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IHSAA releases new football districts and 2021 season details

Sports

March 12th, 2021 by admin

(IHSAA) DES MOINES, Iowa – Following Thursday’s regular meeting of the IHSAA Board of Control, district and group assignments for the 2021 and 2022 football seasons are now available.

The 2021 football season will be the first with a new seventh classification (Class 5A), approved in January by the Board of Control to reduce the disparity in enrollment in the IHSAA’s largest class of football, and to increase the number of participating teams and student-athletes in the postseason across all classes. Following the one-year assignments in 2020, districts and Class 5A groups are effective for a two-year cycle.

Season Info

  • Week 1 of the 2021 football season is scheduled to begin Thursday, Aug. 26.
  • Priority lists for non-district opponents will be available for member schools on Wednesday, March 17.
  • Varsity football schedules will continue to be compiled and created by the IHSAA for this two-year cycle.
  • Teams in 2A, 1A, A, and 8P will be permitted to play a ninth regular season contest should they not qualify for the postseason.
  • Schedules for the 2021-22 seasons will be released in April.

2021-22 ASSIGNMENTS

Class 5A Groups
Class 4A Districts
Class 3A Districts
Class 2A Districts
Class 1A Districts
Class A Districts
Eight-Player Districts

2021-22 FORMAT & PLAYOFF QUALIFYING

Class 5A
  • Teams: 36
  • Groups: 6
  • Teams Per Group: 6
  • Playoff Qualifiers: 16
  • At-Large Berths: 16, RPI
  • Regular Season Games (Per Team): 9
  • Group Games (Per Team): 4
  • Assigned Games (Per Team): 1
  • Non-Group Games (Per Team): 4
Class 4A
  • Teams: 36
  • Districts: 6
  • Teams Per District: 6
  • Playoff Qualifiers: 16
  • Automatic Qualifiers: 12, top two per district
  • At-Large Berths: 4, RPI
  • Regular Season Games (Per Team): 9
  • District Games (Per Team): 5
  • Non-District Games (Per Team): 4
Class 3A
  • Teams: 36
  • Districts: 6
  • Teams Per District: 6
  • Playoff Qualifiers: 16
  • Automatic Qualifiers: 12, top two per district
  • At-Large Berths: 4, RPI
  • Regular Season Games (Per Team): 9
  • District Games (Per Team): 5
  • Non-District Games (Per Team): 4
Class 2A
  • Teams: 48
  • Districts: 8
  • Teams Per District: 6
  • Playoff Qualifiers: 32
  • Automatic Qualifiers: 32, top four per district
  • At-Large Berths: 0, no RPI
  • Regular Season Games (Per Team): 8
  • District Games (Per Team): 5
  • Non-District Games (Per Team): 3
Class 1A
  • Teams: 48
  • Districts: 8
  • Teams Per District: 6
  • Playoff Qualifiers: 32
  • Automatic Qualifiers: 32, top four per district
  • At-Large Berths: 0, no RPI
  • Regular Season Games (Per Team): 8
  • District Games (Per Team): 5
  • Non-District Games (Per Team): 3
Class A
  • Teams: 56
  • Districts: 8
  • Teams Per District: 7
  • Playoff Qualifiers: 32
  • Automatic Qualifiers: 32, top four per district
  • At-Large Berths: 0, no RPI
  • Regular Season Games (Per Team): 8
  • District Games (Per Team): 6
  • Non-District Games (Per Team): 2
Eight-Player
  • Teams: 72
  • Districts: 10
  • Teams Per District: 8 with 7 / 2 with 8
  • Playoff Qualifiers: 32
  • Automatic Qualifiers: 30, top three per district
  • At-Large Berths: 2, 17-point differential in district
  • Regular Season Games (Per Team): 8
  • District Games (Per Team): 6 / 7
  • Non-District Games (Per Team): 2 / 1