I don’t know about you, but sometimes, it’s hard to find “stuff” that is very valuable to know when it comes to the CIF Southern Section Playoffs. I’ve spent time as an Assistant Coach, Head Coach, Athletic Director and then Administrator over Athletics in the Southern Section.
I was constantly opening up that darn Playoff Bulletin, it seemed like 100 times each Fall! So, I thought maybe simplifying things right here in one place for coaches who use my site might be helpful.
I’m taking everything that you need to know about the CIFSS Playoffs and putting it right here!
OBVIOUSLY – nothing here is official. Go to their website for that.
11 PERSON PLAYOFF INFORMATION IMPORTANT INFORMATION
11-Man Formula for Guaranteed Entry Into CIF-SS Football Playoffs
In all divisions:
- 4 or 5 teams will get 2 guaranteed entries
- 6-8 teams will get 3 guaranteed entries
- 9 or more teams will get 4 guaranteed entries
(Blue Book Rule 3519.7) In the sport of Football, individual schools will be evaluated and placed into divisions on a yearly basis utilizing a formula based entirely on current regular season results. Final power rankings, and divisional placements, will be determined and released at the end of the current regular season. Seeding of all playoff brackets in each division will follow the final power rankings in that division, regardless of league affiliation or league finish. For example, in the First Round, the #1 seed, determined by the final power rankings for that division, will play #16, the #2 seed will play #15, etc. The higher seeded team will host the First-Round contest and then CIF Southern Section Bylaw 3504, Host Team After the First Round, will be followed for all subsequent contests.
AT LARGE ENTRY:
Once Automatic Qualifiers have been placed into a division, any remaining spots will go to the highest ranked .500 teams in that grouping. If there are not enough .500 teams, them the highest rated sub .500 team(s), will be taken.
NOTE: YOU MUST SUBMIT THE “AT-LARGE ENTRY FORM IN CIFSSHOME (www.cifsshome.org) TO BE CONSIDERED.
AT LARGE ENTRY DUE DATE:
11-Person Football At Large entry is DUE no later than 11:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2025.
The only part of the Blue Book Football Section that refers to the Playoffs. There are some important Bylaw differences when you get to the playoffs. No more bonfires. And adult chain crews!
Article 350 of the Blue Book, starting on page 213, is where the Playoff Bylaws can be found. I’ve narrowed the whole article down to what I think is important for football coaches and fans.
3502. IDENTIFYING LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVES INTO THE PLAYOFFS
“Under the playoff format ‐ in all sports ‐ leagues have the responsibility of developing and identifying the priority for their representatives into the playoffs.”
Each league has a League President. That President is responsible for informing the CIF-SS office of their league finish: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, etc.
3503. FIRST ROUND PLAYOFFS
“In the first round of the playoffs in all sports, the arrangement shall be as follows: The Commissioner shall match the teams for first‐round playoff contests, and the host school for these games shall be predetermined by the Commissioner. Schools must fulfill their playoff obligation once entered by the league unless excused in an emergency by the Commissioner and/or replaced as an entry by the league prior to completion of the opening round.”
Make sure that your League President knows that you do NOT want to enter the Playoffs, if that is true. Every now and then you’ll find a team that doesn’t want to enter the Playoffs. If that’s you, make sure to let the League President know. CIF office won’t be happy if you are slotted for a game, and don’t want to play!
3504. HOST TEAM AFTER THE FIRST ROUND
“To decide who shall be the host team after the first round of competition in any sport will be the sole responsibility of the Commissioner. In cases where two teams are paired after the first round of the playoffs, the team having the fewest number of host games in playoff competition shall be designated as the host team. When both teams have had an equal number of host playoff contests, the Commissioner shall toss a coin to decide the host team. When a school has been designated as the host school for a playoff contest it shall (1) act in that capacity unless excused by the Commissioner, (2) be considered the host team regardless of where the game is being played, and (3) a “bye” designation shall not count as a host contest for the team drawing the “bye” following the first round and throughout the remainder of the tournament.
3504.1 Teams receiving a bye in the first round shall be the host team in the next round of the playoffs.
3505. COMMISSIONER DETERMINES PLAYOFF SITES
“The Commissioner shall have sole authority in determining sites for playoff competition in all sports and for all rounds.”
If you have an issue with the facility you are playing at, you better get on the phone QUICK to take your concerns to the CIF office. Once in a while, they’ll step in to make a decision if you have a compelling argument like the size of stands, etc.
3508. TEAM EXPENSES
“The Commissioner shall set the team expenses to be allowed the traveling team in any playoff contest.”
I’m always surprised at how many Athletic Directors and Head Football Coaches don’t know that you can get meal money for playoffs if you meet the requirements.
3510. FREELANCE PLAYOFF ENTRY QUALIFICATION
“If a school does not have membership in a league or the school belongs to a league which does not offer students in a given sport an opportunity to qualify into CIF Southern Section championships, special conditions exist which must be followed in order to qualify for possible entry into a CIF Southern Section playoff activity. 3510.1 Team Sports ‐ All freelance schools desiring entry into the playoffs must submit schedules to the Commissioner for evaluation and approval of conditions under which the team may qualify. Schedules must be submitted prior to the start of each season for evaluation.”
Something that we do not see very often in football.
3511. PLAYOFF ELIGIBILITY
“An ineligible player is one who is in violation of any State CIF or Section scholastic residence, transfer, age, semesters of attendance, or other eligibility rules.
A. Games in which the student participated, after the occurrence of the violation shall be forfeited (See Bylaw 500.2)
B. From the time the CIF Southern Section Office receives the entries from the league, violations discovered will be assessed only against the individual(s) and will not affect the advancement of a team into the playoffs.
C. Violations discovered after the first round of any playoff will result in disqualification of the ineligible player’s team from the playoffs and forfeiture of its last playoff competition. In such cases, the losing team will advance provided the date of the next scheduled contest has not elapsed.
D. Freelance schools will submit eligibility rosters prior to their second contest of the season to the CIF Southern Section Office. Any additions to the freelance school eligibility roster will be made directly to the CIF Southern Section Office within five (5) school days of each occurrence.”
3514. NUMBER OF TEAM ENTRIES INTO PLAYOFFS
“In the sport of 11-person football, the team entry formula for each league into the playoffs is as follows:
- 4 or 5 teams will get 2 guaranteed entries
- 6-8 teams will get 3 guaranteed entries
- 9 or more teams will get 4 guaranteed entries”
3515. NOISEMAKERS PROHIBITED
“No noisemakers (horns, bells, victory bells, sirens, chimes, musical instruments other than those in the band, etc.) will be permitted inside the gymnasium, stadium or playing fields at any CIF Southern Section contest (non‐league, league, tournament or playoff). Cheering devices such as wooden blocks, or other similar objects, are prohibited. Megaphones shall be used only by uniformed cheerleaders for the purpose of directing and controlling rooting sections. The improper use of any of the above listed devices by supporters of a team would subject that team to possible forfeiture of the contest.”
Make sure that your Athletic and Activities Directors know about this rule. It’s one of the most often broken rule in the Playoffs.
3516. EQUAL FACILITIES
“The visiting school in dual team playoff contests is entitled to equal facilities, including one‐half of the seating, locker rooms, phone lines, spotting facilities, etc.”
This is a big one for some of the smaller schools, and their smaller facilities.
3519. PLAYOFF GROUPINGS
“The following procedures for conducting the business of playoff groupings will be in effect for the sports listed below: Fall – Flag Football (Girls), Football (8/11-person) . . . . . “
“3519.1 – Schools will be evaluated and placed into divisions on a yearly basis for the sports listed above utilizing a formula based entirely on current regular season results. Final rankings and divisional placements will be determined and released at the end of the current regular season. Seeding in each division will follow the final rankings, regardless of league affiliation or league finish. For example, in a sixteen-team bracket, the #1 seed, determined by the final rankings for that division, will play #16, the #2 seed will play #15, etc. The higher seeded team will host the first-round contest and then CIF Southern Section Bylaw 3504, Host Team After the First Round, will be followed for all subsequent contests.”
“3519.2 – It is MANDATORY that all Southern Section member schools enter the results of ALL regular season contests into the CIFSSHome system immediately following each game (www.cifsshome.org).”
“3519.3 – Member schools who fail to accurately enter complete regular season results into the CIFSSHome system, in any of the sports listed above, will not be placed into a playoff division and will be ineligible to participate in the Southern Section Championships in that sport for that year.”
“3519.4 – Leagues are guaranteed their appropriate number of entries into the Southern Section Championships, per current Southern Section Blue Book Rule 3514.”
