Setting the Thanksgiving Table with CIAC playoff scenarios (S6 E11)

·1 hr 7 min·5 clips

A high school football player vows that this Thanksgiving showdown with Naugatuck won't be the last, despite rumors swirling.

The episode opens with a player's perspective on team unity heading into the Thanksgiving rivalry game against Naugatuck. Hosts Sean Patrick Bowley and Pete Paguaga then welcome listeners to Week 11, the week before Thanksgiving. They discuss the cold weather from the previous Friday's games. The hosts outline the episode's agenda: playoff scenario analysis, Thanksgiving previews, and picks. They recap the key Thursday night NVL showdown where unbeaten Ansonia defeated Oxford 35-0, securing a playoff berth and setting up a Thanksgiving game against Naugatuck. The conversation shifts to the CIAC's decision to table the 'alliance' proposal, with hosts criticizing the focus on Thanksgiving over the more significant issue of playoff expansion. They run through the Week 11 Top Ten poll, noting teams like Cheshire fading and Staples rising. A detailed explanation of the CIAC playoff point system follows, including base points, bonus points for beating higher-class teams, and strength-of-schedule adjustments. The hosts note issues with the CIAC's new website causing calculation errors. They then walk through playoff scenarios class by class, starting with Class S where Bloomfield, Ansonia, and Oxford have clinched. In Class SS, Granby has clinched, with several teams like Windham and Tolland close. Class M sees Northwest United, SMSA, and Rockville clinched. Class MM analysis reveals Windsor, Platt, Wilton, Fitch, and Masuk are in, with Cheshire's spot precarious. A debate erupts about schedule fairness, arguing Cheshire's tough Tier 1 schedule should be valued over Guilford's easier slate. In Class L, Naugatuck, New Canaan, Newtown, and Maloney are in, with Shelton and Darien needing wins. Class LL is described as a 'horror show,' with Greenwich, West Haven, Staples, and Southington clinched, and the possibility of Fairfield Prep making it at 4-6. The hosts then delve into the ongoing turmoil at Masuk, where coaches resigned before a game, nearly causing a forfeit, amid a five-month board investigation into the program's culture. Despite this, the seniors led the team to a 55-7 win. The episode concludes with player shout-outs, including Armani Reid's punt return for West Haven and Jet Hall's five touchdowns for Naugatuck, and a prep school update featuring Hamden Hall's championship.

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