2019 MHSAA championships l 2018 MHSAA championships
Michigan High School Athletic Association
2020 Football Championships
For playoff scores, coverage and media stories, click the divisions below:
CHAMPIONSHIPS
> MHSAA: 1st & Goal -- 11-Player Finals Preview
> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs: Meet the teams playing in the state finals
> MLive: The longest season: How high school football finally made it to Ford Field
WEEK 4 PLAYOFFS
> Detroit Free Press: Regional final predictions
> Detroit News: Regional final predictions
> MLive: Metro Detroit regional final predictions
> MLive: Kalamazoo-area regional final predictions
> MLive: Ann Arbor-area regional final predictions
> MLive: Grand Rapids-area regional final predictions
> MLive: Jackson-area regional final predictions
> MLive: Saginaw-area regional final predictions
> MLive: Muskegon-area regional final predictions
> Lansing State Journal: After lengthy layoff, restart of MHSAA football playoffs brings excitement, big challenges
> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs: How teams overcome odds for long-awaited restart
> Hometown Life: Fall playoff teams adjust to new COVID-19 testing protocols before practice starts
> MLive: 5 things to know as high school football games finally return on Saturday
> StudentandAthlete: Football practice set to begin again
> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs have been pushed back a week: Regionals now Jan. 9
> Lansing State Journal: MHSAA football playoffs to resume Jan. 9; volleyball and swimming to conclude in January
> Detroit News: New target restart date for Michigan high school football playoffs is Jan. 9
> Detroit Free Press: MHSAA struggling to schedule, well, anything as pandemic maintains grip on life
> Oakland Press: MHSAA updates football schedule, waiting on volleyball and swim
> MLive: MHSAA: Non-contact football practice may resume Monday
> MLive: Contrary to critics’ claims, MHSAA leader says he has all athletes’ best interests in mind
> Detroit News: Cass Tech coach Wilcher: 'MHSAA should have just canceled the whole thing'
> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football teams told to stop practices until next week. Here's why
> Detroit News: 'I'm tired of it': Coaches angered over latest MHSAA halt to fall sports practices, delays in competition
> Oakland Press: Get prep athletes off this emotional roller coaster
> Detroit News: Michigan high school football teams get acclimated to cold to finish playoffs
> MLive: First-day of return to practice highlights, photos
> Oakland Press: Fall athletes to be tested three times a week in pilot testing program
> Oakland Press: Oakland County football teams happy to get back to work
> MLive: Back on: Michigan high school football coaches react to Friday’s surprising news
> Oakland Press: MHSAA's Mark Uyl breaks down fall finish, winter start
> MLive: ‘Nobody really saw this coming:’ Muskegon-area football coaches surprised by restart
> Detroit Free Press: Early enrollees at Michigan football, MSU have decision to make on MHSAA playoffs
> Detroit Free Press: Michigan high school football playoffs to restart Jan. 2; practice begins Monday
> Lansing State Journal: MDHHS to allow fall sports championships to resume under pilot program
> Detroit News: Michigan high school football playoffs will resume on Jan. 2
> MLive: Michigan high school football practice to return on Monday, fall sports allowed to finish seasons
> Oakland Press: Rapid testing program allows for fall tournaments to finish in January
> MLive: MHSAA says it’s ready to meet Friday to make new plan for fall and winter sports
> 'Let Them Play' movement returns to Capitol in fight to restart high school sports
> Some MHSAA football coaches miffed as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends health order
> Coaches react to high school sports being delayed again: 'Very disappointing'
> 'Get with the times': Coaches hope spring season leads to turning point in Michigan high school football
> MHSAA football playoff teams eager to finish the season. Here's how they're staying ready
WEEK 3 PLAYOFFS
> Playoff predictions: Detroit Free Press
> Playoff predictions: Detroit News
> Playoff predictions: Metro Detroit
> Playoff predictions: Oakland Press
> Playoff predictions: Macomb Daily
> Playoff predictions: Lansing State Journal
> Playoff predictions: Port Huron Times-Herald
WEEK 1 PLAYOFFS
> Playoff predictions: Detroit Free Press
> Playoff predictions: Detroit News
> Playoff predictions: Livingston Daily
> Playoff predictions: Port Huron Times-Herald
> Playoff predictions: Oakland Press
> Playoff predictions: Macomb Daily
> Playoff predictions: Ann Arbor area
> Playoff preview: Lansing State Journal
> Prep football playoff preview: Breaking down Divisions 1-4
> Prep football playoff preview: Breaking down Divisions 5-8
> Prep notebook: Teams look to keep COVID at bay with playoffs on the way
> As coronavirus surges, hope remains with high school football heading into state playoffs
> Everybody is in the football playoffs this year. Should that become a permanent thing?
> Playoff predictions: Bay City area
> Playoff predictions: Metro Detroit
> Playoff predictions: Flint area
> Playoff predictions: Grand Rapids area
> Playoff predictions: Jackson area
> Playoff predictions: Kalamazoo area
WEEK 2 PLAYOFFS
> Playoff predictions: Detroit Free Press
> Playoff predictions: Detroit News
> Playoff predictions: Livingston Daily
> Playoff predictions: Battle Creek Enquirer
> Playoff predictions: Port Huron Times-Herald
> Playoff predictions: Oakland Press
> Playoff predictions: Macomb Daily
> Playoff predictions: Ann Arbor area
> Playoff predictions: Lansing State Journal
2020 playoff notes: Because of the shortened 2020 regular season due to COVID-19, the Michigan High School Athletic Association created a playoff plan that divided all 11-player teams into districts of up to eight teams each, then paired into four regions. For the eight-player playoffs, teams also were divided into two divisions before the start of play this fall, and the top 32 teams in each division based on playoff-point average were selected to a postseason field of 64 teams, which were then divided into four regions of eight teams apiece.
Pairings for the first four weeks of the tournament were based on regular-season playoff point averages, with the highest-ranked team hosting, regardless of the distance between the two schools. For district first round and regional first round play, the top-seeded team in each bracket will host the eighth-seeded team; and the second-seeded team will host the seventh-seeded team, etc.
A total of nine 11-player teams and seven 8-player teams that began this season withdrew from participation in the MHSAA playoffs. Eight tie-breakers were necessary to determine bracket placement in 11-player; the first tie-breaker of head-to-head winner was used once, the second tie-breaker of opponents’ winning percentage was used five times, and the third tie-breaker – coin flip – was employed for two games.
Final Associated Press regular season rankings
October 27, 2020 rankings from the Associated Press with regular season records
> Detroit Free Press rankings
> Detroit News rankings
Division 1
1. Belleville (5) (6-0) 50
2. Davison (6-0) 42
3. Detroit Cass Technical (6-0) 40
4. Clarkston (6-0) 37
5. West Bloomfield (5-1) 28
6. Detroit Catholic Central (6-0) 20
7. Rochester Hills Stoney Creek (6-0) 19
8. Macomb Dakota (5-1) 10
9. Rockford (4-0) 9
10. Canton (6-0) 8
Others receiving votes: Sterling Heights Stevenson 5. Grand Blanc 3. Grandville 3. Plymouth 1.
Division 2
1. Muskegon Mona Shores (5) (6-0) 50
2. East Lansing (6-0) 45
3. Midland (6-0) 38
4. Fenton (6-0) 33
5. Port Huron (6-0) 22
6. Grosse Pointe South (4-2) 21
7. Jenison (5-1) 20
8. Byron Center (5-1) 18
9. Livonia Churchill (4-2) 12
10. Traverse City Central (5-1) 9
Others receiving votes: Warren-Mott 3. Birmingham Seaholm 2. Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central 2.
Division 3
1. DeWitt (4) (6-0) 49
2. Muskegon (1) (5-1) 44
3. Chelsea (6-0) 40
4. River Rouge (4-1) 37
5. Mason (6-0) 29
6. Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice (5-1) 23
6. Zeeland West (4-1) 23
8. Riverview (6-0) 15
9. Mt. Pleasant (5-1) 5
9. Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. (3-3) 5
9. Eastpointe (6-0) 5
Others receiving votes: None.
Division 4
1. Edwardsburg (5) (6-0) 50
2. Hudsonville Unity Christian (6-0) 45
3. North Branch (6-0) 34
4. Detroit Country Day (3-2) 32
5. Grand Rapids South Christian (5-1) 25
6. Pontiac Notre Dame Preparatory (5-1) 22
6. Whitehall (5-1) 22
8. Goodrich (5-1) 11
9. Ortonville Brandon (6-0) 10
10. Milan (5-1) 9
Others receiving votes: Madison Heights Lamphere 4. Redford Union 4. Spring Lake 4. Croswell-Lexington 2. Williamston 1.
Division 5
1. Grand Rapids Catholic Central (4) (6-0) 40
2. Frankenmuth (6-0) 35
3. Kingsley (6-0) 32
4. Portland (5-1) 29
5. Reed City (6-0) 21
5. Marine City (5-1) 21
7. Grand Rapids West Catholic (5-1) 16
8. Hopkins (5-1) 13
9. Olivet (5-1) 7
10. Freeland (5-1) 3
Others receiving votes: Belding 2. Essexville Garber 1.
Division 6
1. Montague (4) (6-0) 40
2. Muskegon Catholic Central (6-0) 36
3. Blissfield (6-0) 31
4. Warren Michigan Collegiate (6-0) 25
5. Clare (6-0) 23
6. Buchanan (6-0) 19
7. Erie-Mason (6-0) 11
8. Constantine (5-1) 10
9. Clinton (5-1) 9
9. Millington (5-1) 9
Others receiving votes: Sanford-Meridian 2. Montrose 2. Manistee 2. Boyne City 1.
Division 7
1. Ithaca (2) (6-0) 28
2. Pewamo-Westphalia (5-1) 26
3. New Lothrop (6-0) 23
4. Schoolcraft (1) (5-1) 22
5. Hemlock (6-0) 21
6. Charlevoix (6-0) 12
7. McBain (6-0) 9
8. Oscoda (6-0) 8
9. Detroit Loyola (5-1) 6
10. Cass City (6-0) 4
Others receiving votes: Traverse City St. Francis 2. Riverview Gabriel Richard 2. Sandusky 2.
Division 8
1. Reading (2) (5-1) 28
2. Centreville (6-0) 27
3. Addison (6-0) 23
4. Clarkston Everest Collegiate (1) (6-0) 21
5. Sand Creek (5-1) 20
6. Johannesburg-Lewiston (6-0) 16
7. Beal City (5-1) 9
8. West Iron County (6-0) 8
9. Flint Beecher (5-1) 6
10. Detroit Southeastern (5-1) 3
Others receiving votes: Iron Mountain 2. Breckenridge 2.
Eight-player
1. Adrian Lenawee Christian (2) (6-0) 64
2. Powers North Central (3) (6-0) 63
3. Pickford (1) (5-1) 50
3. Portland St Patrick (6-0) 50
5. Morrice (6-0) 42
6. Suttons Bay (1) (6-0) 37
7. Merrill (5-1) 26
8. Colon (5-1) 19
9. Pellston (6-0) 10
10. Cedarville (5-1) 7
10.Mayville (6-0) 7
Others receiving votes: Lake Linden-Hubbell 5. Gaylord St. Mary 3. Martin 2.