{
  "id": 855802,
  "title": "Should MHSAA football split private, public schools in playoffs?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/should-mhsaa-football-split-private-public-schools-in-playoffs",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-14T09:11:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mhsaa-football-split-private-public-091104967.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Some football coaches and fans in Michigan believe the state high school athletic association (MHSAA) should separate private schools from public schools in the playoffs. This opinion is particularly strong among public school fans who live next door to private schools and face them in district tournaments. The public schools put in a lot of effort, only to be upset early in the playoffs, while private schools advance to face off against each other and collect championship trophies. For example, Northville or Canton might have won multiple state championships if they didn't constantly have to face Novi Detroit Catholic Central, and Farmington or North Farmington might have advanced further if they didn't have to open against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s every year.\n\nSupporters of separating private and public schools argue that competing against the best teams makes you better. Detroit Cass Tech and Detroit King have become state powers by beating the Catholic League's top teams over the past two decades. On the other hand, some believe that smaller public schools would have an easier time if they only had to play other public schools in the playoffs. Smaller schools often face off against larger private schools from larger metro areas, giving their smaller rosters a disadvantage.\n\nCoaches around the state have been voicing their opinions on the MHSAA's playoff structure via social media. For this article, the Detroit Free Press interviewed head coaches of teams that are next door to private-school state powers, asking them for their thoughts on the public-vs-private playoff debate. Those coaches were granted anonymity.\n\nOne major issue brought up is that smaller public schools need help the most. These schools often consist of all homegrown kids who face off against larger private schools from metro areas. They believe something needs to change for these smaller public schools, even if it means addressing issues related to private vs. public schools.\n\nAnother suggestion is to implement an open division, similar to what other states have done. This would involve taking the top eight teams in the state, regardless of division, and having them compete in a three-week tournament to crown an open division champion. This would level the playing field and allow top teams from different divisions to face each other, like DeWitt against Detroit Catholic Central or Orchard Lake St. Mary’s against Detroit Cass Tech.\n\nThe current system may be fine, but some believe it could use minor tweaks. The coach interviewed is open to mixing private and public schools in the playoffs, as long as they face each other based on their schedules. This would ensure that teams only have to beat who is on their schedule, which is easier said than done.\n\nOne alternative being considered is adopting a format similar to California's, where a competitive equity power-ranking system is used instead of fixed enrollment. This system evaluates teams using regular-season performance formulas to assign divisions and the playoff brackets after the season ends. While not perfect, this format has worked well in California and could potentially be adapted for Michigan high school football.",
  "summary": "MHSAA football coaches debate whether private and public schools should have separate playoffs to create a fairer MHSAA football postseason.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}