The MaxPreps rankings published on CHSAANow.com will serve as the official postseason rankings for most CHSAA team sports. This means that at-large teams will be selected to the brackets through this metric, and the brackets will be seeded according to the rankings, with exceptions noted in each sport’s individual bulletin.

Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the MaxPreps Rankings System.

What sports use the MaxPreps rankings?

• Fall: Field Hockey, Flag Football, Football, Boys Soccer, Softball, Girls Volleyball
• Winter: Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Ice Hockey
• Spring: Baseball, Boys Lacrosse, Girls Lacrosse, Girls Soccer, Boys Volleyball

The rankings on MaxPreps.com look different from the ones on CHSAANow.com. Why?

This may vary due to the time the rankings are run, as well as the fact that rankings displayed on MaxPreps.com ignore forfeits, while the rankings displayed on CHSAANow.com take forfeits into account.

The rankings displayed on each site use the same program and ranking system to run the rankings. The CHSAA office runs and publishes the MaxPreps rankings displayed on CHSAANow.com. The rankings displayed on CHSAANow.com are the official rankings used for postseason selection and seeding.

What is factored into the MaxPreps rankings?

The system utilizes the vast number of game results stored in the MaxPreps database. Generally, the more a team wins, the higher the ranking. However, the system takes into account the quality of wins (against other highly-ranked opponents) and strength of schedule.

For example, a team’s ranking is hurt more by losing to a team that is ranked below them than a team ranked ahead.

From MaxPreps.com:

Rankings are strictly based on the strength of schedule and scores. Another factor to consider is the team’s ratings. The Rating is a number calculated by the win-loss record. The Rating is the most important number because it’s a combination of that data and the movement will be influenced by that number.

In general, the accuracy of MaxPreps’ rankings can be attributed to the large volume of data collected nationwide that goes into the rankings. The previous ranking system, RPI, went just three layers deep in analyzing data for rankings: a team’s winning percentage, their opponents’ winning percentage, and the winning percentage of their opponents’ opponents. With national data used in the MaxPreps system, the data analysis is greater on an exponential scale.

The MaxPreps system also uses margin of victory as a component in the ranking.

Prior season history and school sizes are not considered in the MaxPreps rankings.

Is the margin of victory capped?

Yes. Every sport has a cap. In no instance is the cap at the mercy rule in a given sport. The caps are as follows:

• List of sports

How are forfeits factored in the calculation?

Forfeits count as a win for the team receiving the forfeit, and a loss for the team receiving the forfeit. The only difference between a forfeit and a regular win is that there is no margin of victory in a forfeit.

How does classification factor into the rankings?

As mentioned above, there is no specific criteria that says that a 2A win counts as less than a 3A win. That said, as a general statement, teams from larger classes tend to be rated higher in the MaxPreps system.

How often do the rankings update?

The rankings are run internally by the CHSAA office. During the regular season, this happens typically twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. As the postseason nears, oftentimes, the rankings are updated on a more frequent basis. 

Note: Because CHSAA runs the rankings internally at different times that MaxPreps runs them — and because CHSAA includes forfeits in the calculation, while MaxPreps does not — the data shown on MaxPreps.com may differ from what is being used to seed CHSAA’s postseason brackets..

For the most up-to-date MaxPreps rankings used in the seeding process, visit the MaxPreps rankings page.

Is there a game minimum to appear in the rankings?

Yes. A team must have played two games to appear in the rankings.

When will the rankings be posted for the first time during a season?

Rankings will not be released until there are enough teams who have met the game minimum to justify posting a ranking. Typically, this happens a few weeks after the start of the regular season.

How are out-of-state games handled?

Out of state games are handled the same as in-state games, and receive the same value.

Are non-varsity teams included in the calculation?

No, they are not. Only games between two varsity teams will be included in the ranking system.

How does my schedule affect my ranking?

It is equally important to win as it is to play a difficult schedule. There is no magic formula or perfect way to schedule. This is because of the sheer amount of data which is involved in the ranking system. A general guiding principle in scheduling: How difficult is your schedule, and how will you/did you fare against that schedule? It is important to view the schedule as a whole, and not focus on individual games.