New High School Football Playoff Format Comes to Natick

Written by Les Masterson and Sam Bonacci

The new Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association football playoff schedule seeks to add teams to the post-season and take pressure off of athletes during playoffs.

Rather than the usual Super Bowl structure that featured teams playing in playoff games after Thanksgiving, the playoffs will start at the beginning of November.

Teams that don’t make the playoffs will play other non-playoff teams in the weeks leading up to the annual Thanksgiving game. The six state championship games will take place after Thanksgiving.

Confused – and just want to know the Natick High schedule? Here's the varsity football schedule:

• Thursday 9/12 7 p.m. away vs. Weymouth
• Friday 9/20 7 p.m. at home vs. Acton-Boxborough
• Friday 9/27 at 7 p.m. at home vs. Wellesley
• Saturday 10/05 at 2 p.m. at Norwood High School
• Friday 10/11 at 7 p.m. at home vs. Dedham 
• Friday 10/18 at 7 p.m. at home vs. Milton
• Friday 10/25 at 7 p.m. away at Walpole 
• Thursday 11/28 (Thanksgiving) at 10 a.m. at home vs. Framingham

Here’s more information about the new playoff format.