IHSA football’s format will see drastic adjustments to scheduling and playoff format in 2021.

Schools from each class will be divided into eight geographical groups called distrticts and will play a nine-week round robin schedule. The top four teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs.

“The rule change benefits scheduling,” EHS Athletic Director Alexander Fox said. “Whether it benefits us from a win or loss standpoint is yet to be seen because we don’t know what district we will fall into.”

Traditional conference rivalries will be severely affected by the rule change. Edwardsville will not play teams like Alton, Belleville West, East St. Louis and Collinsville, unless they are scheduled on the open week. Open week games are not counted toward playoff qualification.

“Ending our conference rivalries takes away from the culture of high school football,” junior linebacker Jacob Morrissey said. “I think that keeping our conference together is best for the 618.”

Mr. Fox said that Edwardsville will still look to schedule SWC opponents on their open weeks.

According to the Intelligencer, EHS’s district will most likely comprise of traditional conference rivals O’Fallon and Belleville East, as well as Minooka, Plainfield South, North and East, and Joliet West and Central.

Even with the travel and loss of conference opponents, Morrissey still believes that with the rule change, EHS will be better off.

“The change will allow us to play better competition during the regular season,” Morrissey said. “It give us a better opportunity for success in the playoffs.”