Who benefits from the expanded IHSA football playoffs?

Perhaps expansion was inevitable for the IHSA football playoffs.

It began in 1980 by increasing the number of classes from five to six and continued in 1985 when each of those fields doubled from 16 to 32 teams. Then came the arrival of Class 7A and 8A in 2001, adding 64 teams.

Now expansion is back. Last year the member schools voted overwhelmingly to expand each class from 32 to 48 teams, boosting the number of playoff qualifiers from 256 to 384 teams.

With fewer than 500 schools eligible for the football playoffs, that means about 75% of statewide teams will qualify. Love or hate it, we’ll almost certainly see two-win teams in the playoffs this season.

Who stands to benefit the most from playoff expansion?

Barrington, Stevenson and Warren

All three perennial qualifiers are 0-3, which no one saw coming. Each might have been expected to take a step back based on graduation losses, but not to 0-3.

In any other season since the IHSA playoffs began in 1974, they’d all be in deep, deep trouble. But thanks to playoff expansion, hope remains.

How significant is hope? Barrington has missed the playoffs only four times since 2002, Warren three times since 1999 and Stevenson twice since 1989. That’s about as consistent as success gets around here.

Considering the number of two-win teams likely to qualify, it’s clearly a reachable goal for the trio. And if any of them get their act together and go on a run, watch out.

The DuPage Valley Conference

The first third of the season was rough on a league that traditionally dominates nonconference play. Naperville North is the lone team among the six entering DVC play with a winning record.

All six lost their season openers, which is unheard of in the DVC. They bounced back in Week 2 but took another step back last week by going 2-4 including a 2-3 record against the Mid-Suburban League.

But if steel truly sharpens steel, it’d be unwise to count out the DVC. No one ever wants to see a DVC team in the opening round of the playoffs. That’s where they’re especially a bear to face.

The nonconference performance is a bad sign. But playoff history tells a different story for the DVC.

Elgin Area School District U-46

Other than South Elgin and Bartlett, it’s been rough sledding for the five U-46 high schools trying to reach the playoffs out of the Upstate Eight Conference.

Streamwood last qualified in 2011. Elgin has qualified twice since 2010, and Larkin twice since 2006.

This season it’s conceivable — although unlikely — all five could qualify. South Elgin may have already clinched at 2-1, while Elgin and Streamwood are right behind at 1-2. Larkin and Bartlett have a bunch of work to do at 0-3.

Larkin faces a must-win situation in this week’s UEC crossover against Fenton. In fact, just about all the U-46 schools need to win their crossover games if they hope to qualify.

Beyond that, they’ll unfortunately need to feast on each other. Much more than bragging rights hang in the balance in the upcoming Elgin-area rivalry games.

The IHSA

More playoff teams = more money.

The football playoffs are a cash cow for the IHSA, with ticket prices starting at $8 in the opening round and gradually rising to $15 for state title games. And the IHSA gets the bulk of the gate money.

The member schools have an obvious willing partner in the IHSA if they ever decide to let every football team in the playoffs like the state’s other major team sports.

kschmit@dailyherald.com