A dozen GMC football teams have unofficially qualified for the playoffs
A dozen Greater Middlesex Conference high school football teams have unofficially qualified for the NJSIAA playoffs and one more team remains on the bubble.
The NJSIAA will announce official playoff pairings and consolation matchups for non-qualifiers on Sunday.
A marquee first-round matchup could take place unofficially between South Brunswick and Old Bridge in Central Group V, where the defending sectional champion Vikings would have a chance to avenge a 31-28 season-opening loss to the Knights. If Neptune defeats Colts Neck Saturday, Old Bridge could be the No. 4 seed and host South Brunswick. If Colts Neck defeats Neptune, Old Bridge could be the No. 3 seed and host No. 6 seed Hillsborough.
The eight teams with the most power points in each section at the conclusion of this weekend’s action will qualify for the playoffs, which commence with first-round games next weekend at the site of the higher seed.
READ: South Plainfield football clinches home playoff game with dramatic comeback win and goal-line stand
READ: Piscataway football clinches Red Division title, secures No. 2 seed for playoffs
READ: Despite playing without star QB, Woodbridge football rallies for win
READ: Colonia football wins fourth straight, secures sixth seed for playoffs
READ: Carteret football loses third straight and chance to host home playoff game
The semifinals will be contested on the weekend of Nov. 18-19, also at the higher seed, while the public school sectional finals and non-public school group championships will be played Dec. 2-4 at neutral sites to be determined.
The sectional finals will be contested at MetLife Stadium (10 games), at Rutgers University’s High Point Solutions Stadium (four games), at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium (four games) and at Rowan University’s Richard Wackar Stadium (five games).
The NJSIAA’s power point ranking system is predicated upon the sum total of the best seven of a team’s eight completed games at the time of the state cutoff date, which is Saturday night.
Piscataway and New Brunswick have also unofficially qualified in Central Group V, while Carteret and South Plainfield have unofficially qualified in Central Group III.
Sayreville, Colonia, Woodbridge and J.F. Kennedy have unofficially qualified in North 2 Group IV.
St. Joseph has secured the No. 8 seed in Non-Public Group IV and will play at either Paramus Catholic or Bergen Catholic, depending on how the NJSIAA interprets a convoluted power point ruling as it pertains to those North Jersey Super Conference powers.
As the No. 7 seed in Non-Pubic Group III, Bishop Ahr will make its 22nd postseason appearance, playing a first-round game at DePaul.
Piscataway locked up the No. 2 seed in the section with a 52-13 win over Edison on Friday night. The victory knocked the Eagles out of playoff contention while simultaneously securing for New Brunswick a postseason berth.
New Brunswick, the No. 8 seed, will unofficially face top-seeded Manalapan, which rallied from a 10-0 deficit for a 21-10 victory over Piscataway last weekend. The Chiefs will host a first-round game against No. 7 seed Hunterdon Central.
Sayreville appears to have qualified as the No. 5 seed in its section and will likely play a first-round game at Phillipsburg.
Colonia appears to be the No. 6 seed in its section and will likely play a first-round game at Summit or Middletown North, whose seed will be determined by residual points. Woodbridge appears to be the No. 7 seed in the same section and will play either Summit or Middletown North.
J.F. Kennedy is unofficially the No. 8 seed in its section and will play at Middletown South.
South Plainfield appears to have secured a first-round home game in its section. The Tigers could be seeded as high as third, depending on residual points.
Carteret, also depending on residual points, could be seeded seventh or eighth in its section.