Oregon (OSAA) high school football playoff picture: What’s at stake in Week 9

See which teams are in, which teams are out and what’s on the line entering the final week of the Oregon high school football regular season

Wilsonville plays host to Nelson in Week 2 of the Oregon high school football season. We are entering Week 9, when teams will make one last push for a playoff berth or a better seed. / Photo by Leon Neuschwander

The 2024 Oregon high school football playoffs are almost upon us, and many teams in every classification are battling to make the playoffs or fighting for seeding entering Week 9.

Oregon high school football computer rankings

What we learned in Week 8 of Oregon football

Here is the playoff picture entering the final week of regular-season games.

6A OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

How the bracket looks today

First-round byes

Lake Oswego (8-0, 4-0 Three Rivers, No. 1 OSAA ranking)

West Linn (7-1, 3-1 TRL, No. 2)

Lakeridge (7-1, 3-1 TRL, No. 3)

Sprague (8-0, 7-0 SCFC, No. 4)

First-round matchups

Wells (6-2, 5-0 PIL, No. 14) at Central Catholic (8-0, 6-0 Mt. Hood, No. 5)

Nelson (6-2, 5-1 MHC, No. 11) at Sheldon (8-0, 7-0 SCFC, No. 6)

Tualatin (5-3, 1-3 TRL, No. 9) at Sherwood (6-2, 3-0 Pacific, No. 7)

Clackamas (6-2, 5-1 MHC, No. 8) at Mountainside (6-2, 4-0 Metro, No. 10)

Rationale

OSAA seeding rules come into play in setting these matchups. Mountainside, which will be the Metro League' top seed, is guaranteed a home game because it is in the top 12 of the OSAA rankings, so it is bumped to No. 8 — dropping Clackamas and Tualatin one slot in the seedings. 

PIL champion Wells makes the field (bumping North Medford for now) but does not earn a home game because it is currently outside the top 12.

6A PLAYOFFS

How the bracket looks today

Jefferson (4-4, 3-2 PIL, No. 29) at North Medford (5-3, 5-2 SCFC, No. 12)

Roosevelt (3-5, 3-2 PIL, No. 31) at Newberg (4-4, 3-0 Pacific, No. 13)

Liberty (3-5, 0-3 Pacific, No. 26) at Jesuit (6-2, 3-1 Metro, No. 15)

Oregon City (1-7, 0-4 TRL, No. 25) at Grants Pass (5-3, 4-3 SCFC, No. 16)

Sunset (3-5, 2-2 Metro, No. 24) at South Medford (4-4, 4-3 SCFC, No. 17)

Westview (3-5, 2-2 Metro, No. 23) at McMinnville (4-4, 2-2 Pacific, No. 18)

Lincoln (5-3, 4-2 PIL, No. 22) at Tigard (2-6, 1-3 TRL, No. 19)

Sandy (4-4, 3-3 MHC, No. 21) at West Salem (4-4, 3-4 SCFC, No. 20) 

PIL

Who’s in: Wells, Lincoln

Who’s out: McDaniel (1-7, 1-5, No. 39), Franklin (1-7, 1-5, No. 41), Cleveland (1-7, No. 42)

What’s on the line: That leaves Roosevelt, Jefferson and Grant (3-5, 3-2, No. 28) battling for the final two automatic berths. 

The Roughriders and Generals meet Friday at the Grant Bowl, with the winner clinching a spot. The Democrats can punch their ticket by knocking off the Guardians in Southwest Portland; otherwise, they’ll have to sweat out the Roosevelt-Grant result — Jefferson lost to Roosevelt but beat Grant.

Metro

Who’s in: Mountainside, Jesuit, Sunset, Westview. The Mavericks have clinched the league's No. 1 seed. The Crusaders, Apollos and Wildcats should see their rankings hold up win or lose this week to make the state playoffs.

Who’s out: Beaverton (2-6, 1-3, No. 35), Southridge (1-7, 0-4, No. 40)

Mt. Hood

Who’s in: Central Catholic, Clackamas, Nelson, Sandy. The Cavaliers and Hawks meet in Week 9, with Nelson feeling much less secure about its championship bracket position than Clackamas. 

Who’s out: Reynolds (2-6, 2-4, No. 32), Gresham (1-7, 1-5, No. 33), David Douglas (1-7, 0-6, No. 38)

What’s on the line: Barlow (2-6, 2-4, No. 27) is right now on the outside looking in. The Bruins play crosstown rival Gresham in Week 9 and will sweat until the PIL unscrambles its standings and the final rankings come out. 

Pacific

Who’s in: Sherwood, Newberg, McMinnville. Sherwood and Newberg play this week, with the winner guaranteed a spot in the championship bracket. If the Bowmen lose, they might still make the field based on their ranking. If the Tigers lose, they’ll likely finish outside the top 12. 

Who’s out: Century (3-5, 0-3, No. 34)

What’s on the line: Liberty cannot afford a loss to Century to keep its spot in the playoff field.

Three Rivers

Who’s in: Lake Oswego, West Linn, Lakeridge, Tualatin, Tigard

Who’s out: None

What’s on the line: The only question is if Oregon City’s ranking will hold up should it lose to West Linn in the Battle for the Bridge.

South Central

Who’s in: Sprague, Sheldon, North Medford, Grants Pass, South Medford, West Salem. Sprague and Sheldon will play for the conference title this week in Salem, and the Olympians should clinch a first-round bye in the championship bracket with a win. An Irish victory could vault them into the top four. 

Who’s out: North Salem (1-7, 1-7, No. 36), McNary (0-8, 0-7, No. 37)

What’s on the line: South Salem (1-7, 1-6, No. 30) must beat McNary and hope for help from the computers.

5A CHAMPIONSHIP

How the bracket looks today

Thurston (7-1, 6-1 Midwestern, No. 15) at Silverton (7-1, 4-0 Special District 2, No. 1)

La Salle Prep (6-2, 4-2 Northwest Oregon, No. 14) at Wilsonville (6-2, 3-1 SD2, No. 2)

Central (6-2, 2-2 Special District 2, No. 16) at Churchill (7-1, 7-0 MWL, No. 3)

Hillsboro (6-2, 4-2 NWOC, No. 11) at Mountain View (8-0, 4-0 Intermountain, No. 4)

Bend (6-2, 2-2 IMC, No. 13) at Dallas (7-1, 3-1 Mid-Willamette, No. 5)

Hood River Valley (7-1, 5-1 NWOC, No. 10) at Summit (4-4, 3-1 IMC, No. 6)

Willamette (7-1, 6-1 MWL, No. 8) at West Albany (6-2, 4-0 MWC, No. 7)

Lebanon (6-2, 3-1 MWC, No. 9) at Glencoe (6-2, 6-0 NWOC, No. 12)

Rationale

There are a lot of moving parts in play in Week 9. Because of OSAA rules that preclude teams from the same league playing in the first round, that’s why you see so many changes to the S-curve in the current bracket.

Northwest Oregon

Who’s in: Glencoe, Hood River Valley. The Crimson Tide have clinched a playoff spot but must win at Hood River Valley this week to secure a first-round home game; otherwise, the Eagles get the league's No. 1 seed and accompanying home game.

Who’s out: Aloha (4-4, 2-4, No. 22), Forest Grove (4-4, 2-4, No. 24), Centennial (3-5, 1-5, No. 30), Putnam (0-8, 0-6, No. 35)

What’s on the line: Hillsboro finishes at Putnam, while La Salle Prep takes on Forest Grove. The Spartans should feel safe with their ranking, but the Falcons could find themselves dreading what the computers spit out if they lose.

Special District 2

Who’s in: Silverton, Wilsonville. How good is Silverton? If the OSAA had a true Open championship, the Foxes would be No. 3 in a 12-team field, behind only West Linn and Lake Oswego. Wilsonville would be No. 10 in an Open bracket. 

Who’s out: McKay (1-7, 1-3, No. 32), Woodburn (3-5, 0-4, No. 29)

What’s on the line: Central plays host to Canby (3-5, 2-2, No. 17) this week, with the winner likely securing an at-large bid.

Mid-Willamette

Who’s in: West Albany, Dallas, Lebanon. The Bulldogs have wrapped up the league's No. 1 seed and a first-round home playoff game. The Dragons (No. 11 Open) and Warriors meet this week to decide the other automatic berth, but the loser will get an at-large spot. 

Who’s out: Corvallis (3-5, 1-3, No. 21), Crescent Valley (2-6, 0-4, No. 27)

What’s on the line: South Albany (4-4, 1-3, No. 20) would need to knock off crosstown rival West Albany and get plenty of help from the computers to qualify. 

Midwestern

Who’s in: Churchill, Willamette, Thurston. The Lancers have clinched the league's No. 1 seed (No. 9 in a theoretical Open field). The Wolverines and Colts meet this week for seeding, and if Thurston loses, it might drop out of the top 16 and jumble the rankings. 

Who’s out: North Eugene (4-5, 4-4, No. 26), Roseburg (4-4, 3-4, No. 23), Springfield (2-6, 2-5, No. 28), Eagle Point (1-7, 1-6, No. 33), South Eugene (0-8, 0-7, No. 34)

What’s on the line: Crater (4-4, 3-4, No. 19) needs to win at South Eugene and get help.

Intermountain

Who’s in: Mountain View (No. 7 in an Open field), Summit

Who’s out: Caldera (1-7, 1-3, No. 25), Redmond (2-6, 0-4, No. 31)

What’s on the line: Bend would lock up a spot by beating the Cougars but should see its ranking hold up regardless. Ridgeview (5-3, 2-2, No. 18) would need to beat crosstown rival Redmond and get some help from the computers.

4A CHAMPIONSHIP

How the bracket looks today

Gladstone (3-5, 1-2 Tri-Valley, No. 19) at Marist Catholic (7-1, 4-0 Oregon West, No. 1)

Molalla (4-4, 3-0 TVC, No. 17) at Cascade (7-1, 3-1 OWC, No. 2)

Hidden Valley (4-4, 2-2, No. 14) at Crook County (8-0, 3-0 Greater Oregon, No. 3)

Tillamook (4-4, 3-1 Cowapa, No. 13) at Henley (7-1, 4-0 Big Sky, No. 4)

Seaside (5-3, 3-1 Cowapa, No. 12) at Philomath (7-1, 3-1 OWC, No. 5)

La Grande (5-3, 2-1 GOL, No. 10) at Scappoose (7-1, 4-0 Cowapa, No. 6)

Pendleton (5-3, 2-1 GOL, No. 9) at Stayton (5-3, 1-3 OWC, No. 7)

Mazama (5-3, 4-0 Big Sky, No. 8) at Estacada (4-4, 3-0 TVC, No. 11)

Rationale

The only shakeup to the bracket comes with Estacada moving up as the Tri-Valley’s No. 1 seed (for now) to earn a home game per OSAA bracket rules. A Molalla win this week in the de facto conference title game could really shake up the bracket. 

Stayton grabs the lone at-large berth available among the fourth-place teams out of the Cowapa, Oregon West and Big Sky conferences.

Cowapa

Who’s in: Scappoose, Seaside, Tillamook

Who’s out: Milwaukie (3-5, 2-2, No. 22), Astoria (1-7, 0-4, No. 25), St. Helens (0-8, 0-4, No. 28)

Tri-Valley

Who’s in: Molalla, Estacada. The Molalla-Estacada winner takes the conference title, but Molalla still must move up one spot in the rankings to guarantee itself a first-round home game. 

Who’s out: None

What’s on the line: Gladstone must beat Parkrose (1-7, 0-3, No. 27) to clinch a spot; otherwise, it’ll come down to the final OSAA rankings between the Gladiators, Broncos and The Dalles (3-5, 1-3, No. 24) for the final automatic spot.

Oregon West

Who’s in: Marist Catholic, Cascade, Philomath, Stayton. The Eagles should remain the highest-ranked of the fourth-place teams, even if they lose to Junction City (1-7, 0-4, No. 20) to create a three-way tie for fourth — the tiebreaker is OSAA ranking.

Who’s out: Sweet Home (4-4, 1-3, No. 16), Junction City

Big Sky

Who’s in: Henley, Mazama, Hidden Valley. The Southside Series battle for Klamath Falls supremacy will once again decide the conference title — and for the Vikings, a win would also keep them at home in Round 1. 

Who’s out: North Bend (3-5, 1-3, No. 15), Ashland (1-7, 0-4, No. 21), Marshfield (1-7, 1-3, No. 26). The Mustangs, who play Ashland, hold the tiebreaker with North Bend and Marshfield — who meet in the annual Civil War game this week — and will qualify win or lose.

Greater Oregon

Who’s in: Crook County, La Grande, Pendleton. The Tigers and Buckaroos meet this week to decide second place — and the winner could climb high enough in the rankings to avoid a first-round road game. 

Who’s out: Ontario (2-6, 1-3, No. 18), Baker (1-7, 0-3, No. 23)

3A CHAMPIONSHIP

How the bracket looks today

Dayton (5-3, 4-2 PacWest, No. 15) at Siuslaw (7-0, 4-0 Far West, No. 1)

Coquille (4-4, 2-2 FWL, No. 16) at Banks (7-0, 5-0 Lewis & Clark, No. 2)

Kennedy (6-2, 3-2 L&C, No. 14) at Santiam Christian (7-1, 6-0 PacWest, No. 3)

Sutherlin (6-2, 2-2 FWL, No. 13) at Vale (8-0, 3-0 Eastern Oregon, No. 4)

Burns (6-2, 2-1 EOL, No. 12) at Taft (7-1, 6-0 PacWest, No. 5)

South Umpqua (6-2, 3-1 FWL, No. 11) at Yamhill-Carlton (6-2, 4-1 L&C, No. 6)

North Valley (6-2, 3-1 Southern Oregon, No. 7) at Cottage Grove (8-0, 6-0 Mountain Valley, No. 8)

Sisters (6-2, 5-1 MVC, No. 10) at Cascade Christian (5-3, 4-0 SOC, No. 9)

Lewis & Clark

Who’s in: Banks, Yamhill-Carlton

What’s on the line: Kennedy finishes with Valley Catholic (2-6, 1-4, No. 33) and should stay in the top 16 with a win. A loss, though, and things get dicey.

PacWest

Who’s in: Santiam Christian, Taft. The Eagles and Tigers meet in Lincoln City to decide the conference title, but both should remain in the top eight and earn first-round home games. 

What’s on the line: Dayton plays rival Amity (5-3, 3-3, No. 17), with the winner likely grabbing an at-large berth.

Mountain Valley

Who’s in: Cottage Grove, Sisters. No one else is likely to climb to the top 16.

Far West

Who’s in: Siuslaw

What’s on the line: South Umpqua, Sutherlin and Coquille are vying for the second automatic berth, all while keeping an eye on Douglas (5-3, 1-3, No. 18), which finishes with Brookings-Harbor (2-6, 0-4, No. 24), and other results around the state.

Southern Oregon

What’s on the line: Two-time defending state champion Cascade Christian and North Valley are in the driver’s seat for the two automatic berths. The Challengers finish at Lakeview (4-4, 3-1, No. 20), which must pull off a victory and hope the Knights fall to Klamath Union (2-6, 1-3, No. 32) to assure itself a place in the field.

Eastern Oregon

Who’s in: Vale

What’s on the line: Nyssa (3-5, 2-1, No. 30) would need to knock off Vale in the Black and Blue Bowl while seeing Burns lose to Umatilla (1-6, 0-3, No. 37) to displace the Hilanders from the field.

2A CHAMPIONSHIP

How the bracket looks today

Waldport (5-3, 3-1 SD3, No. 21) at Oakland (8-0, 4-0 SD4, No. 1)

Knappa (5-3, 3-2 SD1, No. 13) at Heppner (8-0, 5-0 SD6, No. 2)

Weston-McEwen (4-4, 3-2, No. 14) at Gervais (7-0, 2-0 SD2, No. 3)

Gaston (6-2, 4-1 SD1, No. 11) at Culver (8-0, 5-0 SD5, No. 4)

Lost River (6-2, 4-1 SD5, No. 12) at Colton (6-2, 2-0 SD2, No. 5)

Salem Academy (4-4, 1-2 SD2, No. 10) at St. Paul (8-0, 4-0 SD3, No. 6)

Enterprise (5-2, 4-1 SD6, No. 9) at Myrtle Point (6-2, 3-1 SD4, No. 7)

Lowell (6-2, 4-1 SD5, No. 8) at Nestucca (5-3, 5-1 SD1, No. 15)

Key games this week

Vernonia (2-6, 1-4, No. 34) at Gaston: A Greyhounds victory gives them SD1’s top seed and a first-round home game, but the Loggers defeated Knappa last week.

Gervais at Colton: The winner secures the SD2 title and clinches a first-round home game.

Lowell at Lost River: The Red Devils need to win this battle of 2023 state champions (the Raiders won the eight-man title) and hope to climb enough in the standings to avoid a first-round road game.

Enterprise at Heppner: The Outlaws saw their margin for error shrink with last week’s loss to Stanfield (4-4, 3-2, No. 16). Another defeat — this time to the undefeated Mustangs — could make things interesting in the final rankings.

1A 8-MAN CHAMPIONSHIP

How the bracket looks today

Sherman/Condon (4-4, 3-1 SD3, No. 12) at Union (5-2, 3-2 SD 2, No. 5) — winner to face Crane (6-2, 4-1 SD2, No. 4)

Cove (4-4, 2-3 SD2, No. 11) at Dufur (7-1, 4-0 SD3, No. 6) — winner to face North Douglas (8-0, 7-0 SD1, No. 3)

Lyle/Wishram/Klickitat/Glenwood (4-4, 3-1 SD3, No. 10) at Mohawk (5-3, 5-2 SD1, No. 7) — winner to face Crosspoint Christian (7-1, 6-1 SD1, No. 2)

Camas Valley (4-4, 4-3 SD1, No. 9) at Powder Valley (5-3, 2-3 SD2, No. 8) — winner to face Adrian (9-0, 6-0 SD2, No. 1)

Key games this week

Cove at Powder Valley: The Leopards would likely lock up a top-12 spot with a road win; otherwise, they will be refreshing the OSAA rankings page constantly until it locks.

Perrydale (4-3, 1-3 SD3, No. 13) at Country Christian (1-7, 0-4, No. 18): The Pirates need a win and losses from Cove and Yoncalla to move the needle enough to climb the rankings.

Yoncalla (3-4, 3-4 SD1, No. 14) at Camas Valley: The Eagles also need help to get in the bracket, but a win over the Hornets is a must.

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