 PMEwert’s picks: week 9 ratings, 10/22/26, 5:39 AM CentralField table · How it works

Bracket and table computed Thu, Oct 22 · 5:18 PM CDT

  • Final Finished, with the score
  • Upcoming Both teams set; day and site on the card
  • Ewert’s pick A guess, not a set matchup
New Richmond vs DeForest · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at New RichmondES pick: New Richmond, 98.1% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 New Ri…ES 98%8 DeForestFri 7 PM · @ New RichmondFri 7 PM · @ New RichmondLa Crosse Central vs Waukesha West · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at La Crosse CentralES pick: La Crosse Central, 81.8% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.4 La Cro…ES 82%5 Waukesha WestFri 7 PM · @ La Crosse CentralFri 7 PM · @ La Crosse C…Holmen vs River Falls · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at HolmenES pick: Holmen, 72.7% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.3 HolmenES 73%6 River FallsFri 7 PM · @ HolmenFri 7 PM · @ HolmenBeaver Dam vs Brookfield Central · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at Beaver Dam2 Beaver DamES pick: Brookfield Central, 55.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.7 Brookf…ES 55%Fri 7 PM · @ Beaver DamFri 7 PM · @ Beaver DamES pick: New Richmond, 85.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 New Ri…ES 85%4 La Crosse Ce…EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/303 Holmen7 Brookfield C…EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/301 New RichmondTBDEWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6EWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6Monona Grove vs Milton · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at Monona GroveES pick: Monona Grove, 97.7% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Monona…ES 98%8 MiltonFri 7 PM · @ Monona GroveFri 7 PM · @ Monona GroveWausau East vs Marshfield · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at Wausau East4 Wausau EastES pick: Marshfield, 88.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.5 Marshf…ES 89%Fri 7 PM · @ Wausau EastFri 7 PM · @ Wausau EastGreenfield vs Grafton · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at Greenfield3 GreenfieldES pick: Grafton, 69.3% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.6 GraftonES 69%Fri 7 PM · @ GreenfieldFri 7 PM · @ GreenfieldElkhorn vs Westosha Central · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at ElkhornES pick: Elkhorn, 92.8% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 ElkhornES 93%7 Westosha Cen…Fri 7 PM · @ ElkhornFri 7 PM · @ ElkhornES pick: Monona Grove, 90.6% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Monona…ES 91%5 MarshfieldEWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/306 GraftonES pick: Elkhorn, 70.8% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 ElkhornES 71%EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30ES pick: Monona Grove, 86.7% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Monona…ES 87%2 ElkhornEWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6EWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6Notre Dame vs Germantown · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at Notre DameES pick: Notre Dame, 89.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Notre…ES 89%8 GermantownFri 7 PM · @ Notre DameFri 7 PM · @ Notre DameMenasha vs Menomonee Falls · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at MenashaES pick: Menasha, 81.9% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.4 MenashaES 82%5 Menomonee Fa…Fri 7 PM · @ MenashaFri 7 PM · @ MenashaPulaski vs Ashwaubenon · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at PulaskiES pick: Pulaski, 87.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.3 PulaskiES 87%6 AshwaubenonFri 7 PM · @ PulaskiFri 7 PM · @ PulaskiKaukauna vs Oshkosh North · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at KaukaunaES pick: Kaukauna, 91.1% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 Kaukau…ES 91%7 Oshkosh NorthFri 7 PM · @ KaukaunaFri 7 PM · @ KaukaunaES pick: Notre Dame, 88.7% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Notre…ES 89%4 MenashaEWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30ES pick: Pulaski, 54.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.3 PulaskiES 54%2 KaukaunaEWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30ES pick: Notre Dame, 76.0% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Notre…ES 76%3 PulaskiEWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6EWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6Union Grove vs Milwaukee King · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at Union GroveES pick: Union Grove, 98.4% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Union…ES 98%8 Milwaukee Ki…Fri 7 PM · @ Union GroveFri 7 PM · @ Union GroveWaukesha South vs Wauwatosa East · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at Waukesha SouthES pick: Waukesha South, 76.1% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.4 Waukes…ES 76%5 Wauwatosa Ea…Fri 7 PM · @ Waukesha SouthFri 7 PM · @ Waukesha So…West Bend West vs Slinger · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at West Bend WestES pick: West Bend West, 71.0% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.3 West B…ES 71%6 SlingerFri 7 PM · @ West Bend WestFri 7 PM · @ West Bend W…Homestead vs Burlington · Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · at HomesteadES pick: Homestead, 95.2% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 Homest…ES 95%7 BurlingtonFri 7 PM · @ HomesteadFri 7 PM · @ HomesteadES pick: Union Grove, 91.2% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.1 Union…ES 91%4 Waukesha Sou…EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/303 West Bend We…ES pick: Homestead, 82.0% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 Homest…ES 82%EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/30EWERT’S PICK · Fri 10/301 Union GroveES pick: Homestead, 50.2% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 Homest…ES 50%EWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6EWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/6TBD1 Monona GroveEWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/13EWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/13State semifinalES pick: Notre Dame, 52.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:07.507Z; assumed venue: neutral.1 Notre…ES 53%2 HomesteadEWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/13EWERT’S PICK · Fri 11/13State semifinalTBD1 Notre DameEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKState finalLevel 1Fri, Oct 23 · 7 PMLevel 1Fri, Oct 23 · 7 PMLevel 2Fri, Oct 30 · 7 PMLevel 2Fri, Oct 30 · 7 PMLevel 3Fri, Nov 6 · 7 PMLevel 3Fri, Nov 6 · 7 PMLevel 4Fri, Nov 13 · 7 PMLevel 4Fri, Nov 13 · 7 PMRegion ARegion BRegion CRegion D

Division 2 · Week 9 field and cut line

Table-only view →

Since week 8: the same teams are in the field. Biggest climbs: Waukesha South ▲7, Wausau East ▲6, Waukesha West ▲4. Biggest drops: Ashwaubenon ▼5, Slinger ▼4, Holmen ▼3.

The seed column is WIAA’s. Rank, totals and the cut line are still our unofficial numbers, so a team can sit on the other side of our line from WIAA’s field.

Rank+/−TeamCityW-LTotalTier 1 AVGTier 2 AVGTier 2 WinsWIAA Seed
1▲1New Richmond checkNew Richmond33.171-A
2▼1Notre Dame checkGreen Bay32.001-C
3–Union Grove checkUnion Grove29.281-D
4▲1Monona Grove checkMonona24.111-B
5▼1Elkhorn checkElkhorn23.892-B
6▲2Homestead checkMequon23.832-D
7–Beaver Dam checkBeaver Dam21.562-A
8▲1Kaukauna checkKaukauna21.392-C
9▼3Holmen checkHolmen21.223-A
10–Pulaski checkPulaski20.893-C
11–West Bend West checkWest Bend20.283-D
12–Greenfield checkGreenfield18.723-B
13▲7Waukesha South checkWaukesha17.674-D
14▲1La Crosse Central checkLa Crosse17.174-A
15▼2Menasha checkMenasha17.174-C
16▲6Wausau East checkWausau16.334-B
17▼3Wauwatosa East checkWauwatosa15.895-D
18▼2Marshfield checkMarshfield15.225-B
19▲4Waukesha West checkWaukesha14.065-A
20▼2Menomonee Falls checkMenomonee Falls13.945-C
21▲3River Falls checkRiver Falls13.836-A
22▼5Ashwaubenon checkAshwaubenon13.676-C
23▼4Slinger checkSlinger13.336-D
24▼3Grafton checkGrafton12.336-B
25▲1Oshkosh North checkOshkosh11.947-C
26▲1Brookfield Central checkBrookfield10.947-A
27▼2Westosha Central checkSalem10.007-B
28–Burlington checkBurlington9.947-D
29▲2Germantown checkGermantown9.678-C
30–Milwaukee King checkMilwaukee9.508-D
31▼2Milton checkMilton8.788-B
32–DeForest checkDeForest6.068-A
Our unofficial cut line · top 32 by our numbers
33▲2Oregon checkBelow cut lineOregon5.83Not in WIAA field
34▼1Menomonie checkBelow cut lineMenomonie5.50Not in WIAA field
35▼1Racine Horlick checkBelow cut lineRacine5.33Not in WIAA field
36–Nicolet checkBelow cut lineGlendale5.28Not in WIAA field
37▲2Superior checkBelow cut lineSuperior3.56Not in WIAA field
38▼1Hartford Union checkBelow cut lineHartford3.28Not in WIAA field
39▼1Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln checkBelow cut lineWisconsin Rapids2.83Not in WIAA field
40–Sheboygan South checkBelow cut lineSheboygan2.78Not in WIAA field
41–Green Bay Southwest checkBelow cut lineGreen Bay2.72Not in WIAA field
42–West Allis Central checkBelow cut lineWest Allis2.67Not in WIAA field
43▲2Watertown checkBelow cut lineWatertown2.17Not in WIAA field
44▲2Rice Lake checkBelow cut lineRice Lake2.11Not in WIAA field
45▼2Cedarburg checkBelow cut lineCedarburg2.00Not in WIAA field
46▼2West Allis Hale checkBelow cut lineWest Allis1.83Not in WIAA field
47T▼1Beloit Memorial checkBelow cut lineBeloit0.00Not in WIAA field
47T▼1Green Bay East checkBelow cut lineGreen Bay0.00Not in WIAA field
47T▼1Kettle Moraine checkBelow cut lineWales0.00Not in WIAA field
47T▼1Racine Park checkBelow cut lineRacine0.00Not in WIAA field
—Milwaukee South checkMilwaukee1.00Excluded
—Milwaukee Marshall checkMilwaukee0.00Excluded
—Northwood/Solon Springs checkProgram eligibility not verified0-0————Unverified
—Winter/Birchwood checkProgram eligibility not verified0-0————Unverified

Wisconsin programs continue below the cut line in the same table. Eligibility notes use the published WIAA record; where it does not identify the reason, we say so. A three-year enrollment average above 200 can have a second-year commitment exception.

About this projection

When the games are played. Level 1: Friday, October 23, 7:00 PM · Level 2: Friday, October 30, 7:00 PM · Level 3: Friday, November 6, 7:00 PM · Level 4: Friday, November 13, 7:00 PM. Days and times are WIAA’s as of October 17 (Central time); WIAA’s bracket page has any change.

This is WIAA’s bracket, released October 17, 2026 (WIAA’s bracket page). The region letters A to D are ours, in the order of WIAA’s page; WIAA prints none. See our own projection through week 9 →

Ewert’s picks are guesses. Hypothetical playoff winners use the current ES model and rated snapshots, not seeds. Early rounds assume the higher seed hosts; state semifinals and final assume a neutral site. No new games, results or forecasts are saved. ES basis: week 9, 10/22/26, 5:39 AM Central. Missing or near-even inputs remain TBD.

Official bracket, unofficial table. The bracket above and the seeds are WIAA’s, as published October 17, 2026. Everything else on this page (rank, totals, the cut line, the weekly movement and the worked example) is still our own calculation, described below.

How our projection was made. Seeds come from the unofficial playoff matrix above (WIAA’s formula on the results we hold, 2026 regulations). Regions and Level 1 pairings follow the regulations’ travel rules with an approximation: straight-line miles between school ZIP centroids instead of WIAA’s travel distances, so a region letter or a pairing near the margin can differ. Slots: WIAA's official bracket where stored, projected elsewhere. Through week 9 (games dated Friday 2026-10-16 or earlier; WIAA deadline: completion before 11:59 p.m. Central; stored dates do not establish finish times). 32 of 50 in the field.

How WIAA builds the bracket, and how to check a team

  1. Tier 1 points. Every win earns points set by the team you beat: Division 1 = 6.5, D2 = 6.0, D3 = 5.5, D4 = 5.0, D5 = 4.5, D6 = 4.0, D7 = 3.5. A tie earns half. A loss earns nothing. A forfeit win earns the full value. Tier 1 AVG = Tier 1 points ÷ games played (at most 9).
  2. Tier 2 points. Add up their Tier 1 points for every team you beat (a team you tied is not beaten and adds no points). Opponents’ games = the games played by every team you played, won, lost or tied, added together (each counted up to 9). Tier 2 AVG = Tier 2 points ÷ opponents’ games, and the Tier 2 score is 9 × Tier 2 AVG. WIAA’s rule: “Divide Tier 2 points by opponents’ games played and multiply by 9 (this is a 100% bonus to the Strength of Victory) to get the Tier 2 score.”
  3. Total (PQS) = Tier 1 AVG + 9 × Tier 2 AVG. WIAA’s own example: Franklin 2024, 56.0 ÷ 9 + 228.5 ÷ 81 × 9 = 31.61. Ties in Total are broken by Tier 3, the average of the Tier 2 scores of the teams you beat.
  4. Replacement games. If a team replaced a forfeit win with a new game that week, the forfeit counts when the replacement was lost; when it was won, whichever is worth more counts (regulations 3h). WIAA prints such games as “Seeding Only”. When you beat a team in its replacement game, your Tier 2 points count that team’s Tier 1 points without the forfeit win it kept that week.
  5. Field and seeds. Teams are ranked inside their division by Total. The top 32 qualify after Week 9. Ranks 1–4 are the #1 seeds, 5–8 the #2 seeds, and so on to #8. The four #1 seeds anchor four regions: the #1- and #4-ranked go to one half of the state bracket, #2 and #3 to the other. #2 seeds join the nearest #1 seed, #3 and #4 seeds their likely second-round opponents, and #5–#8 are placed by the shortest total travel. Level 1 is #8 at #1, #5 at #4, #7 at #2 and #6 at #3 in each region.

Worked example: Monona Grove (rank 4, seed 1)

DateOpponentResultOpponent’s valueTier 1 earnedOpp. Tier 1 pointsOpp. gamesCounts?
2026-08-20Janesville ParkerW6.5 (D1)6.5026.009yes
2026-08-27Madison La FolletteW6.5 (D1)6.5025.509yes
2026-09-04MiltonW6 (D2)6.0024.509yes
2026-09-11OregonW6 (D2)6.0023.509yes
2026-09-18WatertownW6 (D2)6.006.509yes
2026-09-25Sun Prairie EastW6.5 (D1)6.5036.509yes
2026-10-02Sun Prairie WestW6.5 (D1)6.506.009yes
2026-10-09WaunakeeL6.5 (D1)0.00—9yes
2026-10-16DeForestW6 (D2)6.0018.509yes

Tier 1 AVG = 50.00 ÷ 9 = 5.556. Tier 2 points = 26.00 + 25.50 + 24.50 + 23.50 + 6.50 + 36.50 + 6.00 + 18.50 = 167.00; opponents’ games = 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 = 81; Tier 2 AVG = 167.00 ÷ 81 = 2.062. Total = 5.556 + 9 × 2.062 = 24.11 (Tier 3 tie-break 4.72).

To check another team’s numbers, open its row’s “check” link in the tables above. Confirmed matchups in the bracket open game pages; team pages are linked in the field table and on each game page.

WIAA Football Playoff Brackets: Official and Projected | Ewert Sports | Ewert Sports