Joe Catullo
RUNNING THROUGH — Former Catholic Central quarterback Ryan Gorman will compete in the OVAC all-star football game on July 24.
Starting this fall, the Ohio High School Athletic Association expanded the football playoff format to 16 teams per region.
This should be very interesting indeed, and there are three ways to look at it.
THE GOOD
Allowing more teams to get postseason action will only help the schools, as well as possibly deliver more revenue. Teams seeded fifth, sixth seventh and eighth will get at least one more home game now.
This new format also will keep more interest throughout the season. Before, teams that finish 10th or below, for the most, fans know far in advance that there is no shot of the playoffs, and the last few weeks tend to drag. Not anymore.
With all of the other sports, every team makes the postseason tournament. Football is a different and tougher sport, but this is not college or at the professional level.
THE BAD
Take everything already mentioned and look at the other side of it.
Most of the times when the eighth seed began against the top seed, there was almost no chance the No. 8 seed had a chance of winning. Now the 16th seed has to face the No. 1 seed first? There will be a lot 75-0 finals and possibly worse.
Just look over the other side of the river to the West Virginia playoffs. Those begin with the 16th team against the top seed. Have you seed any of those scores?
Madonna entered the playoffs last year seeded 15th and traveled to face No. 2 seed Greenbrier West. The Blue Dons lost, 58-0. Actually, this should be in The Ugly category.
Yes, this format gives teams up to two more home games. Yet, OHSAA easily could have done so with the old eight-team format. Did the second round really need to be at a neutral site? Only regional finals, state semis and finals should be at a neutral site. For the other rounds, the higher seeds earned that right to play at home.
Even with the 16-team format, higher seeds should be given one more home game. The first round and regional quarterfinals have the home games, and the regional semifinals begin with the neutral sites.
As mentioned earlier, the more teams that make the playoffs, the more revenue it draws. But, there should be a limit.
THE UGLY
Imagine Steubenville finishing this year 10-0 in the regular season and hosting the first round against a school with one or two wins. Why even play the starters?
What sounds worse is what if one of the Big Red starters gets hurt and has to miss the rest of the season? Injuries can happen in any sport, but the risks increase in football.
Some schools frankly do not deserve a shot in the playoffs. Some probably will come out and say so.
During the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign when every team could make the playoffs regardless of its record, Catholic Central flat out denied it because it knew it would not help its cause whatsoever.
Exactly how will the 16th team get excited and pumped up about facing the top team in the region? This is not baseball, basketball or another sport. In football, 99 percent of the times, everybody knows what the outcome will be.
If that one percent comes into play, I will not complain anymore.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, there is more good than bad or ugly that comes with the changes to Ohio’s playoff format with 16 teams representing each region. Money talks. Plus, it can help motivate the teams for next season, even if it is just the 16th seed.
For now, the good outweighs the bad and the ugly combined. If there is a 100-point victory and injuries play a factor, hopefully OHSAA realizes the problems and goes back to its old ways. Otherwise, let us enjoy what is sure to be another exciting season.
