The MHSAA announced Friday the postseason format for the unique 2020 season. For the first time, every eligible team will play a postseason game with a six-round, eight division format. Like previously, each division is created based on enrollment.
Each team is placed in an eight-team geographical district with the seeding and matchups to be set by the end-of-season playoff point formula. Below are the district pairings for area teams, along with the 2019 results for each team listed. The entire statewide district list can be found here.
| Division 8 | District 61 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Cassopolis | 10-1, lost District vs Reading |
| Centreville | 6-4, lost Pre-District vs Lawton |
| Decatur | 4-5, missed playoffs |
| Mendon | 7-3, Lost Pre-District to Reading |
| Reading | 13-1, State Champion |
| Saugatuck | 3-6, missed playoffs |
| River Valley | 0-7, missed playoffs |
| White Pigeon | 7-3, lost Pre-District vs Cassopolis |
The Southwest 10 teams will all have a very tough proposition ahead, as they share the space with tw0-time defending Division 8 state champion Reading. Reading eliminated both Mendon and Cassopolis last season.
| Division 7 | District 55 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Bronson | 1-8, missed playoffs |
| Delton Kellogg | 4-5, missed playoffs |
| Galesburg-Augusta | 1-8, missed playoffs |
| Hartford | 6-4, lost Pre-District vs Schoolcraft |
| Homer | 7-3, lost Pre-District vs Lumen Christi |
| Lawton | 10-1, lost District vs Schoolcraft |
| Schoolcraft | 10-2, lost Regional vs Lumen Christi |
| Union City | 2-7, missed playoffs |
Schoolcraft and Lawton are also division rivals this season and will face off in week five in what could prove to be a district final preview.
| Division 6 | District 45 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Buchanan | 3-6, missed playoffs |
| Coloma | 3-6, missed playoffs |
| Comstock | 2-7, missed playoffs |
| Constantine | 8-3, lost District vs Hillsdale |
| Fennville | 4-5, missed playoffs |
| Niles Brandywine | 9-1, lost Pre-District vs Constantine |
| Parchment | 2-7, missed playoffs |
| Watervliet | 2-7, missed playoffs |
The only two playoff teams in this group last year met in the first round last year, a 58-8 shellacking by Constantine against Brandywine.
| Division 5, | District 37 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Benton Harbor | 4-5, missed playoffs |
| Berrien Springs | 9-1, lost Pre-District to Kalamazoo United |
| Dowagiac | 6-4, lost Pre-District to Hopkins |
| Hillsdale | 11-1, Lost Regional to Onsted |
| Kalamazoo United | 7-5, lost Regional to Lansing Catholic |
| Lansing Catholic | 13-1, State Champion |
| Olivet | 8-2, lost Pre-District to Lansing Catholic |
| South Haven | 0-9, missed playoffs |
The southwest Michigan teams will face an uphill climb with state champion Lansing Catholic Central and often solid Olivet joining them. The Eagles came closer than anyone to beating the Cougars in the 2019 postseason.
| Division 4 | District 28 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Allegan | 2-7, missed playoffs |
| Edwardsburg | 11-1, lost Regional to DeWitt |
| Hastings | 4-5, missed playoffs |
| Otsego | 6-4, lost Pre-District vs Unity Christian |
| Paw Paw | 10-2, lost Regional to Unity Christian |
| Plainwell | 5-5, lost Pre-District vs Marshall |
| Three Rivers | 3-6, missed playoffs |
| Vicksburg | 5-5, lost Pre-District vs Paw Paw |
This district is essentially just the Wolverine Conference with a special guest appearance by Hastings. As in prior years, it’s everyone trying to chase Edwardsburg.
| Division 3 | District 19 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Harper Creek | 3-6, missed playoffs |
| Coldwater | 9-2, lost District vs Chelsea |
| Niles | 2-7, missed playoffs |
| Parma Western | 7-3, lost Pre-District vs Chelsea |
| Gull Lake | 2-7, missed playoffs |
| St. Joseph | 6-4, lost Pre-District vs Edwardsburg |
| Stevensville Lakeshore | 4-5, missed playoffs |
| Sturgis | 1-8, missed playoffs |
District 19 may be a challenge of superiority between the SMAC versus the Interstate Eight Conference. One of the more “up for grabs” districts on paper in our area.
| Division 2 | District 10 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Battle Creek Central | 3-6, missed playoffs |
| BC Lakeview | 10-1, lost District vs Churchill |
| East Lansing | 7-3, lost Pre-District vs DeWitt |
| Jackson | 5-4, lost Pre-District vs Lakeview |
| Mattawan | 5-5, lost Pre-District to Forest Hills Central |
| Okemos | 1-8, missed playoffs |
| Portage Central | 5-5, lost Pre-District vs Portage Central |
| Portage Northern | 10-2, lost regional to Mona Shores |
Portage Northern has been the best out of the SMAC group of teams recently, but a challenging group overall with six out of eight making the show last season.
| Division 1 | District 2 |
| Team | 2019 Result |
| Ann Arbor Huron | 1-8, missed playoffs |
| Ann Arbor Pioneer | 5-5, lost Pre-District vs Woodhaven |
| Ann Arbor Skyline | 1-8, missed playoffs |
| Grand Ledge | 2-7, missed playoffs |
| Holt | 7-3, lost Pre-District vs Brighton |
| Kalamazoo Central | 3-6, missed playoffs |
| Loy Norrix | 1-8, missed playoffs |
| Saline | 8-2, lost Pre-District vs Belleville |
Saline is the only team of this group to make a deep playoff run fairly recently, getting to the semifinals in 2018.
The MHSAA did also release their plan for eight-player teams, which will not feature everyone qualifying. 64 of the 78 eight-player teams will make up two divisions of 32 teams each with brackets and pairings to be released after the season ends based on playoff points.