What may be a cloudy 2009 football season has become a bit clearer. Football playing schools have returned to the A-AA-AAA system instead of the five classifications this year.

However, there will be six state champions next year instead of five. Each of the three grand divisions will be split in half come playoff time. TSSAA moved back to the district system to lessen travel expenses and take advantage of closer to home rivalries.

For Copper Basin and Polk County high schools schedules for the next four years will look familiar but making the playoffs might be a bit easier.

Polk County, for example, had to win seven region games this year to finish third as they played in a nine team region. Next year, however, the Wildcats can qualify for the playoffs by winning three district games and can finish first by winning four. Polk’s district opponents will be McMinn Central, Meigs, Sequoyah and Sweetwater. Collegedale is listed in the district but does not play football as yet.

Sequoyah is listed as a 4A team for playoff purposes,  while the others are 3A. The top two finishers in each district automatically qualify for the playoffs. It is possible for teams not finishing first or second to qualify for the playoffs as a wildcard if the district they play in is mixed with smaller and larger half teams.

Copper Basin will be a 1A school playing in a mixed district that includes Boyd Buchanan, Chattanooga Grace, David Brainerd and Silverdale. 21st Century, CSAS and Temple are listed in the district but are not classified for football purposes.

The Cougars possibly could qualify as a wildcard team by beating David Brainerd only and could automatically qualify by winning three district games and finishing second.

Both schools will still play a 10-game schedule. Both could conceivably play the same teams they faced this season.