Playoff expansion idea shot down by association

Posted 1/2/20

One of two proposals for an expanded football playoff was shut down by the Iowa High School Athletic Association board of control at their December meeting.

Both proposals would have pushed the …

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Playoff expansion idea shot down by association

Posted

One of two proposals for an expanded football playoff was shut down by the Iowa High School Athletic Association board of control at their December meeting.

Both proposals would have pushed the playoffs to 32 qualifiers for Eight-Player and other classes except Class 4A, which would stay at 16 teams.

The first, which was voted down, would have continued the nine-game regular season and featured five rounds of playoffs with six days between each game.

The other proposal, which would change the regular season to eight games while expanding to five rounds of playoffs over five weeks. According to a release from the IHSAA, the board will vote on the second proposal at their January meeting.

“We appreciate the advisory committee’s recommendations and the work the committee has done to reach those recommendations,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “The board has decided to table action on playoff qualifiers in order to address all classes at the same time.”

The Iowa high school football playoffs were 32 teams from 2008 to 2016.

The board of control did approve some measures for the next football season. The 35-point running clock will begin at any point in the game now. The previous rule only started the running clock in the second half.

Another change according to the release is to allow blocking dummies, hand shields, sleds and tackling rings to be used within the first two days of practice.

The meeting to decide on the next proposal will take place on Jan. 23 in Boone.