How to Qualify for the State Football Playoffs
We look at the Qualifying process for the State Football Playoffs for the 2025 Season. This is pulled from the CHSAAnow.com Bulletin.
Class 2A thru 6-Man
Qualifying Format
The seeding committee for all classifications will be the members of the football committee, minus any active coaches. If necessary, replacements for the active coaches will come from the same classification in roughly the same geographic area of the state. The committee will meet at the CHSAA office or online on the Sunday following the final week of the regular season.
Following the end of the regular season, the procedures listed below will be utilized to capture the playoff bracket and serve as the criteria used for seeding the bracket.
The top 16 teams (24 in 4A and 5A) in the classification based on the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index will qualify for the post-season bracket. Each conference champion will automatically be placed on the playoff bracket. Conference champions are determined by the conference Bylaws or policies. If a conference champion is not ranked in the top 16 (24) based on the final CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index, they will replace the lowest ranked team that is not a conference champion in the top 16 (24).
Seeding Criteria (Once qualifies are determined)
The CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index will be utilized to place teams on the 16(24)-team bracket. Once on the bracket, teams can be moved one spot at maximum based upon a head-to-head regular season game, if they are consecutive seeds on the bracket.
If the scenario exists where three or more consecutive seeded teams have all played one another, they will remain as originally placed on the bracket.
A conference champion not ranked in the top 16(24) of the final seeding and selection index will be placed in the bracket.
When possible, conference opponents will not be paired against one another in the first round and geography will be a consideration in the first round. These adjustments can be made for seeds #9-16/24.
Playoff Hosting Policy and Procedure
5A, 4A, 3A, 8man high seed hosts until finals.
2A & 6man high seed hosts semi-finals. 2nd round playoff game host shall be the team which has had fewer home games during the state playoffs. If both teams have had an equal number of home games the team with the higher designation will host that game.
1A higher seeds host round one and home team at each subsequent playoff game shall be that team which has had fewer home games during the state playoffs. If both teams have had an equal number of home games the team with the higher designation will host that game.
Informational Items
6-Man thru 2A Championship game sites will be hosted at CSU-Pueblo, 3A, 4A and 5A will be hosted at Colorado State University.
MileHigh Prep Report 