One game at a time right? Not here.
While the second round of the playoffs take place Friday, we’re already looking at potential matchups for the third round, the region championship round on Nov. 20.
So, the way the KHSAA football playoffs works and has been explained here before, but come the third round the RPI plays a big part in setting up matchups (starting next year brackets will re-seed in the second round based off RPI). The bracket is reset for the eight teams left standing in each class, Districts 1-4 and 5-8 are paired based off their RPI. The top two in one pod (Districts 1-4) host the bottom two, same goes for the other pod (Districts 5-8).
Upsets will happen, but taking our best guess of who will be left standing after the second round, this is our forecast on what the third round will look like. Come the fourth round, the bracket resets statewide and the top two teams left in the RPI standings will host regardless of district with the bottom two left hitting the road. We’ll try and break that down next week.
Class 6A
Second round matchups and their RPI in parentheses
Districts 5-8
Male (18) at Simon Kenton (15)
Ryle (13) at Bullitt East (7)
Bryan Station (11) at Frederick Douglass (1)
George Rogers Clark (16) at Madison Central (3)
If chalk wins (the higher of the RPI teams), here’s what the third round would look like:
Simon Kenton at Frederick Douglass
Bullitt East at Madison Central
My prediction:
Male at Frederick Douglass
Bullitt East at Madison Central
Class 5A
Second round matchups and their RPI in parentheses
Districts 5-8
Scott County (7) at Cooper (5)
Collins (12) at Woodford County (3)
North Laurel (15) at West Jessamine (2)
South Laurel (10) at Pulaski County (1)
If chalk wins (the higher of the RPI teams), here’s what the third round would look like:
Cooper at Pulaski County
Woodford County at West Jessamine
My prediction:
Scott County at Pulaski County
Woodford County at West Jessamine
Class 4A
Second round matchups and their RPI in parentheses
Districts 5-8
Greenup County (8) at Highlands (4)
Covington Catholic (10) at Ashland (2)
Perry County Central (25) at Boyle County (3)
Wayne County (19) at Corbin (6)
If chalk wins (the higher of the RPI teams), here’s what the third round would look like:
Highlands at Boyle County
Corbin at Ashland
My predicition:
Corbin at Highlands
Covington Catholic at Boyle County
Class 3A
Second round matchups and their RPI in parentheses
Districts 5-8
Henry County (19) at Bourbon County (9)
Lloyd Memorial (4) at Russell (10)
Clay County (27) at Rockcastle County (7)
Knox Central (13) at Lawrence County (5)
If chalk wins (the higher of the RPI teams), here’s what the third round would look like:
Bourbon County at Lloyd Memorial
Rockcastle County at Lawrence County
My prediction:
Bourbon County at Lloyd Memorial
Rockcastle County at Lawrence County
Class 2A
Second round matchups and their RPI in parentheses
Districts 5-8
St. Henry (16) at Beechwood (3)
Walton-Verona (12) at Breathitt County (10)
Shelby Valley (18) at Prestonsburg (8)
Floyd Central (23) at Belfry (5)
If chalk wins (the higher of the RPI teams), here’s what the third round would look like:
Breathitt County at Beechwood
Prestonsburg at Belfry
My prediction:
Walton-Verona at Beechwood
Prestonsburg at Belfry
Class 1A
Second round matchups and their RPI in parentheses
Districts 1-4
Campbellsville (20) at Bethlehem (5)
Holy Cross Louisville (4) at Kentucky Country Day (2)
Bishop Brossart (12) at Newport Central Catholic (13)
Newport (17) at Holy Cross Covington (10) at Thomas More
If chalk wins (the higher of the RPI teams), here’s what the third round would look like:
Bishop Brossart at Kentucky Country Day
Holy Cross Covington at Bethlehem
My prediction:
Newport at Kentucky Country Day
Newport Central Catholic at Bethlehem
