On the last Sunday of the regular season after all games have been played and scores turned in, TYFA Staff will meet to:

• • Determine playoff eligible and qualifying teams.

  • Create brackets based on the number of eligible teams, which may vary from season to season.

    • • If teams choose not to participate in the playoffs, teams with lesser records may be asked to accept a spot to round out a bracket.

  • Create the round 1 schedule utilizing organization facilities that requested to host and have acceptable venues.

Teams with a .500 or better records should have their AD on standby until midnight if TYFA needs to call and ask about hosting or invites a "bubble" team into the playoffs to complete a bracket.

• • If after TWO attempts, the team cannot be contacted, TYFA will then contact the next eligible "bubble" team or venue on the list.

To be eligible for the playoffs:

• • The organization, not the specific team, is in Good Standing with TYFA. All dues, fees and fines are paid. 

  • The organization or the team cannot have any disciplinary action that would prevent them from the playoffs.

  • The team could not have added any players to its rosters after mid-season.

ALL eligible teams have a (.501) or better winning percentage are automatically qualified.

ALL eligible teams with a (.500) winning percentage are "on the bubble" and may qualify for the playoffs, if necessary, to round out a bracket. This happens frequently.

ALL eligible teams with a (.499) or less winning percentage are "on the bubble" and may qualify for the playoffs, if necessary, to round out a bracket, but only after all (.500) teams have been conferred with. This happens frequently.

The number of teams taken in each age bracket is not pre-set. The brackets are determined based on the number of winning record teams and the least amount of non-winning record teams needed to complete the playoffs in the allotted weeks.

The Game Center standings are constantly adjusting throughout the season for various reasons. They will not solidify until all teams have the required eight (8) games.

Disclaimer: The Game Center is 99% accurate as far as the rankings of teams, but there may be that 1% where manual adjustments must be made.

The Game Center is programmed to sort the standings as:

• • Winning Percentage (.938 / 7-0-1 is ranked higher than .875 / 7-1-0).

  • Head-to-Head when teams have the same winning percentage.

  • If the teams never played, they are sorted by the PCI (algorithm) value.

  • In the rare occurrence teams are still tied, they will be sorted "cosmetically" by points against and then by points for.

  • Cosmetically because FINAL point totals are NEVER EVER used for ANY qualification or seeding.

To ensure a fair playoff system, TYFA utilizes an algorithm when determining who qualifies for the playoffs and their seeding.

The Algorithm gives teams PCI points for outright wins, forfeit wins, overtime wins and ties. 

It evaluates the teams involved in the game and gives more points for wins against strong opponents and less for wins against weak opponents. E.g., 6-1 beats a 6-1 you get max PCI points. If a 6-1 beats a 1-6, you get the minimum PCI points.

Forfeit wins you earn less PCI points while OT wins you gain more PCI points.

With any mathematical equation, any situation, even with this advanced method, ALL THINGS COULD STILL BE THE SAME (a tie).   To help avoid that, the system adjusts the PCI points awarded based on WHEN within the season you win. The system will start out by adding .000125 to the PCI points awarded for a win in week 2 and then increases on week 3, week 4 etc. Essentially, a team that wins as the season progresses earns more “points.” 

When the season is complete, and all teams have 8 games (6 in the Spring), the system will run through all the data 2000 times to adjust the PCI points not only for who you beat, but who the teams you beat and so on. Have a strong schedule and win, you gain a lot of PCI points.

It is inevitable that biased coaches will start to complain that their “6-2” record (for example) is better than a “6-2” record in another chapter. 

TYFA has numerous chapters. None of the chapters will be granted an “historical adjustment” to their PCI score. 

Everyone is equal. If a team believes they are better; their team will have the opportunity to prove their superior abilities on the field.

Ego Adjustment: During the season, any team that beats another by a 43+ margin, will NOT be awarded by the algorithm the full value for the win since its purpose is to determine strength of schedule. Teams constantly running up the score on opponents will be seeded lower.

During the Playoff Determination Sunday, the final weeks worth of games will not be made public on the Game Center to provide a somewhat mystery as to the exact qualifications and seedings. 

Many "Arm-Chair Commissioners" like to put out their own seedings and potentially confuse everyone. Only TYFA's postings are VALID!

Many times, The Two-Minute Drive talk show will be broadcasting the brackets as they are finished. 

Once the night is done, the brackets will be posted in the Game Center at TYFA.COM and the final standings will be made public.

Once a team is seeded, that is the path they will follow. Teams are never reseeded once the playoffs start.

Forfeits sometimes cannot be avoided during the regular season. However, the playoffs are for the determined and hard core that are striving to win a state championship. Forfeits will not be tolerated during the playoffs.

Not showing up at all or not showing up with at least 7 in Flag (5u) or 11 in any tackle game, will be considered a Class A Forfeit and there will be consequences.

Teams that are eligible for the playoffs, but for whatever reason choose to forfeit their last game of the regular season, will be declared ineligible for the playoffs. Financial forfeit consequences will apply.

Organizations that commit their teams to the playoffs, and then after the brackets and schedule are made, do not fulfill their obligation, will be charged with a Level II violation.

In an organization defeats an opponent, winning the right to advance, but chooses to forfeit the next game, they will be charged with a Level II violation and any of their other teams in the playoffs could be declared ineligible to continue in the playoffs.

If a forfeit happens once a game starts for any reason other than negligence, the forfeit will not affect any of the organization's other teams in the playoffs.

There will be no excuse as to why an athlete or volunteer is out of Dress Code compliance in the playoffs.

• • It does not matter what had been done all season. The Head Coach will suffer the consequences of their staff or players not attired properly.

  • The deeper into the playoffs, the more Black Shirts will be watching.

  • Semi-Finals and State games will catch the majority of the dress code issues at the gate.

There will be no excuse as to why an athlete or especially a volunteer acts inappropriately come the playoffs.

Athlete ejections may incur additional weeks of suspension, but based on the timeline they may be allowed back into the playoffs.

Volunteers who are ejected abusive and aggressive behavior (such as fighting, taunting, foul mouth language etc.) will be removed for the remainder of the playoffs.