Updated unofficial Week 8 Wisconsin Football Playoff Matrix rankings were posted after the latest results, and they show the playoff field still taking shape with one week left in the regular season. West De Pere sits as the overall number one seed in Division 1, while Hortonville holds the final qualifying spot there for now.
That is why the WIAA Football Playoffs search is so active today: the matrix is changing at the exact point when every game starts to carry playoff weight. In a field where 32 teams in each division qualify, the top four teams earn one-seeds, the next four receive two-seeds, and the rest of the bracket follows from there. The update gives readers the current line between being in and being out, even if it is still only a snapshot.
In Division 1, Hamilton, Muskego and Bay Port join West De Pere as the one-seeds, with Oshkosh West and Janesville Craig sitting behind Hortonville. Division 2 is led by Notre Dame, with New Richmond, Union Grove and Elkhorn also on the top line. DeForest, after beating Watertown last week, now holds the final qualifying spot in that division.
Division 3 has Port Washington, Pewaukee, La Crosse Logan and New Berlin West as the number one seeds, while Reedsburg, Whitefish Bay, Medford and Winneconne are the two-seeds. Wauwatosa West is the last team in as of today. In Division 4, Freedom leads the way, with Little Chute, Racine St. Catherine’s and Lake Mills also on the top line. West Salem remains close, and Turner is just a few points ahead of Oconto Falls for the final qualifying spot.
Division 5 has Racine Lutheran, Darlington and Amherst back as one-seeds, while New Glarus has slipped just ahead of unbeaten Durand-Arkansaw for the last top seed. G-E-T currently occupies the final qualifying place. In Division 6, Bonduel, Manitowoc Lutheran, Mondovi and Edgar remain the top seeds, even as unbeaten Randolph/Cambria-Friesland is listed as a three-seed. Unity would be the final qualifier there. Division 7 is topped by Ithaca/Weston, Cochrane-Fountain City, Glenwood City and Shiocton, with Reedsville on the outside looking in as the final qualifier.
The one catch is that these rankings are unofficial, while the WIAA keeps the official point totals. That leaves room for movement, and the matrix still has thousands of games feeding into it before the bracket settles. 8-player already has its official qualifiers and starts a week earlier than 11-player, with Belmont, Gilman, Valley Christian and Wabeno/Laona on the top line. For everyone else, the next round of results is the one that matters.
