Find out where every Northern Michigan football team stands in playoff points
Ever since the Michigan High School Athletic Association changed the football playoff format a few years back, things have felt a bit more exciting at the end of each season.
Beginning right around Week 6, put up or shut up time begins.
It’s also been nice to void the teams who put together a cupcake schedule just to grab those key six wins. Those days are gone.
It’s why a talented Benzie Central team got into the postseason – and actually upset Charlevoix – a year ago at 3-6 and why Boyne City is actually still fighting for the playoffs at 2-4, having loaded their schedule with larger programs and playoff contenders.
As we enter Week 7, let’s have a look at who is in the race around the area, who is likely out of it and what’s left ahead.
Within 11-Player football, 32 teams in each division make the postseason, while for 8-Player, 16 programs will make the postseason in each division. Each 11-Player division has around 60 teams within it, while 8-Player divisons feature a total of 45-50 teams.
*Listed below are the current top points for a team in each division, as well as the No. 32 line.
Week 7 Preview: Petoskey looking to start fast at Marquette, East Jordan visits Harbor in league rivalry
Week 7 Preview: With postseason looming, Gaylord eyes share of BNC crown; keys to victory in week seven
Around Emmet, Charlevoix, Otsego, Cheboygan and Chippewa Counties listed below, all of Northern Michigan at the bottom:
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DIVISION 3
*Range: 69.667–38.167
Gaylord (6-0)
Points rank: No. 5 (63.333)
Games ahead: at Escanaba (1-5), vs. Jackson Lumen Christi (6-0), at Sault Ste. Marie (4-2)
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Petoskey (4-2)
Points rank: No. 23 (44.167)
Games ahead: at Marquette (3-2), at Sault Ste. Marie (4-2) vs. Clare (4-2)
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DIVISION 4
Range: 58.233–32.700
Sault Ste. Marie (4-2)
Points rank: No. 31 (34.333)
Games ahead: at Alpena (1-5), vs. Petoskey (4-2), vs. Gaylord (6-0)
DIVISION 5
Range: 63.667–30.500
Cheboygan (0-6)
Points rank: No. 59 (12.833)
Games ahead: vs. Boyne City (2-4), at Grayling (3-3), vs. Benzie Central (3-3)
DIVISION 6
Range: 55.833–25.167
Boyne City (2-4)
Points rank: No. 33 (24.167)
Games ahead: at Cheboygan (0-6), at Oscoda (3-3), vs. Tawas (1-5)
DIVISION 7
Range: 56.167–23.500
Charlevoix (5-1)
Points rank: No. 8 (35.000)
Games ahead: Mancelona (2-4), Tawas (1-5), Harbor Springs (0-6)
Hudson Vollmer: Charlevoix's Vollmer helping Rayders stay focused every week
Harbor Springs (0-6)
Points rank: No. 59 (7.100)
Games ahead: vs. East Jordan (5-1), vs. Elk Rapids (2-4) at Charlevoix (5-1)
DIVISION 8
Range: 40.548–20.262
East Jordan (5-1)
Points rank: No. 14 (32.533)
Games ahead: at Harbor Springs (0-6), vs. Frankfort (6-0), vs. Elk Rapids (2-4)
Johannesburg-Lewiston (2-3)
Points rank: No. 40 (18.333)
Games ahead: vs. Glen Lake (3-3), at Mancelona (2-4) at Manton (0-6)
8-PLAYER D1
Range: 34.200–25.567
Pickford (6-0)
Points rank: No. 2 (32.000)
Games ahead: at Norway (5-1), at Newberry (5-1), vs. St. Ignace (5-1)
St. Ignace (5-1)
Points rank: No. 3 (30.833)
Games ahead: vs. Rudyard (4-2), at Munising (1-5), at Pickford (5-1)
Inland Lakes (5-1)
Points rank: No. 6 (29.533)
Games ahead: vs. Pellston (1-5), at Bellaire (1-5), at Gaylord St. Mary (5-1)
Gaylord St. Mary (5-1)
Points rank: No. 10 (27.833)
Games ahead: vs. Whittemore-Prescott (3-3), vs. Rudyard (4-2), vs. Inland Lakes (5-1)
Onaway (3-3)
Points rank: No. 27 (21.000)
Games ahead: vs. Central Lake (4-2), at Pellston (1-5), vs. Cedarville (5-1)
Pellston (1-5)
Points rank: No. 36 (14.167)
Games ahead: at Inland Lakes (5-1), vs. Onaway (3-3), vs. Wyoming Tri-Unity (3-3)
Rudyard (4-2)
Points rank: No. 16 (25.567)
Games ahead: at St. Ignace (5-1), at Gaylord St. Mary (5-1), at Brimley (2-4)
8-PLAYER D2
Range: 31.000–23.500
Cedarville
Points rank: No. 14 (24.833)
Games ahead: vs. Rock Mid Peninsula (0-4), at Central Lake (4-2), at Onaway (3-3)
Brimley (2-4)
Points rank: No. 29 (15.833)
Games ahead: vs. Munising (1-5), at Rapid River (2-4), vs. Rudyard (4-2)
Northern Michigan:
D2: TC Central (2-4) No. 34 (39.500)
D2: TC West (2-4) No. 42 (34.167)
D3: Marquette (3-2) No. 30 (39.167)
D3: Cadillac (3-3) No. 34 (38.000)
D3: Alpena (1-5) No. 56 (18.333)
D4: Escanaba (1-5) No. 54 (17.167)
D5: Ogemaw Heights (5-1) No. 19 (39.500)
D6: Kingsley (5-1) No. 7 (40.167)
D6: Elk Rapids (2-4) No. 48 (16.667)
D6: Grayling (3-3) No. 28 (26.000)
D7: TC St. Francis (3-3) No. 15 (29.333)
D7: Benzie Central (3-3) No. 26 (26.833)
D7: Oscoda (3-3) No. 38 (19.833)
D7: Tawas (1-5) No. 51 (12.167)
D8: Frankfort (6-0) No. 12 (33.200)
D8: Glen Lake (3-3) No. 23 (24.833)
D8: Mancelona (2-4) No. 43 (16.667)
8P1: Suttons Bay (2-4) No. 30 (17.333)
8P1: Central Lake (4-2) No. 19 (24.667)
8P1: Rogers City (3-3) No. 23 (22.429)
8P1: Mesick (4-2) No. 16 (25.567)
8P2: Posen (6-0) No. 7 (28.429)
8P2: Onekama (3-3) No. 25 (17.500)
Contact Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Northern Michigan football playoff point ranks, what games remain
