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Playoff Bracket · 8-Man Football UNOFFICIAL

Ewert projection through week 2Ewert’s picks: week 9 ratings, 10/22/26, 5:39 AM CentralField table · How it works

Bracket and table computed Thu, Oct 22 · 6:32 PM CDT

  • Final Finished, with the score
  • Ewert’s pick A guess, not a set matchup
  • To be decided Waiting on earlier games

Unresolved ties: Bruce and Cornell and Frederic and Northwood/Solon Springs (rank 16, seed #4); Alma Center Lincoln and Chequamegon and Flambeau and Lake Holcombe and Luck and Three Lakes/Phelps and Tri-County and Wabeno/Laona (rank 20, seed #5); Athens and De Soto and Elcho/White Lake and Florence and Gibraltar and Lena/Saint Thomas Aquinas and Mellen and Port Edwards and Siren and Thorp and Turtle Lake and Wild Rose and Winter/Birchwood and Wonewoc-Center (rank 30, seed #8). Tied at rank 16, across the #4/#5 seed line: placement waits for WIAA's tie-break (Tier 3, then its own procedure). Their slots are left empty.

1 Hurley8 tie unresolvedEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK4 Sevastopol5 tie unresolvedEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK3 Rib LakeEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK2 SuringEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBD1 Clear Lake8 tie unresolvedEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK4 tie unresolved5 tie unresolvedTBDTBD3 BelmontEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKES pick: North Crawford, 98.5% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:08.719Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 North…ES 98%7 HighlandEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKTBDTBDTBDTBDTBD2 North Crawfo…EWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKTBDTBDTBDTBD1 Gilman8 tie unresolvedEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK4 Almond-Bancr…5 tie unresolvedEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK3 Owen-WitheeEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK2 AssumptionEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBD1 Green Bay N.…8 tie unresolvedEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK4 Elkhart Lake…5 tie unresolvedEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICK3 Palmyra-EagleEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKES pick: Valley Christian (Oshkosh), 99.8% win chance. Ratings calculated 2026-10-22T10:39:08.719Z; assumed venue: higher-seed home.2 Valle…ES 100%7 Williams BayEWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKTBDTBDTBDTBDTBD2 Valley Chris…EWERT’S PICKEWERT’S PICKTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDState semifinalTBDTBDTBDTBDState semifinalTBDTBDTBDTBDState finalRegion ARegion BRegion CRegion D

8-man football · Week 2 field and cut line

Table-only view →

The table uses reported results through Week 2. Projected Final shows our latest forecast, based on reported Week 8 results plus the remaining ES picks; arrows compare it with this table. This is today’s forecast, not a saved forecast from Week 2. UNOFFICIAL · partial: unresolved games or opponent data can change these placements.

Since week 1: out New Auburn (30 → 44), Newman Catholic (30 → 44), Niagara (30 → 44), Oakfield (30 → 44), Oneida Nation (30 → 44), Pembine/Goodman (30 → 44), Prentice (30 → 44), Princeton/Green Lake (30 → 44), Washburn (30 → 44), Wausaukee (30 → 44), Wayland Academy (30 → 44). Biggest climbs: Almond-Bancroft ▲16, Cornell ▲14, Northwood/Solon Springs ▲14. Biggest drops: Highland ▼27, Athens ▼23, Elcho/White Lake ▼23.

No future qualifying games remain. This is a comparison of the current qualifying results, not a new forecast; unresolved results or opponent data still affect the comparison.

Rank+/−TeamCityW-LTotalTier 1 AVGTier 2 AVGTier 2 WinsProjected SeedProjected Final Seed
Rank · Seed · Partial
1–Gilman checkGilman15.151-C2 ▼1 · 1-B
2T▲5Clear Lake checkClear Lake15.001-B13 ▼11 · 4-C
2T▲5Hurley checkHurley15.001-A5 ▼3 · 2-B
4▲3Green Bay N.E.W. Lutheran/Providence Academy (Green Bay) check15.001-D29 ▼25 · 8-A
5▲2Assumption checkWisconsin Rapids15.002-C7 ▼2 · 2-A
6▲1North Crawford checkSoldiers Grove15.002-B11 ▼5 · 3-C
7▼6Valley Christian (Oshkosh) checkOshkosh9.752-D3 ▲4 · 1-A
8▼1Suring checkSuring9.602-A6 ▲2 · 2-D
9▼8Owen-Withee checkOwen9.153-C10 ▼1 · 3-A
10▼9Belmont checkBelmont9.153-B1 ▲9 · 1-C
11▼4Rib Lake checkRib Lake9.003-A19 ▼8 · 5-D
12▼5Palmyra-Eagle checkPalmyra9.003-D14 ▼2 · 4-A
13▼6Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah checkElkhart Lake8.104-D28 ▼15 · 7-D
14T▲16Almond-Bancroft checkAlmond7.654-C18 ▼4 · 5-A
14T▼13Sevastopol checkSturgeon Bay7.654-A9 ▲5 · 3-D
16T▼9Bruce checkBruce7.50#425 ▼9 · 7-B
16T▲14Cornell checkCornell7.50#445 ▼29 · Out projected out
16T▼9Frederic checkFrederic7.50#430 ▼14 · 8-B
16T▲14Northwood/Solon Springs check7.50#415 ▲1 · 4-D
20T▼13Alma Center Lincoln checkAlma Center7.50#533 ▼13 · Out projected out
20T▲10Chequamegon checkPark Falls7.50#542 ▼22 · Out projected out
20T▲10Flambeau checkTony7.50#516 ▲4 · 4-B
20T▼13Lake Holcombe checkHolcombe7.50#527 ▼7 · 7-A
20T▲10Luck checkLuck7.50#546T ▼26 · Out projected out
20T▼13Three Lakes/Phelps check7.50#531 ▼11 · 8-D
20T▲10Tri-County checkPlainfield7.50#517 ▲3 · 5-C
20T▼13Wabeno/Laona check7.50#54 ▲16 · 1-D
28T▼27Highland checkHighland1.657-B38 ▼10 · Out projected out
28T▲2Williams Bay checkWilliams Bay1.657-D37 ▼9 · Out projected out
30T▼23Athens checkAthens1.50#821 ▲9 · 6-B
30T–De Soto checkDe Soto1.50#88 ▲22 · 2-C
30T▼23Elcho/White Lake check1.50#843 ▼13 · Out projected out
30T–Florence checkFlorence1.50#850T ▼20 · Out projected out
30T–Gibraltar checkFish Creek1.50#850T ▼20 · Out projected out
30T–Lena/Saint Thomas Aquinas check1.50#820 ▲10 · 5-B
30T▼23Mellen checkMellen1.50#839 ▼9 · Out projected out
30T▼23Port Edwards checkPort Edwards1.50#822 ▲8 · 6-A
30T▼23Siren checkSiren1.50#841 ▼11 · Out projected out
30T▼23Thorp checkThorp1.50#826 ▲4 · 7-C
30T–Turtle Lake checkTurtle Lake1.50#812 ▲18 · 3-B
30T▼23Wild Rose checkWild Rose1.50#832 ▼2 · 8-C
30T–Winter/Birchwood check1.50#850T ▼20 · Out projected out
30T▼23Wonewoc-Center checkWonewoc1.50#850T ▼20 · Out projected out
Cut line · the top 32 qualify
44T▼14New Auburn checkBelow cut lineNew Auburn0.00Below cut line dropped34 ▲10 · Out
44T▼14Newman Catholic checkBelow cut lineWausau0.00Below cut line dropped48 ▼4 · Out
44T▼14Niagara checkBelow cut lineNiagara0.00Below cut line dropped24 ▲20 · 6-D projected in
44T▼14Oakfield checkBelow cut lineOakfield0.00Below cut line dropped23 ▲21 · 6-C projected in
44T▼14Oneida Nation checkBelow cut lineOneida0.00Below cut line dropped54 ▼10 · Out
44T▼14Pembine/Goodman checkBelow cut line0.00Below cut line dropped40 ▲4 · Out
44T▼14Prentice checkBelow cut linePrentice0.00Below cut line dropped46T ▼2 · Out
44T▼14Princeton/Green Lake checkBelow cut line0.00Below cut line dropped44 – · Out
44T▼14Washburn checkBelow cut lineWashburn0.00Below cut line dropped35 ▲9 · Out
44T▼14Wausaukee checkBelow cut lineWausaukee0.00Below cut line dropped36 ▲8 · Out
44T▼14Wayland Academy checkBelow cut lineBeaver Dam0.00Below cut line dropped49 ▼5 · Out
—Iola-Scandinavia checkIola9.75ExcludedExcluded
—Shell Lake check3-year enrollment average 204Shell Lake9.00ExcludedExcluded
—Clayton/Prairie Farm check3-year enrollment average 2117.50ExcludedExcluded
—Phillips check3-year enrollment average 201Phillips7.50ExcludedExcluded
—Rosholt checkRosholt7.50ExcludedExcluded
—Abundant Life Christian/Saint Ambrose check3-year enrollment average 2893.15ExcludedExcluded
—Algoma check3-year enrollment average 220Algoma3.00ExcludedExcluded
—Kickapoo/La Farge check3-year enrollment average 2291.50ExcludedExcluded
—Marion/Tigerton check3-year enrollment average 2111.50ExcludedExcluded
—St. John's Northwestern check3-year enrollment average 350Delafield1.50ExcludedExcluded
—Bowler/Gresham check0.00ExcludedExcluded
—Gillett checkGillett0.00ExcludedExcluded
—Menominee Nation check3-year enrollment average 368Keshena0.00ExcludedExcluded
—Montello check3-year enrollment average 216Montello0.00ExcludedExcluded
—Monticello checkMonticello0.00ExcludedExcluded
—South Shore checkPort Wing0.00ExcludedExcluded
—Wisconsin Heights check3-year enrollment average 229Mazomanie0.00ExcludedExcluded

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

WIAA has released its bracket for this field. See the official bracket →

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.

Unofficial projection. 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: projected from the unofficial matrix; not WIAA's published bracket. Through week 2 (games through Saturday 2026-08-29). 43 of 54 in the field, 17 placed (26 waiting on a tie-break).

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: 3.0 for an 8-player school, 3.3 for one whose three-year enrollment average is over 200. 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 8).
  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 8). Tier 2 AVG = Tier 2 points ÷ opponents’ games, and the Tier 2 score is 8 × Tier 2 AVG. WIAA’s rule: “Divide Tier 2 points by opponents’ games played and multiply by 8 (this is a 100% bonus to the Strength of Victory) to get the Tier 2 score.”
  3. Total (PQS) = Tier 1 AVG + 8 × 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 8. 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: Thorp (rank 30T, seed 8)

DateOpponentResultOpponent’s valueTier 1 earnedOpp. Tier 1 pointsOpp. gamesCounts?
2026-08-21New AuburnW33.000.002yes
2026-08-28AssumptionL30.00—2yes

Tier 1 AVG = 3.00 ÷ 2 = 1.500. Tier 2 points = 0.00 = 0.00; opponents’ games = 2 + 2 = 4; Tier 2 AVG = 0.00 ÷ 4 = 0.000. Total = 1.500 + 8 × 0.000 = 1.50.

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