The high school playoffs have been getting more intriguing with each passing day. Now that the regular season for the schools is finally over, teams are battling it out for the ultimate title and a respectable position in the league. However, recent events have cast doubt on Michigan High School’s aspiration to be at the top, as they have not been given a spot in the toughest team playoff brackets.

Today MaxPreps took to their official Instagram account to share their list of toughest high school playoff programs, saying, “The Top 10 Toughest High School Football Playoff Brackets 🔥🏈” This is a perfect way to boost competitiveness among the teams when they are running for the regional title. However, what took everyone’s attention was Ohio getting appreciated but Michigan High School not being given a single spot on the list.

Yes, you heard that right. The list’s ranking starts with CIF Southern Section Division 1, followed by Texas 6A Division 1, Georgia 6A and 5A, Texas 6A Division 2, Florida 4A, Ohio Division 2, Alabama 7A, Ohio Division 1, and concludes with North Carolina 4A. Well, it looks like the Michigan high school playoffs are not as intense as anticipated.

However, the big question is, even after having a decent track record and high-end teams, why is Michigan High School not getting recognized as the toughest among the playoff brackets this season?

Why did they leave Michigan off the list?

Well, Michigan High School has a long list of high-end teams that are competing in the playoffs. One of them is Howell from Division 1, which is an undefeated team so far in the season and is all set to go up against Hudsonville next week. Apart from Howell, Michigan also has Belleville on its list of top schools. The team is currently standing on a 10-1 streak this season and will go up against Detroit Catholic Central next week, which is also a reputed program with 11 consecutive wins this season. Even after having such high-achieving teams, it’s quite surprising to miss out on Michigan.

However, there is no right explanation for why Michigan is not on the list of the toughest playoff brackets. However, Ohio’s larger high school playoff field could lead to more intense competition among teams compared to Michigan. Michigan has a total of 8 divisions of teams going up against each other, whereas in Ohio High School there are 7 divisions covering 28 regions, which makes them more in number. Whatever the possible reason behind leaving Michigan from the list, there’s no denying the program’s history of producing top-tier talent like Bryce Underwood and consistently delivering impressive performances.