Most of the N.C. High School Athletic Association automatic football playoff bids have been decided as we enter this special week 12. Almost 20 teams have the opportunity to clinch this week.

Here is a look at every playoff or conference championship-clinching scenario this week. If you have any questions about the following scenarios, you can reach out to me on X @JoelBryantHSOT.

Keep in mind the following intricacies:

• In single-classification conferences, the overall champion wins a trophy, gets to hang a banner, and is seeded with the other first place teams first in the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s state playoffs.
  • In the instances where there is a tie for first place, the teams will be considered co-conference champions. A head-to-head victory of one tied team over the other doesn’t matter when it comes to hanging a banner. While each team will get the trophy, only one can be seeded first with the other conference champions in the playoff brackets. Most often, this piece comes down to who won the head-to-head matchup.
    • For example: Team A & Team B finish tied for the conference championship in a 4A-only league. Team A & Team B will be considered co-conference champions. Team A beat Team B in their matchup, but Team A lost to Team C to force the tie with Team B. Since Team A has the head-to-head tiebreaker over Team B, Team A will be treated as the only conference championship when it comes to the playoff seeding process. All first place teams are seeded first in the process and will host a game in the first round.
• In split-classification conferences, the overall champion wins a trophy/hangs a banner, but the highest finishing conference opponent in the other classification will also be seeded as a top playoff seed in its separate playoff bracket, provided that that other team finishes with an overall win percentage of .500 or better OR finishes in the top three of the final overall conference standings. If the team does not meet this criteria, it’s still guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, but will be placed among the at-large teams in the RPI-based playoff seeding process.
  • For example: In a 3A/4A split classification conference, the top overall finisher/conference representative could be a 4A team, but the highest 3A team will also be considered a 1-seed in the 3A bracket, as long as the 3A team was .500 or better OR finished in the top three spots in the standings.
    • All top finishers out of a split classification will be seeded first with the 1-seeds from single-classification conferences, as long as they meet the criteria of finishing .500 or better OR in the top three of the conference standings.
• For conferences with six or more teams, the second place team will receive an automatic playoff spot. This team will still be seeded with the other at-large teams, but it would assure that they get into the group of 32 playoff teams from their region.

Many teams have already clinched a 1-seed or a 2-seed for the state playoffs. Those are indicated in the conference sections below. If you have any questions about how they clinched or how they hold a tiebreaker, the previous two editions of this article can help you:

Now, let’s get to the clinching scenarios for all of the conferences. All records in parentheses () are conference records.

4A Conferences

Cap-6

• Cardinal Gibbons has won the conference championship. Leesville Road will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Central Piedmont

• East Forsyth has won the conference championship. Mount Tabor will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

DAC

• Jordan has won the conference championship. Hillside will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Greater Metro

• Mooresville has won the conference championship.
• There is a three-way tie for second place between Lake Norman, South Iredell, and West Cabarrus. It will be broken by RPI. Lake Norman currently has the top RPI. However, all three of these teams are projected to make the playoffs.

Greater Neuse

• Cleveland has won the conference championship. Clayton will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Metro

• Grimsley has won the conference championship. Northern Guilford will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Northern Athletic

• Rolesville has won the conference championship. Millbrook will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

South Meck

• Palisades has won the conference championship. Olympic will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Southern Carolina

• Weddington has won the conference championship.
• As this conference has just five teams, the second place finisher will not receive an automatic bid into the playoffs.

Southwest Wake

• Apex Friendship has won the conference championship. Middle Creek will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Southwestern

• Charlotte Catholic has won the conference championship. Butler will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

3A/4A Conferences

All-American

• Terry Sanford has won the conference and clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, Terry Sanford has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.
• Harnett Central has secured the automatic second place bid among the 3A teams in the All American. There are six teams on the 3A side of this conference, which provides it with that second automatic bid.
• Overhills has clinched the top 4A seed. As a split conference team, Overhills has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 4A East.

Big Carolina

• Havelock, Jacksonville, and New Bern will split a co-conference championship.
• New Bern has clinched the top 4A seed. As a split conference team, New Bern has already met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 4A East.
• Havelock has clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, Havelock has already met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 4A or 3A side.

Mideastern

• Hoggard has won the conference and clinched the top 4A seed. As a split conference team, Hoggard has already met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 4A East.
• North Brunswick has clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, North Brunswick has already met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 4A or 3A side.

Mountain

• Asheville (2-1) and T.C. Roberson (1-2) will play on Friday night for the top 4A seed out of the Mountain 3A/4A. The game will be played at Roberson.
• A.C. Reynolds (4-0) and Erwin (4-0) are tied for first place among the 3A teams in the conference and will play on Friday night for the top seed and the overall conference championship. The game will be played at Erwin.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 4A or 3A side.

Northwestern

• Watauga has won the overall conference championship and secured the top 4A seed out of the Northwestern. As a split conference team, Watauga has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 4A West.
• Freedom (2-2) can clinch the top 3A seed out of the Northwestern with a win at Hibriten (1-3).
• Hibriten (1-3) can clinch the top 3A seed out of the Northwestern with a win vs. Freedom (2-2) AND an Ashe County (1-3) loss vs. Alexander Central (2-2). Ashe County holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Hibriten, so the Panthers need to finish a game ahead of Ashe in the final standings.
• Ashe County (1-3) and Hibriten (1-3) can force a tie for the top 3A spot with a win, but it would have to be broken by RPI if it got to that point. Therefore, neither can “clinch” on Friday night.

Queen City

• Hough has won the overall conference championship and secured the top 4A seed out of the Queen City. As a split conference team, Hough has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 4A East.
• West Charlotte has clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, West Charlotte has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A West.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 4A or 3A side.

Sandhills

• Richmond has won the conference and clinched the top 4A seed. As a split conference team, Richmond has already met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 4A East.
• Union Pines has clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, Union Pines has already met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 4A or 3A side.

United 8

• Seventy-First has won the conference and clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, Seventy-First has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.
• Jack Britt has clinched the top 4A seed. As a split conference team, Jack Britt has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 4A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 4A or 3A side.

3A Conferences

Big South

• South Point (5-1) can clinch the top seed with a win at home against Huss (3-3) on Friday. The Red Raiders hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over Kings Mountain, the team tied with them for first place. For South Point to win an outright conference championship, it would also need a Kings Mountain loss.
• Kings Mountain (5-1) can clinch the top seed with a win at North Gaston (1-5) AND a South Point (5-1) loss to Huss (3-3). This would also give the Mountaineers an outright conference championship.

Central

• Williams has won the conference championship. Southern Alamance will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Coastal

• White Oak has won the conference championship. Richlands will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Mid-Piedmont

• Oak Grove has won the conference championship. Central Davidson will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Mid-State

• Dudley has won the conference championship. Eastern Guilford will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Mountain 7

• There is a three-way tie for first place between Pisgah, Smoky Mountain, and West Henderson with each team at a 4-1 overall record.
• Pisgah plays Tuscola (2-3) at home. The Bears have a head-to-head tiebreaker over Smoky Mountain. Pisgah can clinch the 1-seed with a win AND a loss by West Henderson at East Henderson (0-5).
• Smoky Mountain plays Franklin (3-2) at home. The Mustangs have a head-to-head tiebreaker over West Henderson. Smoky Mountain can clinch the 1-seed with a win AND a loss by Pisgah vs. Tuscola (2-3).
• West Henderson plays East Henderson (0-5) on the road. The Falcons have a head-to-head tiebreaker over Pisgah. The Falcons can clinch the 1-seed with a win AND a loss by Smoky Mountain vs. Franklin (3-2).
• A win by any of the three and a loss by the two others would result in an outright conference championship and a top playoff seed.
• If all three teams win, the tie will have to be broken by RPI ratings.

Quad County

• C.B. Aycock has won the conference championship. Hunt will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

South Piedmont

• Jay M. Robinson has won the conference championship. Northwest Cabarrus will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Western Foothills

• Hickory has won the conference championship. North Lincoln will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

2A/3A Conferences

Big East

• Northern Nash has won the conference and clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, Northern Nash has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.
• Nash Central has clinched the top 2A seed. As a split conference team, Nash Central has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 3A or 2A side.

Northeastern Coastal

• Northeastern has won the conference and clinched the top 2A seed. As a split conference team, Northeastern has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A East.
• Holmes has secured the automatic second place bid among the 2A teams in conference. There are six teams on the 2A side of this conference, which provides it with that second automatic bid.
• Currituck County has clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, Currituck has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.

Northern Lakes

• Southern Durham has won the conference and clinched the top 3A seed. As a split conference team, Southern has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A East.
• South Granville has clinched the top 2A seed. As a split conference team, South Granville has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 3A or 2A side.

Rocky River

• Monroe has won the conference and clinched the top 2A seed. As a split conference team, Monroe has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West.
• Parkwood has clinched the top 3A seed. HOWEVER, as a split conference team, Parkwood has failed to meet at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 3A West. The Wolf Pack will be seeded with the rest of the at-large playoff teams.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 3A or 2A side.

2A Conferences

Catawba Valley

• Lincolnton is 6-1 and has clinched a co-conference championship. HOWEVER, the Wolves have not clinched a 1-seed. They have a head-to-head loss to Bunker Hill, which is only a half game game in the standings and will play this week while Lincolnton sits.
• Bunker Hill (5-1) can clinch the top playoff spot with a win at home against West Caldwell. The Bears have a head-to-head tiebreaker over Lincolnton (6-1).
• If Bunker Hill loses, Lincolnton would win the conference and Maiden would get the second place automatic bid.

East Central

• Wallace-Rose Hill has won a co-conference championship but will receive the top playoff spot out of the East Central. James Kenan will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Eastern Plains

• Ayden-Grifton has won the conference championship. North Pitt will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams. There is a four-way tie for second palce, but North Pitt gets it through a series of head-to-head tiebreakers.

Foothills

• East Surry has clinched a co-conference championship and the top playoff seed. North Surry will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Mid-State

• Reidsville has won the conference championship. West Stokes will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Neuse

• Eastern Wayne has won the conference championship. Princeton will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Southeastern

• St. Pauls has won the conference championship. Midway will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

1A/2A Conferences

Central Carolina

• Salisbury has won the overall conference championship and clinched the top 2A seed out of the Central Carolina. As a split conference team, Salisbury has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West.
• North Rowan has clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, North Rowan has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A West.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 2A or 1A side.

Coastal Plains

• East Carteret is the only 2A in this conference and has met its special requirements to be granted playoff entry and be seeded with the other 2A East conference champions.
• Northside-Pinetown has clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, Northside has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 2A or 1A side.

Football Only A

• Corvian Community has won the conference and clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, Corvian has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A West.
• Community School of Davidson has clinched the top 2A seed. As a split conference team, CSD has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West.
• Mountain Island Charter has secured the automatic second place bid among the 1A teams in the conference. There are six teams on the 1A side of this conference, which provides it with that second automatic bid.

Four Rivers

• Martin County is the only 2A in this conference and has met its special requirements to be granted playoff entry and be seeded with the other 2A East conference champions.
• Tarboro has clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, Tarboro has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 2A or 1A side.

Mid-Carolina

• Southeast Alamance has won the overall conference championship and clinched the top 2A seed out of the Mid-Carolina. As a split conference team, Southeast has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A East.
• Cummings has secured the automatic second place bid among the 1A teams in the conference. There are six teams on the 1A side of this conference, which provides it with that second automatic bid.
• North Moore has clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, North Moore has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A East.

Mountain Foothills

• Brevard has clinched a co-conference championship and clinched the top 2A seed out of the Mountain Foothills. As a split conference team, Brevard has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West.
• Polk County is the only 1A in this conference and will NOT meet their special requirement of either a .500 overall record or a top two finish in the final conference standings to get an automatic bid. Polk can only get in as an at large team through RPI.

Piedmont Athletic

• Eastern Randolph has won the conference and clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, Eastern has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A West.
• Randleman has clinched the top 2A seed. As a split conference team, Randleman has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 2A or 1A side.

Southern Piedmont

• Shelby has won the overall conference championship and clinched the top 2A seed out of the Southern Piedmont. As a split conference team, Shelby has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West.
• Bessemer City has clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, Bessemer City has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A West.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 2A or 1A side.

Waccamaw

• Whiteville has won the overall conference championship and clinched the top 2A seed out of the Waccamaw. As a split conference team, Whiteville has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A East.
• Pender has clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, Bessemer City has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A East.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 2A or 1A side.

Western Highlands

• Mountain Heritage (3-0) can clinch a conference championship and the top 1A seed with a win at Draughn (3-1) on Friday.
• Draughn (3-1) can clinch the the top 1A seed with a win vs. Mountain Heritage on Friday AND a Mitchell loss at Avery County (1-2) on Saturday.
• Mitchell (3-1) can clinch the top 1A seed with a win at Avery County (1-2) on Saturday AND a Mountain Heritage (3-0) loss at Draughn (3-1). Mitchell has a head-to-head victory over Draughn.
• Owen (0-3) and Madison (1-2) will play on Saturday to determine the top 2A seed out of this conference. The game will be played at Madison. HOWEVER, neither will meet the requirements of a split conference team (.500 overall record or top three conference standings finish) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West. They will be seeded among the at large teams.

Yadkin Valley

• Mount Pleasant has won the overall conference championship and clinched the top 2A seed out of the Yadkin Valley. As a split conference team, Mount Pleasant has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 2A West.
• South Stanly has clinched the top 1A seed. As a split conference team, South Stanly has met at least one of the two requirements (top three finish or .500 overall record) to be seeded with the other conference champions in the 1A West.
• This conference will not receive an automatic second place bid from the 2A or 1A side.

1A Conferences

Atlantic

• Only two 11-man teams compete out of this conference: Bear Grass Charter and Hobgood Charter.
• Bear Grass Charter has clinched the top seed out of the Atlantic.
• There is so second place automatic bid out of this conference.

Carolina

• North Duplin has clinched the top playoff seed out of the Carolina and an outright conference championship.
• As this is a five-team conference, there is no automatic bid for the team that finishes in second place.

Northwest

• Mount Airy has won the conference championship. Starmount will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Smoky Mountain

• Murphy has won the conference championship. Robbinsville will receive an automatic second place bid as the conference has at least six teams.

Tar-Roanoke

• Wilson Prep has won the conference championship. Warren County will receive an automatic second place bid and KIPP Pride will receive the automatic third place bid as the conference has at least nine teams.