WHAT IF: Area sectional matchups if they were seeded

One of the biggest talking points every year around this time is seeding the sectional draw for football.

Those who like to push that agenda point to doing it by overall record, some sort of analytical metric, or by head-to-head records (when applicable).

Outside the Huddle has put together a “what if” scenario in which the IHSAA adopts the Sagarin Ratings to seed the sectionals. The metric, developed by Jeff Sagarin, is used in numerous sports to rate teams based on a mathematical formula.

Below is what the area playoffs would look like based on Sagarin Ratings following Week 8…

NOTE: This hypothetical also grants home-field advantage to the higher seed.

CLASS 6A

Sectional 3

#4 Warsaw (6-2) at #1 Homestead (7-1)
#3 Snider (4-4) at #2 Carroll (6-2)

CLASS 5A

Sectional 11

#4 Anderson (2-6) at #1 Bishop Dwenger (7-1)
#3 Northrop (4-4) at #2 North Side (3-5)

CLASS 4A

Sectional 19

#8 DeKalb (1-4) at #1 Leo (7-1)
#5 Columbia City (6-2) at #4 NorthWood (3-3)
#6 Angola (5-1) at #3 East Noble (5-3)
#2 Northridge (6-1) vs. #7 Wawasee (2-6)

Sectional 20

#8 Jay County (0-8) at #1 Delta (6-1)
#5 Huntington North (3-5) at #4 Wayne (1-7)
#6 South Side (1-7) at #3 New Haven (4-4)
#7 Mississinewa (4-4) at #2 Marion (5-3)

CLASS 3A

Sectional 26

#8 West Noble (0-8) at #1 Mishawaka Marian (6-0)
#5 Garrett (2-5) at #4 John Glenn (4-4)
#6 South Bend Washington (2-6) at #3 Tippecanoe Valley (6-2)
#7 Lakeland (2-6) at #2 Jimtown (4-3)

Sectional 27

#8 Northwestern (0-8) at #1 Concordia Lutheran (4-4)
#5 Maconaquah (3-3) at #4 Peru (6-2)
#6 Heritage (2-6) at #3 Oak Hill (5-3)
#7 Bellmont (0-6) at #2 Norwell (7-1)

CLASS 2A

Sectional 35

#8 Prairie Heights (0-8) at #1 Eastside (7-1)
#5 Central Noble (4-4) at #4 Bluffton (7-1)
#6 Whitko (4-4) at #3 Fairfield (7-0)
#7 Woodlan (1-7) at #2 Bishop Luers (3-5)

Class 1A

Sectional 43

#1 South Adams bye
#5 Madison-Grant (2-4) at #4 Wes-Del (3-5)
#6 Union City (3-4) at #3 Tri-Central (6-2)
#7 Taylor (1-7) at #2 Monroe Central (5-1)

Sectional 44

#8 North Miami (1-7) at #1 Southwood (8-0)
#5 Triton (3-4) at #4 Churubusco (4-2)
#6 Fremont (2-3) at #3 Northfield (5-2)
#7 Caston (2-6) at #2 Adams Central (5-2)