New RPI system should emphasize record, not schedule

By Jake Sandau

The new RPI system implemented by CHSAA for all sports in the 2016 season has ruined several teams’ chances at making a run for a football state title. Throughout all football classifications teams have been knocked out of the playoffs because CHSAA put in a new system where the strength of one’s schedule is more important than record.

CHSAA needs to emphasize each teams’ record more rather than their opponents record. Although some schools have benefitted from the new system, many have not and many schools are enraged by the new system. The RPI system stands for Ratings Percentage Index where the percentage is made up of 25 percent that team’s record, 50 percent their opponents record, and 25 percent their opponents’ record.

There have been several cases around the state including Eaton 6-3, Loveland 9-1, and Skyline 7-3 all have had better records than some seeded in the playoffs and have also finished ahead of many in their league. The RPI system has proven to not help the teams that actually deserve to be in the playoffs this year.

Eaton clearly should have been in the playoffs instead of University because not only did Eaton beat University head to head, but it also finished second in league while University finished third in the league standings, both behind Resurrection Christian. Loveland was originally put into the playoffs but was then taken out because of an error made by a CHSAA board member. The 9-1 Loveland Indians were state runner-ups last year in 4A behind Windsor.

The RPI system failed several teams around the state and will continue to fail teams in the years to come if nothing is done. The way CHSAA can fix this problem is by either rewriting the system or just totally ditching the system as a whole. Next year the CHSAA board will be able to either fix the system or get rid of it. This mistake shouldn’t happen again. Too many players worked way too hard to be taken out of the playoffs.