heckmanm
Footballguy
I know this gets covered almost annually, but the search function is timing out for me.
We have a divisional format where teams play within their own division twice, and outside the division once. We have a potential (14-week reg season) for a tie across 2 divisions for a wildcard spot.
Our rule state head-to-head as the first tiebreaker, but what's the best approach when teams have played an unequal number of times?
One possible scenario for us is a 4-way tie at 8-6 for the last wildcard spot, with 2 teams from each division (call it A & B from 1 division and C & D from the other)
- A is 3-1 vs the other 3, and 2-0 vs B
- B is 2-2 vs the other 3, and 0-2 vs A
- C is 2-2 vs the other 3, and 2-0 vs D
- D is 1-3 vs the other 3, and 0-2 vs C
Is it automatically "A" based on the 3-1 record? Or should we first eliminate B and D based on the 0-2 records with their divisional opponents, and then take the head-to-head winner between A and C? Is it safe to say that B and D are out under any reasonable process? (At least D is out, I think)
We could also have a 3 way tie with 2 teams from 1 division and 1 from the other, where:
- A is 2-0 vs B (in division), but lost to C
- B is 0-2 vs A (in division), but beat C
- C is 1-1 vs A&B
Again, does A's 2-1 total record win out, or do you first eliminate B based on A's 2-0 sweep, and then take the head-to-head winner between A and C?
Our rules state "The following tiebreakers are used to determine both the Division Champions and Conference rankings: 1) Head-to-head won/lost records; 2) Division won/lost records; 3) Conference won/lost records; 4) Scoring points by starters during regular season; 5) Coin flip."
Since division champs have been decided before these ties come into play, I'm thinking divisional alignment no longer matters, and overall W-L among the tied teams would be the criterion.
Out of 16 possible outcomes of the 4 games involving these teams, there is only 1 game outcome that would lead to each scenario above, so I'm hoping this solves itself.
We have a divisional format where teams play within their own division twice, and outside the division once. We have a potential (14-week reg season) for a tie across 2 divisions for a wildcard spot.
Our rule state head-to-head as the first tiebreaker, but what's the best approach when teams have played an unequal number of times?
One possible scenario for us is a 4-way tie at 8-6 for the last wildcard spot, with 2 teams from each division (call it A & B from 1 division and C & D from the other)
- A is 3-1 vs the other 3, and 2-0 vs B
- B is 2-2 vs the other 3, and 0-2 vs A
- C is 2-2 vs the other 3, and 2-0 vs D
- D is 1-3 vs the other 3, and 0-2 vs C
Is it automatically "A" based on the 3-1 record? Or should we first eliminate B and D based on the 0-2 records with their divisional opponents, and then take the head-to-head winner between A and C? Is it safe to say that B and D are out under any reasonable process? (At least D is out, I think)
We could also have a 3 way tie with 2 teams from 1 division and 1 from the other, where:
- A is 2-0 vs B (in division), but lost to C
- B is 0-2 vs A (in division), but beat C
- C is 1-1 vs A&B
Again, does A's 2-1 total record win out, or do you first eliminate B based on A's 2-0 sweep, and then take the head-to-head winner between A and C?
Our rules state "The following tiebreakers are used to determine both the Division Champions and Conference rankings: 1) Head-to-head won/lost records; 2) Division won/lost records; 3) Conference won/lost records; 4) Scoring points by starters during regular season; 5) Coin flip."
Since division champs have been decided before these ties come into play, I'm thinking divisional alignment no longer matters, and overall W-L among the tied teams would be the criterion.
Out of 16 possible outcomes of the 4 games involving these teams, there is only 1 game outcome that would lead to each scenario above, so I'm hoping this solves itself.
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