2023 Division 1 Playoff Preview

The MHSAA just released all ten of their playoff brackets yesterday, and I'm here breaking down the entirety of the Division 1 field! As the dust settles on the regular season, we have 32 teams competing for a chance to hoist the State Championship trophy at Ford Field this November. Below you'll find power rankings for all 32 teams, plus insight on all 16 games this weekend.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Division 1 Power Rankings</h2>   Based off record, strength of schedule, personal knowledge, etc, here are my division 1 Power Rankings!   <a href="https://my.mhsaa.com/Sports/Football/Playoff-Point-Summary">Click to view final Playoff Point Totals</a>   <a href="https://www.mhsaa.com/sites/default/files/PDF%20Brackets/2023-FB-M-1.pdf">Click to view the Division 1 Bracket </a>   <ol> <li>Belleville</li>   <li>Rockford</li>   <li>Lake Orion</li>   <li>Davison</li>   <li>Southfield A&T</li>   <li>Cass Tech</li>   <li>Saline</li>   <li>West Bloomfield</li>   <li>Utica Eisenhower</li>   <li>Chippewa Valley</li>   <li>Grandville</li>   <li>Detroit Catholic Central</li>   <li>Northville</li>   <li>Dakota</li>   <li>Clarkston</li>   <li>Romeo</li>   <li>Sterling Heights Stevenson</li>   <li>Grand Blanc</li>   <li>Rochester Adams</li>   <li>Novi</li>   <li>Lapeer</li>   <li>Westland John Glenn</li>   <li>Hudsonville</li>   <li>Brighton</li>   <li>Fordson</li>   <li>Grand Ledge</li>   <li>Oxford</li>   <li>West Ottawa</li>   <li>AA Pioneer</li>   <li>AA Huron</li>   <li>Lakeview</li>   <li>Utica</li> </ol>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 1 Preview </h2>   #2 Rockford vs. #28 West Ottawa   Earlier this season, Rockford defeated West Ottawa 39-12.   As you can tell by my rankings, I believe Rockford is the 2nd best team in all of Division 1 right now. The only reason why I don't have them above Belleville is because Belleville is the 2x defending champ with the #1 Quarterback in the country. I think it's a shame we don't have the potential to see Rockford vs. Belleville in the Championship. This is a gigantic program with depth, talent, pedigree, and no weaknesses.   West Ottawa earned themselves a playoff spot when they defeated East Kentwood last Friday Night. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they're running into one of the State Championship favorites.   #11 Grandville vs. #23 Hudsonville   Earlier this season, Grandville defeated Hudsonville 44-37.   Considering the result from earlier this season, Hudsonville has a fighting chance. Still, I fully expect Grandville to take care of business here. The Bulldogs finish the season 7-2, with their only losses coming from #2 Rockford and #4 Davison. It's no question that Grandville is the best Wing-T program in the state right now. With [player_tooltip player_id='206418' first='Jayden' last='Terry'], a great offensive line, a gritty defense, and their very difficult strength of schedule, Grandville could be a dark horse.   Hudsonville began the season red-hot starting 4-0 against some decent teams. But against most OK-Red opponents, they folded. Though out of any OK-Red loss they'd like to get another shot at, it's Grandville. Let's see if [player_tooltip player_id='247638' first='Ethan' last='Carter'] and co. are able to halt the Wing-T, and let's see if this offense can get going.         #4 Davison vs. #21 Lapeer   Last week, Davison narrowly escaped Lapeer 56-55.   Davison has proven themselves to be one of the best teams in Michigan. With a 9-0 record, a dominant win over #11 Grandville, the D2 Favorite De La Salle, alongside the proven talent on this team, The Cardinals are in prime position to win it all. Not only is this team deep, but their talent stands out to me like few others. [player_tooltip player_id='80934' first='Carter' last='Herriman'] is an elite middle linebacker with great leadership, [player_tooltip player_id='602282' first='AJ' last='Hill'] is a D1 Running Back, [player_tooltip player_id='212356' first='Ben' last='Nichols'] is a future P5 offensive lineman, [player_tooltip player_id='80935' first='Tyler' last='Dosh'] is an underrated DE, and they have several other players in the system who will be playing high quality college football. This team is locked, loaded, and on paper miles better than Lapeer.   Lapeer has an incredible opportunity. Last weekend, the Lapeer offense exposed the Davison defense in a way that no team has done all season. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='327835' first='Zak' last='Olejniczak'] continues to play at an extremely high level, as we went 12/15 for 276 yards and 4TDs. Lapeer ran for another 214 yards. Whatever Lapeer did worked extremely well, and they'll be looking to complete a gigantic upset over the #4 team in D1.   #18 Grand Blanc vs. #26 Grand Ledge   Both teams have had an up-and-down season, yet they both still find themselves in the postseason.   Grand Blanc has performed exactly how I thought they would heading into the 2023 season. An offense that can put up big points against just about any team, but a defense that oftentimes leaves a lot to be desired. I expect Grand Blanc to come away with the Victory here, and if they do, they'll likely be faced with am SV rematch against rival Davison.   Grand Ledge is still a solid team, though their strength of schedule was weak and they lost a ton of talent in the 2023 class. Out of their six wins, only two have been against playoff teams. They won 37-30 against #28 West Ottawa, and defeated Lansing Everett 21-12 (Everett is the last team in the D2 Playoffs).   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 2 Preview </h2>   #13 Northville vs. #24 Brighton   Earlier this season, Northville defeated Brighton 24-10.   Northville has to be feeling great heading into the postseason. By all accounts this was a phenomenal season. An 8-1 record with your only loss coming against #1 Belleville? How about solid wins against #15 Clarkston, #20 Novi, and #24 Brighton? Northville has proven themselves as much as they possibly could considering their schedule. My only gripe on their stellar record is that I don't think the KLAA is a particularly strong conference. Yes, they beat OAA Red's Clarkston, but the Wolves ended up having a very inconsistent season. Still, Northville should win this game and they will have an amazing opportunity to win a district championship, and if they do that, they could have another shot at the Champ. The defense is truly the heart and soul of this program and I hope to see them hold Brighton to only a few scores.   Brighton has fallen from their 8-2 season in 2022 to 5-4 so far in 2023. Key class of 2023 departures have proven to be hard to replace, and this team just hasn't risen to the occasion against the better teams on their schedule. Still, Northville is an opponent they are very familiar with. The Bulldogs have a winnable matchup here. Let's see if they're able to capitalize.   #20 Novi vs. #12 Detroit Catholic Central   Both teams have had largely successful seasons, with wildly differing strengths of schedule.   Novi has earned their home playoff game, though I have them as the underdog. Novi has been successful against their opponents, even securing wins against #22 John Glenn and #24 Brighton. Though, they fell to #13 Northville by two touchdowns. Catholic Central may very well be the best team they've faced all season, and it needs to be all hands on deck to defeat such an opponent.   Playing in the catholic league, Catholic Central was tasked with one of the most difficult schedules in the state. Facing several elite Michigan and Ohio programs, CC shockingly only lost two games this season. Their victory against La Salle (OH) was especially impressive. I know I have them ranked at #12, but I could 100% see this team beating any other program in the state. Catholic Central is a dark horse to make it to the State Championship.       #1 Belleville vs. #30 AA Huron   Belleville is averaging 46.8 points per game. Belleville has given up 46 points ALL SEASON.   I don't think the KLAA is very strong, but with this type of dominance alongside their talent and recent championship history, this is the team to beat in D1.   Ann Arbor Huron - Good Luck   #7 Saline vs. #29 AA Pioneer   Saline defeated Pioneer 56-0 earlier this season.   Saline is riding into the postseason at 8-1, with their only loss coming against #3 Lake Orion last weekend. Notre Dame commit [player_tooltip player_id='77217' first='CJ' last='Carr'] headlines this intriguing team as Saline will likely attempt to knock off the #1 team in the state in the Divisional Championship.   It's obvious that Pioneer has made several strides this season. Going 6-3 after a 1-8 2022 season is extremely impressive. Still, facing off against an elite program who beat you 56-0 earlier in the season is not a great 1st-round draw. Quick shout out to WR [player_tooltip player_id='899436' first='Malek' last='Farha'] as I believe he's the most underrated receiver in the state.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 3 Preview</h2>   #3 Lake Orion vs. #27 Oxford   Earlier this season, Lake Orion defeated Oxford 38-14.   One of the biggest shocks of the season was Lake Orion running the table, winning the elite OAA Red. It honestly feels strange ranking Lake Orion as the #3 team in all of Division 1, but you really can't argue with their season. With a very difficult schedule, Lake Orion sports wins against #8 West Bloomfield, #7 Saline, #19 Adams, #15 Clarkston, #27 Oxford, as well as a highly ranked Harper Woods team. This season the schemes have been sound and the seniors have been leading the charge. I still believe [player_tooltip player_id='253269' first='Billy' last='Roberson II'] to be the best bellcow back in the state, and supporting weapons make this offense absolutely lethal. This region bodes extrmely well for Lake Orion, and with #2 Rockford, #4 Davison, and #1 Belleville being on the other side of the bracket, The Dragons become favorites to make it to the State Championship.   Oxford has been through a lot these past few years, and I'm happy to see this program return to the postseason. This team is capable of beating several teams in these playoffs, but they unfortunately draw one of the hottest teams out there. It would be an incredible story to see Oxford win this game, and I do expect them to put up a good fight, though chances aren't great. If Oxford were to come out with a victory, they'd have a very interesting matchup against either Clarkston or Romeo.   #15 Clarkston vs. #16 Romeo   Based on my ranking, this should be one of the best games of round 1.   I'm going to talk about both of these teams in this paragraph, because they've had extremely similar seasons. Both Clarkston and Romeo are normally top-tier D1 teams with state title hopes. This season, both programs seem to have taken a small step back, and both teams have had some highs and lows. Clarkston only lost to #5 Southfield by 3 points, won against #8 West Bloomfield, but got crushed against #13 Northville, #3 Lake Orion, and a good D4 team in Harper Woods. Romeo on the other hand defeated #8 Eisenhower, but had decisive losses against #10 Chippewa Valley and #14 Dakota.   Both teams have been wildly inconsistent, but at their best, they've proven they can beat just about anyone.         #9 Utica Eisenhower vs. #32 Utica   Earlier this season, Eisenhower defeated Utica 34-7.   Ike has performed amazingly this season as they shockingly won the MAC Red. The 31-0 win over #14 Dakota was incredible, and other wins against #10 Chippewa Valley, #17 Stevenson, #15 Clarkston, and #27 Oxford are all impressive. That said, Ike should have no problem taking care of business against crosstown Utica. A potential Divisional matchup between the #9 and #8 team would be phenomenal, no doubt.   #8 West Bloomfield vs. #19 Rochester Adams   Earlier this season, West Bloomfield defeated Adams 36-32.   The Lakers and The Highlanders face off once again. Over the past couple years, Adams has had West Bloomfield's number, but West Bloomfield has regained some confidence. This senior class for West Bloomfield is loaded, with experienced QB [player_tooltip player_id='249012' first='Reqez' last='Nance'], Colorado commit [player_tooltip player_id='80954' first='Brandon' last='Davis-Swain'], future P5 linebackers [player_tooltip player_id='667462' first='Kari' last='Jackson'] and Montele Johnson, an elite receiver room, and several others, this could be the year for West Bloomfield. Big wins against #10 Chippewa Valley, #15 Clarkston, #5 Southfield A&T, and #19 Adams put them solidly in the #8 slot for me.   Adams has regressed a bit after a few great graduating classes. Still, this team finishes the regular season at 6-3. Against most other top-10 teams, I wouldn't say Adams stands much of a chance (Lost to #3 Lake Orion 35-0, #15 Clarkston 28-7), though they know West Bloomfield very, very well. Let's see if Adams can send a state championship hopeful packing and make a run of their own!   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Region 4 Preview </h2>   #10 Chippewa Valley vs. #17 Sterling Heights Stevenson   Earlier this season, Chippewa Valley defeated Stevenson 38-21   Chip Valley has the talent, coaching, and regional draw to make a championship run. Their only two losses this season were to #8 West Bloomfield (22-21) and #9 Eisenhower (31-28). CV also has big wins against #14 Dakota, #17 Stevenson, and #16 Romeo. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='248811' first='Andrew' last='Schuster'] alongside several elite weapons make this team an extremely tough out.   Stevenson is not hopeless here. They've made some improvements this season while being competitive against some great teams. They have 1-possession losses against #16 Romeo, #14 Dakota, and #9 Eisenhower. They also have a decisive win against #20 Novi. If these three games played out just a tad differently, we'd be looking at Stevenson in a different light. Still, #17 is a great ranking for being 4-5, and I rank them there because of their close games and difficult schedule in the MAC Red.   #14 Dakota vs. #31 Lakeview   Dakota has been largely performed up to expectations with a few exceptions. Laying an egg against #8 Eisenhower is the biggest blemish on their season, while the 28-21 loss to #10 Chip Valley was fine. Although Dakota did not win the MAC Red this season, they still have an excellent shot to be the last MAC Red team standing in the postseason. I frankly expect Dakota to roll past Lakeview, then they're guaranteed to face a MAC Red team in the divisional round.   Lakeview is back in the playoffs, this time at D1. They have a few solid wins against Roseville and #32 Utica, though losing 36-6 to #17 Stevenson while having a poor strength of schedule does not make me confident in this team.         #5 Southfield A&T vs. #25 Fordson   A&T has had a phenomenal season, with their only loss coming from #8 West Bloomfield. Their win against #6 Cass Tech earlier in the season really makes me confident they can do on a run to Ford Field. This is the most complete team A&T has had in quite some time, and they should take care of business in round 1.   Fordson isn't the program they were a few years ago, but they can still put up a fight when they want to. Their record in the KLAA was not great, and the big loss to #24 Brighton last week was a big surprising. Maybe Fordson can compete with A&T who sometimes starts games slow. Hey, it wouldn't be the first time a Championship contending Southfield shockingly lost in the 1st-round of the postseason (2013 vs. Seaholm).   #22 John Glenn vs. #6 Cass Tech   Even though it's a home game for Glenn, Cass Tech should be favored by 30.   What's disappointing is that Glenn has shown so much improvement from last season, and they look to a be a solid playoff team, but not against powerhouse Cass Tech. I mean, they put up a way better fight than most against #1 Belleville, but they still lost that one 35-8.   Cass Tech returns to the postseason following a solid regular season. The two wins against King are great, they looked on-par with #5 A&T during week 1, while they got outmatched against out-of-state powerhouses. Cass should absolutely take care of business here and they're likely in for yet another high-octane matchup against Southfield.     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Prediction</h2>   Here is my bracket prediction - Just for fun and based off quick gut feeling!   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/MHSSAA-D1-Predict.jpg?w=731" alt="" class="wp-image-1058243" /></figure>

The MHSAA just released all ten of their playoff brackets yesterday, and I'm here breaking down the entirety of the Division 1 field! As the dust settles on the regular season, we have 32 teams competing for a chance to hoist the State Championship trophy at Ford Field this November. Below you'll find power rankings for all 32 teams, plus insight on all 16 games this weekend.