8-Man Football Playoff Projections Week 8
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)
Norwood (Mountain)
Fowler (Ark Valley)
Stratton (Plains)
Akron (Plains)
Las Animas (Ark Valley)
Vail Christian (Western Slope)
Sanford (Mountain)
Dolores (Mountain)
Playoff Hunt for Final Spots & Bubble Breakdown
Crowley County, Del Norte, Merino, Plateau Valley
We look at the schedules of the teams on the bubble. We will look from #13 thru #22
#13 Sanford-Dolores, Fowler, Norwood. Sanford has a very tough schedule to end the year. A win over Dolores is probably enough to get in but also their win against Crowley County should also help them get into the playoffs.
#14 Center-Sargent/Sangre, Sierra Grande, Hoehne. More than likely only the league champion out of the Big 6 Southern will get into the playoffs. That means every game will be an elimination game going down the stretch for Center.
#15 Crowley County-Elbert, Simla, St. Mary’s. Crowley County will need to win two of their last three games. Then may need to help to avoid being jumped in the rankings.
#16 Dolores-Sanford, Norwood, Del Norte. Dolores may have to win two of their final three games but the game to watch will be the Dolores vs Del Norte and Dolores vs Sanford game. If Dolores can beat Sanford they probably will get in but will also need to make sure they beat Del Norte.
#17 Front Range Christian-Estes Park, South Park, Gilpin County. Only one team is going to get into the playoffs from the Central League. Like Center every game will be an elimination game for Front Range Christian.
#18 Del Norte-Mancos, Dolores. Del Norte will have to pull an upset of Mancos or Dolores to get into the playoffs. No way they get in losing their final 5 games of the season.
#21 Merino-Clear Creek, Sedgwick County, Stratton. Merino basically has an elimination game against Clear Creek this week. Merino must beat Clear Creek and then still may need to upset Stratton or Sedgco.
#22 Plateau Valley-Rangely, Lake County, Hayden. Plateau Valley has two must win games against Lake County and Rangely. If they win those we will have to see where they sit going into the final game. They could have a shot at the playoffs going 2 for 3.
Seeded Playoff Bracket using my predictions and the CHSAA Seeding Index (10/15)
#1 West Grand vs #16 Front Range Christian
#8 Fowler vs #9 Stratton
#4 Hayden vs #13 Sanford
#5 Mancos vs #12 Vail Christian
#2 McClave vs #15 Dolores
#7 Sedgwick County vs #10 Las Animas
#3 Simla vs #14 Center
#6 Norwood vs #11 Akron
8-Man Playoff Projections (IF the Season Ended Today)
This is if the season ended today 10/15/2026. 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 Seeding Index
Ark Valley: McClave (2)
Big 6 Southern: Center (14)
Black Forest: Simla (2)
Central: Front Range Christian (17)
Mountain: Mancos (5)
Plains: Sedgwick County (7)
Western Slope: West Grand (1)
At Large Teams
#8 Hayden (4)
#9 Norwood (6)
#10 Fowler (8)
#11 Stratton (9)
#12 Akron (10)
#13 Las Animas (11)
#14 Vail Christian (12)
#15 Sanford (13)
#16 Crowley County (15)
First Four Out
Dolores (16), Del Norte (19), Merino (21), Plateau Valley (22)
Clear Creek & Estes Park (Cannot qualify for the 8-Man Playoffs)
Playoff Bracket Seeded using Seeding Index
#1 West Grand vs #16 Crowley County
#8 Fowler vs #9 Stratton
#4 Hayden vs #13 Sanford
#5 Mancos vs #12 Vail Christian
#2 McClave vs #15 Front Range Christian
#7 Sedgwick County vs #10 Las Animas
#3 Simla vs #14 Center
#6 Norwood vs #11 Akron
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