Playoff Picture: Football (Nov. 2)

The football regular season is done and the NHIAA playoff pairings will be released on Monday.

But who wants to wait until then? Here is our best guess on what the pairings will look like when they’re released.

Note: Standings based off results reported to NHIAA.org and other media outlets. These are not official standings or pairings.

Division I

In 2025, the top team in each conference, determined by football rating, will receive the top three seeds and get a first-round bye. The remaining 10 playoff spots will be determined by football rating and seeded 4-13.

Central Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Pinkerton (6-2, 13.7500, 4th)
• *Windham (6-2, 12.0000, 3rd)
• *Salem (5-3, 11.0000, 7th)
• *Concord (4-4, 7.5000, 11th)
• *Londonderry (3-5, 7.0000)
• Alvirne (4-5, 6.8889, 13th)
• Manchester Central (3-6, 5.3333)

East Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Manchester Memorial (7-1, 15.2500, 2nd)
• *Winnacunnet (5-3, 10.5000, 8th)
• *Exeter (5-3, 9.2500, 9th)
• *Portsmouth-Oyster River (4-4, 7.5000, 1oth)
• Timberlane (3-6, 3.7778)
• Dover (1-7, 1.5000)
• Spaulding (1-8, 1.3333)

West Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Bedford (8-0, 17.2500, 1st)
• *Nashua South (6-2, 12.7500, 5th)
• *Bishop Guertin (6-2, 12.2500, 6th)
• *Nashua North (4-4, 7.0000, 12th)
• Merrimack (4-4, 6.5000)
• Keene (1-7, 1.2500)
• Goffstown (0-8, 0.0000)

Tiebreakers

• Portsmouth-Oyster River (5.0000) wins the tiebreaker with Concord (4.0000) thanks to a better football rating against tournament teams.
• Nashua North (4.5000) wins the tiebreaker with Londonderry (3.6667) thanks to a better football rating against tournament teams.

First-round byes (changes in bold)

• No. 1 Bedford
• No. 2 Manchester Memorial
• No. 3 Pinkerton

First-round matchups

• No. 9 Exeter at No. 8 Winnacunnet
• No. 12 Nashua North at No. 5 Bishop Guertin
• No. 13 Londonderry at No. 4 Nashua South
• No. 10 Portsmouth-Oyster River at No. 7 Salem
• No. 11 Concord at No. 6 Windham

Division II

The top seed in each conference, determined by football rating, will receive the top two seeds. The remaining six playoff spots will be determined by football rating and seeded 3-8.

East Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Trinity (8-1, 15.5556, 2nd)
• *Plymouth (8-1, 15.1111, 3rd)
• *Kingswood (6-3, 9.7778, 6th)
• *St. Thomas (5-4, 7.5556, 7th)
• Kennett (3-6, 4.2222)
• Bow (3-6, 4.0000)
• Merrimack Valley (1-8, 1.1111)
• Pembroke (0-9, 0.0000)

West Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Souhegan (9-0, 19.3333, 1st)
• *Pelham (7-2, 13.3333, 4th)
• *Manchester West (7-2, 12.4444, 5th)
• *Hanover (5-4, 8.4444, 8th)
• ConVal (4-5, 6.2222)
• John Stark (2-7, 3.3333)
• Milford (2-7, 3.1111)
• Hollis Brookline (2-7, 2.6667)

Quarterfinals (changes in bold)

• No. 8 St. Thomas at No. 1 Souhegan
• No. 5 Manchester West at No. 4 Pelham
• No. 7 Hanover at No. 2 Trinity
• No. 6 Kingswood at No. 3 Plymouth

Division III

The top seed in each conference, determined by football rating, will receive the top two seeds. The remaining six playoff spots will be determined by football rating and seeded 3-8.

East Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Laconia (7-1, 14.2500, 3rd)
• *Campbell (6-2, 13.2500, 1st)
• *Gilford (6-2, 12.5000, 4th)
• *Epping-Newmarket (6-2, 12.0000, 5th)
• *Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (4-4, 6.2500, 7th)
• *Somersworth (3-5, 5.5000, 8th)
• Sanborn (0-8, 0.0000)

West Conference

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Monadnock (8-0, 15.2500, 2nd)
• *Newport (4-4, 6.2500, 6th)
• Stevens (3-5, 5.2500)
• Lebanon (3-5, 5.0000)
• Fall Mountain (2-6, 2.5000)
• Kearsarge (0-8, 0.0000)

Tiebreakers

• Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough (7.5000) wins the tiebreaker with Newport (6.5000) thanks to a better football rating in divisional road games.

Quarterfinals (changes in bold)

• No. 8 Somersworth at No. 1 Monadnock
• No. 5 Epping-Newmarket at No. 4 Gilford
• No. 7 Newport at No. 2 Laconia
• No. 6 Inter-Lakes/Moultonborough at No. 3 Campbell

Division IV

The top four teams in the division, determined by football rating, will make the playoffs and be seeded 1-4.

Team (division record, rating, previous)

• *Hillsboro-Deering (6-0, 15.6667, 1st)
• *Mascoma Valley (5-1, 12.3333, 2nd)
• *Raymond (4-2, 9.3333, 3rd)
• *Farmington-Nute (4-3, 7.1429, 4th)
• Newfound (3-4, 4.5714)
• Winnisquam (1-6, 1.4286)
• Franklin (0-7, 0.0000)

Semifinals (changes in bold)

• No. 4 Farmington-Nute at No. 1 Hillsboro-Deering
• No. 3 Raymond at No. 2 Mascoma Valley