Yesterday, the playoff brackets for high school football in California were released, and there were a few surprises among the teams chosen to participate.
But before I get to that, some background is needed. California uses a point system to determine which teams are good enough to make the playoff field, and you earn points based on the strength of your league, strength of schedule, wins over common opponents, and of course your win-loss record.
Well imagine the surprise of some coaches when they saw 0-10 Placentia El Dorado HS, and 1-9 Agoura HS among the playoff teams that were hand picked.
According to a USA Today piece, El Dorado HS got their at large bids because their league was deemed the best in the Southern Division, and they were awarded a load of strength of schedule points.
In the case of Agoura HS, they didn't even earn that one win on the field, it was the result of a forfeit after finding out that Canyon HS (CA) played an ineligible player following their 49-14 win. They actually got in as a result of a coin flip. No, that's not a joke. That actually happens some places but its usually flipping a coin between two teams that are 6-4 or 5-5.
After talking to a few guys, including our own native Texan Zach Barnett, it appears that this practice isn't isolated. Teams in Texas are selected for the playoffs with a 1-9 record rather consistently and are used a sacrificial lamb to top teams in the first round.
Every state has their own unique way of making sure that worthy teams get in. For example, in Michigan (where most teams play a 9-game schedule), if you win 6 games, you're automatically in and then a handful of bids to to 5-4 "at-large" teams. While that may not be perfect, at least it's rewarding teams that deserve to be in the playoff.
Rewarding an 0-10 or 1-9 team with a playoff spot not only devalues the entire playoff experience, but what good does it do anyone involved to pair them up with a top-seeded team and see them get whipped 60-0? Yes, the kids on those under .500 teams work just as hard, and yes, they may deserve it, but society rewards production, not effort. That's something that will never change.
It's like giving the last ranked team in the SEC every year a bowl trip just for lining up against some of the top teams in the country. Can someone explain how that approach is beneficial for anyone involved?