Revisiting the 2017 4A football season, with the new RPI format

At the time, Class 4A District 6 did not look like a football powerhouse.

In retrospect, though, it would have been a breeding ground for playoff teams had the new format been in place.

Four teams from that district would have made the playoffs, including a 5-4 Western Dubuque team that played down in class twice in non-district play.

The Gazette went through schedules and results of all 48 Class 4A teams from last fall. Using the new RPI formula, we ranked the big-school teams from 1 through 48.

The top eight spots were assigned to the eight district champions. For example, even though West Des Moines Dowling had the second-best RPI (.6747), the Maroons — who went on to win the state championship — were ranked No. 9, because they were not a district champion, and qualified as an at-large team.

West Des Moines Valley (8-1, .7083) was No. 1 in RPI, because of a strong record and — even more so — because its nine opponents' record of 53-28 was tops in the state.

In the new RPI formula released last week by the Iowa High School Athletic Association, 37.5 percent of the index is based on winning percentage, 37.5 percent to opponents' winning percentage, 25 percent to opponents' opponents' winning percentage.

In the table below, we provide all three of those factors for all 48 4A teams, plus a total RPI. An 'average' RPI is .500.

Some findings:

• There were no co-owned district titles last year. Eight solo district champions, so eight automatic bids and eight at-larges. In 4A next year, there will be seven districts of six teams each.

• The playoffs field would have consisted of eight 'West' teams and eight 'East' teams.

• Iowa City West was the lone unbeaten in 4A, but had the fourth-best RPI (behind Valley, Dowling and Johnston). The Trojans' opponents were a combined 35-46.

• Western Dubuque (5-4) would have leap-frogged Newton (7-2) — and three 6-3 teams — for the final at-large slot. Even though Western Dubuque played a 3A team (Dubuque Wahlert) and a 2A squad (Dyersville Beckman) in non-district play, that doesn't count against the Bobcats. It's all based on record, and Western Dubuque's opponents were a combined 48-33. Meanwhile, Newton's nine foes were 27-54, the worst mark in that category of all 48 teams.

• The four playoff-bound teams in District 6 would have been North Scott, Pleasant Valley, Dubuque Senior and Western Dubuque.

• District 5 (Cedar Falls was the champion) and District 7 (Bettendorf) would have had only one qualifier. Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 would have drawn two apiece.

• Cedar Rapids Prairie would have been the Metro's only 4A qualifier. The Hawks (8-1, .6283) would have been 10th in the 16-team field.

The final numbers:

District champions

Rank Team Team W-L Opponents' W-L Opponents' opponents' W-L RPI

 

Other playoff qualifiers

1

West Des Moines Valley

8-1 (.889)

53-28 (.654)

378-351 (.519)

.7083

2

Johnston

8-1 (.889)

44-37 (.543)

399-330 (.547)

.6738

3

Iowa City West

9-0 (1.000)

35-46 (.432)

392-337 (.538)

.6714

4

Bettendorf

8-1 (.889)

43-38 (.531)

387-342 (.530)

.6651

5

North Scott

8-1 (.889)

40-41 (.494)

386-343 (.529)

.6509

6

Cedar Falls

8-1 (.889)

40-41 (.494)

367-362 (.503)

.6444

7

Ankeny Centennial

7-2 (.778)

45-36 (.556)

378-351 (.519)

.6296

8

Urbandale

6-3 (.667)

43-38 (.531)

369-360 (.506)

.5756

Rank Team Team W-L Opponents' W-L Opponents' opponents' W-L RPI

 

Everyone else

9

West Des Moines Dowling

8-1 (.889)

45-36 (.556)

388-341 (.532)

.6747

10

Cedar Rapids Prairie

8-1 (.889)

36-45 (.444)

374-355 (.513)

.6283

11

Southeast Polk

6-3 (.667)

51-30 (.630)

365-364 (.501)

.6113

12

Pleasant Valley

7-2 (.778)

39-42 (.481)

397-332 (.545)

.6084

13

Lewis Central

8-1 (.889)

31-50 (.383)

379-350 (.520)

.6068

14

Waukee

6-3 (.667)

45-36 (.556)

394-335 (.540)

.5934

15

Dubuque Senior

6-3 (.667)

40-41 (.494)

363-366 (.498)

.5597

16

Western Dubuque

5-4 (.556)

48-33 (.593)

358-371 (.491)

.5533

Rank Team Team W-L Opponents' W-L Opponents' opponents' W-L RPI

17

Newton

7-2 (.778)

27-54 (.333)

391-338 (.536)

.5507

18

Davenport Central

6-3 (.667)

36-45 (.444)

375-354 (.514)

.5453

19

Cedar Rapids Kennedy

6-3 (.667)

34-47 (.420)

391-338 (.536)

.5415

20

Cedar Rapids Washington

5-4 (.556)

45-36 (.556)

355-374 (.487)

.5383

21

Des Moines Lincoln

6-3 (.667)

33-48 (.407)

375-354 (.514)

.5314

22

Indianola

5-4 (.556)

39-42 (.481)

393-336 (.539)

.5237

23

Ankeny

4-5 (.444)

47-34 (.580)

363-366 (.498)

.5088

24

Sioux City East

4-5 (.444)

47-34 (.580)

354-375 (.486)

.5057

25

Waterloo West

5-4 (.556)

36-45 (.444)

381-348 (.527)

.5055

26

Cedar Rapids Jefferson

4-5 (.444)

45-36 (.556)

351-378 (.481)

.4953

27

Des Moines Roosevelt

5-4 (.556)

36-45 (.444)

382-347 (.524)

.4893

28

Fort Dodge

4-5 (.444)

41-40 (.506)

376-353 (.516)

.4854

29

Ames

4-5 (.444)

40-41 (.494)

373-356 (.512)

.4798

30

Council Bluffs Jefferson

4-5 (.444)

37-44 (.457)

360-369 (.493)

.4615

31

Clinton

3-6 (.333)

44-37 (.543)

365-364 (.501)

.4539

32

Muscatine

2-7 (.222)

52-29 (.642)

347-382 (.476)

.4430

33

Dubuque Hempstead

3-6 (.333)

43-38 (.531)

346-383 (.475)

.4428

34

Des Moines Hoover

3-6 (.333)

40-41 (.494)

342-387 (.469)

.4275

35

Council Bluffs Lincoln

2-7 (.222)

47-34 (.580)

343-386 (.471)

.4185

36

Linn-Mar

2-7 (.222)

44-37 (.543)

369-360 (.506)

.4135

37

Iowa City High

2-7 (.222)

44-37 (.543)

365-364 (.501)

.4122

38

Davenport North

3-6 (.333)

32-49 (.395)

386-343 (.529)

.4055

39

Mason City

2-7 (.222)

42-39 (.518)

362-367 (.497)

.4018

40

Des Moines East

2-7 (.222)

38-43 (.469)

375-354 (.514)

.3878

41

Sioux City West

2-7 (.222)

35-46 (.432)

373-356 (.512)

.3732

42

Waterloo East

2-7 (.222)

35-46 (.432)

359-370 (.492)

.3684

43

Marshalltown

1-8 (.111)

43-38 (.531)

364-365 (.499)

.3656

44

Davenport West

1-8 (.111)

42-39 (.519)

364-365 (.499)

.3609

45

Burlington

1-8 (.111)

42-39 (.519)

335-394 (.460)

.3510

46

Ottumwa

0-9 (.000)

49-32 (.605)

326-403 (.447)

.3387

47

Sioux City North

0-9 (.000)

41-40 (.506)

364-365 (.499)

.3146

48

Des Moines North

0-9 (.000)

38-43 (.469)

333-396 (.457)

.2901