6-Man Football League Predictions Update Week 7
We are 6 weeks thru the regular season and league play is well underway. Stratton, Branson/Kim and Sierra Grande have locked up league titles and automatic berths into the playoffs. I made a few small changes to the articles. I am looking at locking up a few teams into the playoffs, this is all my opinion of course and could change. Also focusing more on teams’ chances at league titles and their playoff lives. My playoff predictions and projections will be posted in a separate article.
Central League
Genoa-Hugo
Genoa-Hugo is my pick to win the Central League. Genoa-Hugo moved to 5-0 on the season blasting Miami-Yoder 73-25. Genoa-Hugo will look to wrap up the Central League title this weekend when they travel to Deer Trail. A win for Genoa-Hugo locks up the League title and the automatic berth. Genoa-Hugo sits at #9 in the RPI and is a near lock for the playoffs.
Deer Trail
Deer Trail sits at 3-2 currently and #21 in the RPI. Deer Trail desperately needs a quality win and an upset of Genoa-Hugo would do just that. Deer Trail will probably need an upset of Genoa-Hugo, Hanover, or Stratton to make a push for the playoffs.
Hanover
Hanover currently sits at #17 in the RPI and travel this week to face Eads. This is a massive game for both teams as they are fighting for one of the remaining playoff spots. A win over Hanover should push them back into the top 16 in the RPI.
Playoff Hunt
Genoa-Hugo, Hanover, Deer Trail
Eliminated from Playoff Hunt
Kiowa
RPI Standings (As of 10/6)
#9 Genoa-Hugo, #17 Hanover, #21 Deer Trail, #29 Kiowa
East Central League
Stratton
Stratton is your league champion. Stratton locked up the league title for themselves with the 32-16 win over Idalia. Stratton wraps up league play this week when they travel to face Flagler regardless of the outcome Stratton has locked up the league title. Stratton will be looking to improve their playoff seeding going forward and have some big non-league games upcoming.
Idalia
Idalia is also a lock for the playoffs with a top 8 RPI currently barring something crazy happening. Idalia has one final league game remaining at the end of the season against Arickaree/Woodlin and that will be for second place in the league. Idalia hits the road this week to face Prairie in a very big non-league matchup. Both teams are probably playoffs locks, but this will have big implications towards seeding.
Arickaree/Woodlin
Arickaree/Woodlin is a near lock for the playoffs but sit at #8 in the RPI and have a few big games remaining that could effect their RPI. Arickaree/Woodlin hits the road to face Kiowa and is a must win game for Arickaree/Woodlin. Arickaree/Woodlin has 3 huge games to close out the year and cannot drop this game to Kiowa.
Otis
Otis is a bubble team right now and sit at #16 in the RPI. Otis currently is 2-4 and have a critical game this week. Otis hosts Kit Carson and is a must win game. Otis cannot drop this game to Kit Carson and still get into the playoffs. Otis is in must win mode for their next 3 games and will hope they can get into the playoffs.
Hi-Plains
Hi-Plains picked up a crucial 53-34 win over Kit Carson to keep their playoff hopes alive. Hi-Plains has a bye this week and sit at #18 in the RPI. Hi-Plains will probably need a win over rival Otis next week to get into the playoffs and still may need to upset Eads in the final week of the season.
Lock for the Playoff
Stratton (League Champion), Idalia
In Playoff Hunt
Arickaree/Woodlin, Otis, Hi-Plains
Eliminated from Playoff Hunt
Flagler
RPI Standings (As of 10/5)
#1 Stratton, #6 Idalia, #8 Arickaree/Woodlin, #16 Otis, #18 Hi-Plains, #26 Flagler
North League
Fleming
Fleming is a lock for the playoffs. The North League title won’t be decided till next weeks game against Prairie. Fleming this week will face Briggsdale, and this should be a good league game. Fleming will look to keep pace with Prairie and set up the league title match next week. Fleming will also look to improve their playoff seeding.
Prairie
Prairie hits the road this week to face Idalia in a non-league matchup. Prairie is a lock for the playoffs in my opinion. Prairie sits at #5 in the RPI and face another top 8 RPI team this week in Idalia. This is a big matchup to help determine seeding for the playoffs. Should be a good game.
Briggsdale
Briggsdale is on the bubble at #12 in the RPI. Briggsdale will face Fleming this week and this could be the key win Briggsdale needs. Briggsdale end of season schedule is going to be tough and an upset of Fleming could boost them heading into their final 3 games.
North Park
North Park is on the bubble sitting at #14 in the RPI. North Park will host Pawnee this week and is a must win game. North Park cannot drop this game and this game could hurt their RPI but is something we will have to watch. North Park will probably need to win 2 of their final 3 games to get into the playoffs.
Peetz
Peetz is currently a bubble team but on the outside looking in. Peetz sits at #20 currently in the RPI. Peetz has a must win game this week against Weldon Valley. Peetz will need to beat Weldon Valley and Flagler and may need an upset of Arickaree/Woodlin to get into the playoffs. Peetz is a team to watch what their RPI does.
Lock for the Playoffs
Fleming, Prairie
In the Playoff Hunt
Briggsdale, North Park, Peetz
Eliminated from the Playoff Hunt
Pawnee, Weldon Valley
RPI Standings (As of 10/6)
#4 Fleming, #5 Prairie, #12 Briggsdale, #14 North Park, #20 Peetz, #22 Weldon Valley, #23 Pawnee
South Central League
1. Branson/Kim
2. Primero
Branson/Kim has won the South Central League and now have the automatic berth into the playoffs. Branson/Kim now will focus on trying to improve their RPI and their seed heading into the playoffs. Branson/Kim has two big games remaining on their schedule against Granada on 10/15 and Sierra Grande on 10/30. These two games will have huge implications towards seeding in the playoffs. This week Branson/Kim will play Miami-Yoder.
League Champion
Branson/Kim
Eliminated from Playoff Hunt
Primero
RPI Standings (As of 10/6)
#11 Branson/Kim, #30 Primero
South East League
Cheyenne Wells
Cheyenne Wells is in the driver seat and are a win away from locking up the league title and the automatic berth. Cheyenne Wells will hit the road this week to face Cheraw, and this is for the league title. If Cheyenne Wells wins, they lock up the league title and the automatic berth into the playoffs. Cheyenne Wells is a lock for the playoffs in my opinion anyways with the #2 RPI but a league title is what is important this week.
Cheraw
Cheraw is coming off a 66-6 win over Eads last week and they are looking for a huge signature upset of Cheyenne Wells. If Cheraw can upset Cheyenne Wells, they can force a three-way tie for the league title and push themselves into the lock for the playoff’s category. Cheraw will need to play their best game of the season to pull the upset. Cheraw is still on the bubble with the #10 RPI.
Granada
Granada improved to 4-1 on the season with a 51-19 win over Flagler last week. Granada sits at #3 in the RPI and are a lock for the playoffs. Granada will host Walsh this week. Granada cannot overlook Walsh this week in preparation for Branson/Kim. This will be a good week for Granada to improve defensively against a run heavy Walsh team.
Eads
Eads currently sits at 2-4 overall and #13 in the RPI. Eads is on the bubble and they face another bubble team this week in Hanover. This is a very important game for both teams and could decide who gets into the playoffs and who misses the playoffs. Eads has a tough schedule going towards the end of the season and all 4 of their remaining games are important.
Walsh
Walsh is currently 2-4 and sit at #19 in the RPI. They are on the bubble but are outside the top 16 of the RPI. Walsh may need an upset of Granada or Stratton to get into the playoffs. We will be watching what their RPI does heading into the final stretch of games.
Lock for the Playoffs
Cheyenne Wells, Granada
In Playoff Hunt
Cheraw, Eads, Walsh
Eliminated from Playoff Hunt
Kit Carson
RPI Standings (As of 10/6)
#2 Cheyenne Wells, #3 Granada, #10 Cheraw, #13 Eads, #19 Walsh, #24 Kit Carson
Southwest League
Sierra Grande
Sierra Grande is your league champion. Sierra Grande locked up the league title on 9/25 with their win over Cotopaxi. Sierra Grande will have a bye this week again. Sierra Grande has 3 games remaining on their schedule 2 of the 3 will be very important games heading into playoff seeding. Sierra Grande plays Arickaree/Woodlin on 10/16.
Mountain Valley
Mountain Valley improved to 4-2 on the season with a 45-20 win over La Veta last week. Mountain Valley is on the bubble and sit at #15 in the RPI. Mountain Valley has a bye this week and close the season out with games against Primero and Eads. Mountain Valley may need to win both games to get into the playoffs.
Cotopaxi
I though about eliminating Cotopaxi from the playoffs but a win over Cripple Creek and La Veta could boost their RPI. Cotopaxi will probably need an upset of Cheraw, North Park, or Granada to get into the playoffs.
League Champion/Lock for the Playoffs
Sierra Grande
In Playoff Hunt
Mountain Valley, Cotopaxi
Eliminated from Playoff Hunt
La Veta, Cripple Creek
RPI Standings (As of 10/6)
#7 Sierra Grande, #15 Mountain Valley, #25 Cotopaxi, #28 La Veta, #31 Cripple Creek
