NDHSAA Makes Changes To Football Qualifications

Using QRF system to determine who makes playoffs

FARGO, N.D — The 11A and 11AA high school football playoffs and the way  teams make it in will look a bit different this fall. It comes after the NDHSAA decided it was the best way to get the best teams playing deeper into the season.

Rather than regional qualification in past years each team will be selected by the QRF system. In the system, individual points are rewarded based on wins, losses, opponents win and class difference. The more wins an opponent has the higher the opponent’s class the higher the QRF for that game.

The change comes after the first year under the new classifications and Davies being left out after finishing 6-3.

“It was probably a factor of some degree. It wasn’t necessarily discussed,” Executive Director Matt Fetsch said. “The bigger factor was scheduling and how this allows schools to have a little more flexibility by cutting down on travel. That was the original discussion which then yesterday lead to the change.”

Fetsch also said the committee looked back at results from the past 10 years and saw that the QRF system was the accurate and fair.