Merced Union High School District

Last week the Sac-Joaquin Section moved the goal posts for football teams trying to qualify for the playoffs. The Board of Managers voted 55-2 in favor of implementing a bylaw that will shorten the season by one week by reducing all football playoff brackets from 12 to eight teams. The top eight seeds will compete for the section championship and NorCal Regional bids and teams ranked 9-16 would become section bowl game eligible.

 

The amendment will take effect immediately, meaning this season. The proposal was developed by the Football Advisory Committee, a group of football coaches in the section, representing small, medium, large, public, private and charter schools. The proposal was initiated in April of 2024 with the goal of implementing the plan for the 2025 season. However, the decision didn’t become official until last week’s Board of Managers Meeting.

 

The Central California Conference was one of two leagues in the entire section to vote against the new bylaw. “Every school in our league, all six schools' athletic directors talked to their coaches, and they just didn't like the idea,” said CCC Commissioner Kevin Swartwood. “One of the things was, without making it a North-South thing, was you're going to have to have a really good season to be a top eight seed in Division I or II. You probably won't see a team from the South from one through eight in those two divisions.” 

 

The reason the Football Advisory Committee came up with the proposal is historically teams seeded 9-16 rarely made deep runs in the playoffs. Their belief is this new format gives those teams an opportunity to play one meaningful game and then athletes who play other sports can move on to the next sport. The section bowl games would be held Nov. 7 with all playoff teams receiving a bye and the playoffs beginning on Nov. 14. The move will also shorten the season by one week, allowing teams to start in August next year instead of late July. 

 

The move has a big impact on MUHSD teams like Atwater, El Capitan, Buhach Colony and Livingston. All are teams who would have been on the bubble with 12-team brackets. The section is going by MaxPreps’ ranking to qualify teams. Jumping up to the top eight seems like a tough task unless they can earn an automatic berth by winning a league championship. Atwater currently sits No. 10 in Division II, but would likely have to win out to make the playoffs. If the Falcons win out they would likely be CCC champions.

 

“I mean, we can only control the controllables,” said Atwater head coach Seneca Ybarra. “We voted the way we voted. I didn't agree with the section’s decision, and it was 55 to two. The section is going to do whatever the section is going to do. I'm trying to increase participation. We're trying to get more kids involved. For a school like us, it's really tough.”

 

Merced High coach Rob Scheidt says he couldn’t believe they are implementing the new format right away. “I thought they should have waited until the spring to vote for it in 2026 and make it happen then,” Scheidt said. “No one knew that this was going to get done this early. So I think there's a lot of mixed emotions. I think it's all driven by the North. I think there is an issue with having too many games. I think some of the things that they said were valid, but the way it just kind of railroaded through doesn’t make sense.”

 

The decision hurts a team like El Capitan, which has never made the playoffs in the school’s history. That was a big goal for the Gauchos this season as they progressed as a program. El Capitan (3-4) is currently ranked No. 16 in Division IV by MaxPreps. While the change seems catered toward the perennial section powers, it makes it much more difficult for programs like El Capitan who want to make reaching the playoffs as a bar for its season. Instead they may have to try to sell playing in a bowl game to their players. 

 

“I hope they mean something,’” Scheidt said. “I think the issue is, when you get out of Division I, II and III, you’ve got guys playing basketball or who wrestle or whatever. Is it going to be worth playing in a bowl game? I don't know. Those things are hard to read. It could be a great success or it could be a really awkward situation for coaches and teams if kids are making decisions not to play.”

 

Buhach Colony head coach Kevin Navarra says he liked the 12-team playoff format, but an opportunity to play an extra game could benefit where the Thunder are as a program right now.  “I still like the 12-team format that the section evolved into with the top four teams getting a bye,” Navarra said. “I know, historically, the numbers show that lower seeds aren't winning section championship games, but I still think there's some value in having to play the game. You never know, there's lots of stories about underdogs and low seeds. On the other end where we're at as a program, I think for us to be able to have the opportunity to get into the top 16 with the possibility of getting an additional game, obviously, helps build our program in the right direction. So I’m a little bit torn.”

 

The playoff change definitely lights a fire under MUHSD teams in the final few weeks because there’s no room for error. Here are this week’s matchups. Kickoffs are scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

 

Merced at El Capitan

Golden Valley at Atwater

Buhach Colony at Los Banos

Livingston at Lathrop

 

Shawn Jansen is the MUHSD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at sjansen@muhsd.org.