How decides who hosts high school playoff games?

[James B]

I don’t think I understand why or agree with how they pick who hosts high school football games in the playoffs

[Chunky6617]

It changes by round. For north and south state, it’s for the highest seeded team. If both teams are the same seed, then this year it’s to the team in the higher numbered region

[James B]

The team with the better record should host. For example, Brandon is 11-1 traveling to play a team that is 8-4. That makes no sense. 

[maroontide06]

44 minutes ago, James B said:

The team with the better record should host. For example, Brandon is 11-1 traveling to play a team that is 8-4. That makes no sense. 

I respectfully disagree.  Both Brandon and Ocean Springs are both 1 seeds from their respective districts.  When two 1 seeds meet up in the playoffs, they rotate the districts who hosts.  Last year it was Region 3 and this year it’s Region 4. 

 

We had to travel for South State last year to West Jones because even though we were both 1 seeds, it was their region’s turn to host.  It’s kind of like how they rotate who will be the home teams for the state title games.  This year the North Half is the home team and next year will be the South Half.

[maroontide06]

The MHSAA tries to treat equally seeded teams as equally as possible, that’s why they alternate the hosting sites as they do.  The overall win-loss record is irrelevant.

[Chunky6617]

1 hour ago, James B said:

The team with the better record should host. For example, Brandon is 11-1 traveling to play a team that is 8-4. That makes no sense. 

You can’t go by the record because the 11-1 team could only have a better record because they played an easier schedule. Some 1 seeds have had a worse record than a lower seed but only because their schedule was tougher. 

[Rebel Bert]

5A-7A is altered between R1-R2 & R3-R4. 1A-4A it's Lower Region 1 year and Higher Region the next as hosts.

[James B]

13 hours ago, maroontide06 said:

The MHSAA tries to treat equally seeded teams as equally as possible, that’s why they alternate the hosting sites as they do.  The overall win-loss record is irrelevant.

But it should be 

[James B]

13 hours ago, maroontide06 said:

I respectfully disagree.  Both Brandon and Ocean Springs are both 1 seeds from their respective districts.  When two 1 seeds meet up in the playoffs, they rotate the districts who hosts.  Last year it was Region 3 and this year it’s Region 4. 

 

We had to travel for South State last year to West Jones because even though we were both 1 seeds, it was their region’s turn to host.  It’s kind of like how they rotate who will be the home teams for the state title games.  This year the North Half is the home team and next year will be the South Half.

 

[James B]

When 2 number one teams meet in the playoffs They should go by the team with the better record. If their records are the same, they could break the tie with like opponents or only teams played in their division, etc. Just saying because it’s your region’s year to host is no good. Especially because it’s not the same teams year after year. 

Edited November 25, 2024 by James B
Spelling/punctuation, understanding

[Rebel Bert]

27 minutes ago, James B said:

When 2 number one teams meet in the playoffs They should go by the team with the better record. If their records are the same, they could break the tie with like opponents or only teams played in their division, etc. Just saying because it’s your region’s year to host is no good. Especially because it’s not the same teams year after year. 

Last year the lower region hosted, ex: R8#1 Heidelberg at R6#1 Raleigh. This year the higher region host, ex: R6#1 Raleigh at R8#1 Heidelberg. It's why Brandon is traveling to the coast this year. 

[Bulldogs4]

On 11/24/2024 at 8:38 PM, James B said:

When 2 number one teams meet in the playoffs They should go by the team with the better record. If their records are the same, they could break the tie with like opponents or only teams played in their division, etc. Just saying because it’s your region’s year to host is no good. Especially because it’s not the same teams year after year. 

Certainly understand your rationale but as a couple of folks noted above, records can be deceiving especially if one teams a very difficult OOC Schedule. 
Rotating the S and N Championship games via Region each year is fair enough when each team are equal seeds. It is much better than the old system when a 2 seed invariably hosted a one seed in the SSC or NSC Game. 

[Rebel Bert]

2 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said:

Certainly understand your rationale but as a couple of folks noted above, records can be deceiving especially if one teams a very difficult OOC Schedule. 
Rotating the S and N Championship games via Region each year is fair enough when each team are equal seeds. It is much better than the old system when a 2 seed invariably hosted a one seed in the SSC or NSC Game. 

It's why Noxubee plays Louisville and others every year. The stronger the non conference schedule the stronger you are come playoff time even if you lost 2 or 3.