Making sense of football playoff scenarios

Until this season, playoff scenarios were pretty easy to follow. But the new MSHSAA rule that allows the top two teams to advance from each four-team district means that well over half of Southeast Missouri's 33 football teams are in contention for regional playoff spots.

It's a doozy (and not always easy to decipher), but here's a list of potential scenarios for what could happen after games Thursday and Friday:


Class 5, District 1

Plain and simple: If Eureka and Jackson both win, they're in the playoffs. On the other hand, either team could be eliminated based on an unlikely series of point differentials if both lose. Expect Eureka and Jackson to advance.


Class 4, District 1

Farmington is in no matter what happens Thursday against Sikeston. Sikeston can lose and still advance, but only if Poplar Bluff's winning margin over West Plains is the same or more than Sikeston's losing margin to Farmington. Otherwise, West Plains advances.


Class 4, District 2

DeSoto and Festus both clinched playoff spots at 2-0 and play Friday.


Class 3, District 1

New Madrid County Central and Perryville both are locks for the playoffs and meet Thursday.


Class 3, District 2

Ste. Genevieve is locked in the playoffs and will play Fredericktown on Thursday. Potosi and Fredericktown both are in contention for the second playoff spot based largely on Potosi's outcome against Park Hills Central. Central still has a slim hope that relies on a Central win and a Fredericktown loss, then comes down to a point totals.


Class 3, District 3

Priory is a lock in the playoffs. If Herculaneum and Priory win, Herculaneum will earn the second spot. If Herculaneum and Lutheran South both win or both lose, they must beat the other’s margin to get the final slot.


Class 2, District 1

East Prairie has sealed a playoff spot regardless of what happens Thursday against Malden. Caruthersville and Malden are in contention for the No. 2 spot based on Thursday's outcomes, which could come down to point totals.


Class 2, District 2

Scott City is a lock, and St. Pius X will advance as the runnerup unless St. Pius loses and Crystal City wins by a margin wide enough to impact point totals.


Class 1, District 1

Hayti and St. Vincent are in the playoffs and will play Thursday. Both teams are 2-0.


Class 1, District 2

Valle and Paris are 2-0 and will play Friday for the title.