Roxana High School has submitted a proposal to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) that would significantly expand the state’s high school football playoffs from 256 to 384 qualifying teams and introduce a new “flexed regional” scheduling format.
If adopted, the plan would increase the number of playoff teams in each classification from 32 to 48. In Classes 1A through 6A, the top eight seeds in both the north and south brackets would receive a first-round bye. For Classes 7A and 8A, the top 16 seeds would automatically advance to the second round.
The proposed “flexed regional” model would group schools into regions of at least six teams, based on geographic proximity and enrollment. Before the season begins, all playoff-eligible teams would be divided equally into eight classifications, forming the basis for each regional grouping. Schools would still have the freedom to schedule their own non-regional games.
To accommodate the expanded playoff structure, the season would begin one week earlier, ensuring that state championship games remain scheduled for Thanksgiving week.
The proposal must first be approved by the IHSA’s legislative council before it is placed on an all-school ballot for a vote by all IHSA member schools. If it receives a simple majority, the new format would go into effect next season.