Much has been discussed about the CIAC expanding its football playoff format from four to six divisions at the behest of its coaches.

The CIAC has had six divisions before, but never with eight teams qualifiying in each. A record 48 teams will qualify, resulting in three-loss teams qualifying and four-loss teams, as well.

There will also be playoff hopefuls that don’t make it, too, and our side of the state has nine teams with championship dreams.

East Lyme, Fitch, Killingly, Ledyard, Thames River, Valley Regional/Old Lyme, Waterford, Windham and Woodstock Academy are all either ranked in the top eight or close to it. A slim majority of those teams (four) are in Class SS.

Windham (7-0) is ranked first in Class SS and looks like a safe bet. The Whippets play Friday at Ledyard (6-1), which is seventh in the division. Windham ends its regular season against a pair of one-win teams: Weaver (Nov. 10) and Montville (Nov. 23).

Ledyard has a tougher path. The Colonels play at Class M hopeful Fitch (4-3) on Thanksgiving in addition to Windham and New London (2-5, Nov. 12).

Valley Regional/Old Lyme (5-1) is sixth after a gut-busting 28-27 loss to No. 2 Cromwell/Portland last Friday. It has four games remaining but only one against a winning team — at rival Haddam-Killingworth (4-2) on Nov. 22. It plays at Stafford/East Windsor/Somers (3-4) on Friday.

Waterford (4-3) is No. 10 and on shaky ground. The Lancers visit Killingly (6-1) on Friday and play at East Lyme (4-3) on Thanksgiving.

On paper, it looks like a 7-3 team could qualify in this division. A 6-4 record is probably pushing it, though.

Class MM

This division has the most crowded field because 16 of the 23 teams have winning records so the odds of a 6-4 team qualifying here don’t look promising.

Killingly, the 2021 Class M champion, has moved up a division and is fourth. It will be favored to beat Waterford, Stonington (2-5, Nov. 10) and Woodstock (3-3, Thanksgiving).

Thames River (6-0) is fifth and, based on the way its torn through the Connecticut Technical Conference, looks like a lock to qualify even with some of the league’s better teams still on its schedule.

The Crusaders host Cheney Tech (5-2) on Friday, play at Platt Tech (3-3, Nov. 12) and host O’Brien Tech (1-5, Nov. 18) and Quinebaug Valley (5-2, Nov. 23).

Fitch is back at No. 12 but still alive because other contenders either have tough games remaining or will knock each another off. The Falcons play at Woodstock on Saturday, at East Lyme (4-3) on Nov. 11 and close against Ledyard.

Class M

Here’s the ugliest-looking race because just eight of the 23 teams have winning records (No. 9 Woodstock is 3-3).

Everyone after No. 12 (Avon, 3-4) has two wins or less.

It’s not unfathomable that No. 2 Notre Dame-West Haven (5-2) could qualify even if it loses its last three games against large-school heavyweights Fairfield Prep (4-3), Shelton (4-3) and Hamden (7-0) because win or lose, it will accumulate a lot of bonuses for playing so many winning teams.

A team receives 10 bonus points for any win by a team it beats. Teams also receive five points for every win by an opponent, even if they lose to that team.

East Lyme (4-3) has two games left against teams fighting for playoff berths — Fitch and Waterford. It also hosts Norwich Free Academy on Friday and while the Wildcats are 1-6, four of those losses were out-of-conference.

Woodstock has four games remaining against Fitch, at NFA (Nov. 11), at Enfield (1-5, Nov. 16) and Killingly.

n.griffen@theday.com