8-Man Football Playoff Projections Week 7 (Updated 10/9)
This year to reach the playoffs is simple. Either win your league title or be inside the top 16 of the CHSAA Rankings. After they select the 16 teams that make the playoffs, they use the CHSAA Rankings to seed the playoffs. We will have two projections listed. First is who I think makes the playoffs and the second is if the season ended today.
Playoff Projections & Predictions
8-Man Playoff Predictions (Who I think make the playoffs)
This is who I think makes the playoffs and who wins the leagues. In 8-Man League champions are guaranteed a berth. The rest will be selected by CHSAA Rankings. Seeding is determined by CHSAA Rankings. I am picking my 9 At-Large teams via non-league schedules, remaining schedules, and how I think teams will do. Expect changes week to week, making these projections/predictions so early. League Champions are posted first then the At-Large Teams.
https://chsaanow.com/sports/football/rankings/8-MAN
League Champion Predictions
Ark Valley: McClave
Big 6 Southern: Center
Black Forest: Simla
Central: Front Range Christian
Mountain: Mancos
Plains: Sedgwick County
Western Slope: West Grand
At Large Teams
Hayden (Western Slope)
Stratton (Plains)
Norwood (Western Slope)
Sanford (Mountain)
Vail Christian (Western Slope)
Fowler (Ark Valley)
Akron (Plains)
Las Animas (Ark Valley)
Crowley County (Black Forest)
Playoff Hunt for Final Spots & Bubble Breakdown
Dolores, Del Norte, Haxtun, Sierra Grande, Calhan, Plateau Valley
Four Weeks remain in the regular season. Big games this week could help make the bubble much smaller next week. We will post full schedules next week of the teams still on the bubble.
Seeded Playoff Bracket using my predictions and the CHSAA Rankings (10/9)
#1 Simla vs #16 Front Range Christian
#8 Norwood vs #9 Vail Christian
#4 Hayden vs #13 Las Animas
#5 Mancos vs #12 Center
#2 West Grand vs #15 Crowley County
#7 Stratton vs #10 Sanford
#3 McClave vs #14 Akron
#6 Sedgwick County vs #11 Fowler
8-Man Playoff Projections (IF the Season Ended Today)
This is if the season ended today 10/9/2026. Using the CHSAA Rankings I will come up with the Playoff field. League Champions selected with my Predictions. I will seed & select the bracket with the CHSAA Rankings. Remember this is still early and things will change. The league champions I selected are at the top with the at-large berths following.
https://chsaanow.com/sports/football/rankings/8-MAN
League Champion Predictions ()=CHSAA Rankings
Ark Valley: McClave (3)
Big 6 Southern: Center (12)
Black Forest: Simla (1)
Central: Front Range Christian (18)
Mountain: Mancos (5)
Plains: Sedgwick County (6)
Western Slope: West Grand (2)
At Large Teams
#8 Hayden (4)
#9 Stratton (7)
#10 Norwood (8)
#11 Sanford (9)
#12 Vail Christian (10)
#13 Fowler (11)
#14 Akron (13)
#15 Las Animas (14)
#16 Crowley County (16)
First Four Out
Dolores (17), Del Norte (19), Haxtun (20), Sierra Grande (21)
Clear Creek & Estes Park (Cannot qualify for the 8-Man Playoffs)
Playoff Bracket Seeded using CHSAA Rankings (10/9)
#1 Simla vs #16 Front Range Christian
#8 Norwood vs #9 Vail Christian
#4 Hayden vs #13 Las Animas
#5 Mancos vs #12 Center
#2 West Grand vs #15 Crowley County
#7 Stratton vs #10 Sanford
#3 McClave vs #14 Akron
#6 Sedgwick County vs #11 Fowler