Football playoffs designed to reward top teams
Nov. 3—The Kentucky High School Athletic Association's football ratings percentage index has received its fair share of criticism since its implementation a few seasons ago, but one fact remains: If a team takes care of its business in the regular season, it'll be rewarded in the playoffs.
The 2023 high school football season has been no exception.
Though the RPI's influence won't kick in until the third round of the playoffs, it serves as a reminder for what teams can expect if they make it through the first and second rounds unscathed.
For Owensboro Catholic, which wrapped up its regular season with a 10-0 mark after last week's win at North Hardin and finished with the highest RPI in Class 2-A, the system will allow the Aces to host games throughout the postseason until a potential state championship game.
The first two rounds of the playoffs are still contested in a cross-district format, with the higher seed in each matchup set to host. District 1 will face off against District 2, District 3 will take on District 4, and so on. The top seed in each district will host the No. 4 seed of its paired district, the second seed will host the No. 3 seed, and the third and fourth seeds will travel for their corresponding matchups.
In the third round, the remaining teams are split into two geographical groups — winners from Districts 1-4 and victors from Districts 5-8 — for a round, with RPI determining the hosts. The semifinals will feature the four teams left, with RPI still setting the hosts, until state title contests at Kroger Field in Lexington.
It's a lot to keep up with, of course, but the simple gist is this: Teams that won their districts and finished with higher RPIs should have an easier trip through the postseason.
Catholic, which enters Friday's playoff opener against Caldwell County ranked third in the statewide media poll, won its district, beat multiple teams from higher classifications and, as a result of the KHSAA using a "game value factor" in its formula, earned a state-best .82634 RPI. As long as the Aces keep winning, they'll keep playing at Steele Stadium.
The area's other top-seeded team, Owensboro, went 6-4 overall but 4-1 in Class 5-A, District 1 — earning the No. 1 seed in a three-way tiebreaker by virtue of RPI.
The Red Devils will host Ohio County in a showdown at Rash Stadium this week and, with a win, would host again the following week. However, with OHS ranking eighth in the Class 5-A RPI standings, odds are that the Red Devils will have to hit the road beyond that.
Daviess County, which went 5-5 overall but finished 2-1 in Class 6-A, District 1 to earn the No. 2 seed, will host its postseason opener against North Hardin but will likely travel to Central Hardin for a second-round matchup. With DC at 17th in the 6-A RPI rankings, it's hard to see the Panthers hosting another game after this week.
McLean County and Hancock County each qualified for the playoffs in their first season competing in Class 3-A, finishing second and third, respectively, in the District 1 standings.
McLean County went 8-2 overall and is ranked 10th in the RPI. The Cougars host Glasgow in a tough matchup this week, and if they prevail, will then be slated for a road tilt with undefeated Hart County.
Hancock County, which went 6-4 overall and is 17th in the RPI rankings, heads to Franklin-Simpson to open the playoffs.
There are criticisms of the ratings percentage index, of course. The "game value" might be weighted too much towards smaller schools, for example, and the formula's calculations don't take into account out-of-state opponents, regardless of skill level.
That said, however, its purpose is simple: Reward teams that take care of their business in the regular season.
So far, it's done that.
