Thanksgiving Day football about to change

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – It's the biggest day on the high school football calendar. The Thanksgiving morning games have been a tradition going back more than 100 years, but that tradition is about to change.

Starting next year, a new playoff format goes into place. Schools across the state voted 161-131 in favor of a plan that will, at long last, crown one true statewide champion. It's a complicated plan and will come at the expense of Thanksgiving football as we now know it.

Under the new plan, teams will play a 7-game regular season. The division winner will then qualify for playoffs, as well as the second place team in divisions with five or more teams. This plan is based largely on a point system. A total of 134 teams will make playoffs and there will be six state champions, one in each division.

Officials tell FOX 25 they felt more teams should be involved in the playoff process since some teams who won 10 straight could end up sitting at home when the regular season ends under the current system.

There is still some uncertainty under this new trial playoff system. Teams who do not make playoffs will have no idea who they are playing on weeks 8, 9, and 10. Their opponents will be selected from a pool of other non-playoff teams.

Opponents of the new system say that it will make popular Thanksgiving games seem more like a glorified scrimmage. While teams will play on Thanksgiving, the game will have no impact on playoff contention.

Cox Media Group