LIVE OAK, Fla. — The playoff system for Florida high school football is changing once again.

After switching to a points-based formula for the 2017 and 2018 seasons — which used four tiers for wins and losses and gave bonus points for scheduling previous playoff teams — an RPI (Ratings percentage index) system will be put in place starting in 2019. 

The Florida High School Athletic Association made the official announcement on Jan. 28.

The RPI will rank teams based on three factors. Teams will be ranked on their own winning percentage (35 percent), their opponents’ winning percentage (35 percent) and their opponents’ opponents’ winning percentage (30 percent). 

There will no longer be bonus points. 

“I wish the percentage was a little higher on our record and how we do on the field,” said Suwannee coach Kyler Hall. “But every game is a big game. Every week is big. That’s been a positive to the new formats that every week counts.”

Branford coach Tim Clark believes the new format is an improvement. 

“I see the positives and negatives of it, but that’s expected because there is no perfect system, Clark said. “Overall I think it is an improvement. I like that it makes for simpler calculations without bonus points, but that was a huge part of how we all did our recent scheduling, so much of that time was in vain.”

For Classes 5A-8A, there will still be district play with district champions earning an automatic berth to the playoffs. However, the four wild card playoff spots in each region will be determined by the highest RPI.

In Classes 1A-4A, RPI will determine the six playoff teams in each region. 

Examining last year 

Would there have been any differences for area teams last season if the RPI system had been in place? Yes, but only slight differences.

In Class 1A-Region 3, based on the points system in place last season, Madison County was ranked first in the region, Chiefland was second, Dixie County was third, Lafayette was fourth, Union County was fifth and Branford earned the sixth and final playoff spot.

If the RPI would have been in place, Lafayette would have moved just ahead of Dixie for third place and Branford would have been in fifth, just ahead of Union County. The playoff teams would not have changed, nor the first-round matchups (Union at Lafayette and Branford at Dixie), but the second-round games would have been different because of seeding. 

2018 Region standings using Points System  

If RPI had been in place in 2018 

Looking at Suwannee in Class 5A-Region 1, the Bulldogs would have been in the exact same spot — eighth in the region, earning the final playoff spot — had the RPI system been in place of the points system last season. 

The only change between Region 1 playoff teams would have been Bolles and Ponte Vedra. Ponte Vedra, which finished ranked seventh in the region in the old system, would have been in the sixth spot with Bolles moving one spot back.

There was a lot of movement between non-playoff teams. Most notably, Rickards came in ninth place in the region last year despite finishing 2-8. Under the new RPI system, Rickards would have finished 13th.  

2018 Region standings using Points System

If RPI had been in place