There are three more classifications this year, so twelve state champions will be crowned instead of nine.

In the regular competition, just under half of the teams are eliminated. There are 184 teams that have qualified for the postseason and 174 will begin their playoff journey on Friday night. The exceptions are the four teams in both 6AI and 6AII that received first-round byes, and 6AI’s Moore in Norman North match that was moved to Saturday due to stadium availability.

It’s been pretty consistent over the years that about 90% of district champions win first-round games. So that means there are about four major upsets every year where a fourth-place finish eliminates a No. 1 team.

So, what are some upset possibilities Friday night?

In 5A, Collinsville, which visits third-ranked Booker T. Washington, is not the typical fourth-ranked spot. The No. 10 Cardinals are 7-3, but two of the losses were by one point. Collinsville also has a recent history of playoff success. BTW (8-2) is on an eight-game winning streak.

In 4A, No. 8 Ada (7-3) hosts Cushing (7-3), which reached the title game in 2022 and has a history of playoff upsets – on both sides.

In 3A, fourth-ranked Cascia Hall (9-1), which is in the playoffs for an incredible 38th consecutive year, is riding a seven-game winning streak heading into its matchup against Checotah (6-4), with OU receiver Elijah committed Thomas.

I’ll be at SE Williams Stadium, where I saw my first-ever high school game when the legendary Ed Lacy was the head coach of the Hornets, while Collinsville plays host. Columnist Bill Haisten will cover Mustang at Union. We will also have writers at Holland Hall-Berryhill, Lawton Eisenhower-Sapulpa, Bethel-Metro Christian and Wagoner-Poteau, as well as other games.

Carl Albert has won seven of the past eight 5A state titles. This year, the Titans are 10-0 and have outscored their opponents 538-26 with seven shutouts in 10 games.

Wagoner is ranked No. 1 and if he gets past Poteau on Friday, he may have to beat No. 2 Elgin, No. 3 Tuttle and No. 4 Blanchard, the defending champion. Bulldogs coach Dale Condict has won seven state titles and calls this “the most challenging path we have ever had.”

The Bulldogs are also without one of the state’s top players, Alex Shieldnight, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 8. But Wagoner will get back offensive lineman Noah Peet and defensive back Tres Thornton, who have been sidelined with knee injuries.

Wagoner has won consecutive first-round matches under coach Condict. The Bulldogs will look to reach 20 when they host Poteau on Friday. Condict said that streak, along with the state titles, is one of the accomplishments he is most proud of during his time as Wagoner’s coach.

Years since Sapulpa last hosted a playoff game in 2005. That streak ends Friday when the Chieftains host Lawton Eisenhower in a 6AII playoff opener. Sapulpa finished fourth in the district in ’05 when it stunned Jenks in the first round.

Jenks receiver Kayleb Barnett, who committed to Central Arkansas, received his first Power-4 offer from Vanderbilt.

All Flag Football postseason matchups were announced Thursday.

The five matches will be played over two evenings, Monday and Tuesday. On Monday at LaFortune Stadium, Memorial will host Bishop Kelley in the ninth-place game at 5:30 p.m., followed by McLain vs. Rogers in the seventh-place game at 6:45 p.m.

East Central will face Booker T. Washington for the championship on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Rogers. Both East Central and BTW were 5-0 and dominated their opponents. East Central had a 162-38 scoring advantage, while BTW was at 179-19.

That title game will be preceded by Webster vs. Central in the fifth-place game at 5:30 p.m., and Hale vs. Edison for third-place play at 6:45 p.m.

Booker T. Washington won the NFC, followed by Hale (4-1), Central (2-3), Rogers (1-4) and Memorial (0-5). In the AFC, East Central was followed by Edison (4-1), Webster (2-3), McLain (2-3) and Bishop Kelley (0-5).

In the regular season finale on Wednesday, Edison outlasted Bishop Kelley in the longest game of the season, 12-6, in four overtimes. In flag football, teams gain possession of the ball on the opponent’s 20-yard line rather than the 10-yard line as in tackle football – a format I like. In other matches, Webster defeated McLain 22-19, Hale defeated Central 30-0, defeated Rogers 52-0 and East Central prevailed 26-6 over Memorial.

How is that OU quarterback commit, who was with Carl Albert last year before returning to Texas, doing this season?

Kevin Sperry, now at Denton Guyer, has completed 126 of 226 passes for 1,905 yards and 19 TDs with seven interceptions. He also has 92 rushes for 542 yards and two touchdowns. Guyer (7-3) meets McKinney (6-4) in a 6AII opener Friday.