(last updated 10/25/24, 11:01 pm) – The bracket is set!

It’s time for ALPreps Bracketology for the 2024 season!

For Class 7A, there is a new playoff format starting this season. Please read more about it here. Things will look a little different than they have the last decade for 7A so please read the post for more specifics!

The boring, but important stuff:

Bracketology is something Joe Lunardi began in the 90’s as a way to predict the field of participants that would make the NCAA basketball tournament each year and where in the bracket they would be slotted.

We started this process with Alabama high school football back in 2016 and have done it every year since. We thought it would be a great way to help schools and the people involved with a team have some knowledge on who and where they may be playing in the playoffs, or if they will even make it at all.

Before we begin, a few things to note when reading the info below:

– This is all based on a few factors: A) Region record, B) strength of region record to that point, C) non-region record, which is only used for tiebreak purposes, and D) our own opinion. Most teams will be placed based on their region record at that point, but sometimes we may make a change based on our opinion of what we believe will happen in the future. When we do give our opinion or our own projections, we will note that.

– When it comes to non-region wins and tiebreakers, the most important thing to remember is – the quality of the opponents defeated in non-region wins means more than the quantity of non-region wins your team has. For instance, Team A with a 1-2 non-region record can be ahead of Team B with a 3-0 non-region record if the one team that Team A beat has more wins than the 3 teams combined that Team B defeated.

– It’s also important to note that a team can’t lose a tiebreaker, only win it. For instance, if three teams beat each other within the season to cause a 3-way tie, and it goes to non-region wins or some other tiebreaker where one team is clearly out of the running to win it, then that doesn’t mean they are out of the running if there are more playoff spots to get. Teams with bad records are rewarded for their region wins just like teams with good records are punished for their region losses.

– The numbers next to a team on the bracket represent their region and seed. So if a team has “3-2” next to their name, it’s not a record, it means they are the second seed out of region 3.

– Just because a team isn’t listed, doesn’t necessarily mean they are mathematically eliminated. They very well may be officially eliminated or our projections just don’t show them as having a high probability of making the playoffs. Many teams may not be mathematically eliminated until the final week or two of region play, but many times the stars have to align just right for them to make it in, so we may not have them in the projection.

– And most importantly, all of this is unofficial. The AHSAA alone determines the bracket and various factors may change our projections when the official bracket is released. This is simply a tool to help show what could be possible.

Here is the ALPreps bracketology for Class 7A as of right now:

Confidence

LOCKED = Locked into that position no matter what
HIGH = High confidence that the team will most likely will finish close to where they are now
MEDIUM = Medium confidence that the team will most likely will finish within a spot or two of where our projections have them
LOW = May be in good position now, but low confidence that they end up in that spot as things could drastically change with just one or two results

(records are region records only)

1. Mary Montgomery (7-0) – LOCKED
2. Baker (6-1) – LOCKED
3. Daphne (5-2) – LOCKED
4. Fairhope (4-3) – LOCKED

Others that could grab a spot: None

This region is set.

1. Auburn (7-0) – LOCKED
2. Opelika (5-2) – LOCKED
3. Central-Phenix City (5-2) – LOCKED
4. Enterprise (4-3) – LOCKED

Others that could grab a spot: None

This region is set.

1. Hoover (7-0) – LOCKED
2. Thompson (6-1) – LOCKED
3. Hewitt-Trussville (5-2) – LOCKED
4. Vestavia Hills (4-4) – LOCKED

Others that could grab a spot: None

This region is set.

1. Austin (6-0) – LOCKED
2. James Clemens (5-2) – LOCKED
3. Florence (5-2) – LOCKED
4. Bob Jones (4-3) – LOCKED

Others that could grab a spot: None

This region is set.