If they go 16 would there be some in with a losing record? This is no issue with me but may not be the perception of how special it is to make the playoffs that OHSAA pushes.
Teams with losing records have been making the playoffs for years. Computer points decide who makes the playoffs rather than overall record. In the early 2000s, Walsh Jesuit made the playoffs with a 3-6 record. Their 3 wins came against bigger schools that won a lot of games, so they had a high enough Harbin average to finish in the top 8 of their region and qualify. For only the 2nd time in OHSAA playoff history, a team went undefeated this past fall and failed to make the playoffs.
Making the playoffs in football has become less special for awhile, Here's the timeline:
1972 - OHSAA playoffs begin. There are only 3 classes, and only the top team in the computer poll in each region qualifies. Total number of teams in playoffs = 12.
1980 - OHSAA expands to 5 divisions. The top 2 teams in the computer poll in each region qualify. Total number of teams in playoffs = 40.
1985 - OHSAA expands to include the top 4 teams in the computer poll in each region as playoff qualifiers. Total number of teams in playoffs = 80.
1994 - OHSAA expands to 6 divisions. Playoff qualifiers remain the top 4 teams in the computer poll in each region. Total number of teams in playoffs = 96.
1999 - OHSAA expands to include the top 8 teams in the computer poll in each region as playoff qualifiers. Also, 1st round games are hosted by the higher seeded team. Total number of teams in the playoffs = 192. That's when the playoffs jumped the shark, IMHO.
2014 - OHSAA expands to 7 divisions in order to address the enrollment disparity present among the schools which previously competed in Division I. Division I is reduced to the top 72 teams in male enrollment with the other schools distributed relatively evenly among the other 6 divisions by enrollment. Playoff qualifiers remain the top 8 teams in the computer poll in each region except for Division I which consists of only 2 regions but takes the top 16 teams in the computer poll in each region as playoff qualifiers. Total number of teams in playoffs = 224.
2016 - OHSAA modifies Division I by distributing the 72 teams equally among 4 regions with the top 8 in the computer poll in each region qualifying for the playoffs. The other 6 divisions operate as they previously did. Total number of teams in playoffs remains 224.
2021 - OHSAA expands to include the top 12 teams in the computer poll in each region as playoff qualifiers. The top 4 teams in each region will have 1st round byes. Total number of teams in playoffs = 336.
There are slightly less than 720 schools that currently play 11-man football in Ohio. 8-man football is gaining viability, so some smaller schools have opted to go that route, and perhaps more schools will follow. An 8-man league has formed in NW Ohio.