The following tiebreaker system is used by the Pioneer Football League to determine its automatic qualifier (AQ) for the Division I Football Championship. In no instance is this tiebreaker used to break a tie for the league championship, all teams tied for first place at the end of the regular season will share the title and be designated co-champions.
When two teams are tied:
- If there is a two-team tie in conference play and the two tied teams played each other, the winner of the head-to-head competition shall be declared the automatic qualifier (AQ).
- If the tied teams did not play each other, then each team’s record against all common opponents in the league shall be used to break the tie and declare the AQ.
- If the teams are still tied, then each team’s record against the next highest common opponent in the league standings shall be used to break the tie and declare the AQ. [Clarification: The record comparison against common opponents shall continue in descending order until the tie is broken.]
- If common teams played are tied in the standings, they will be regarded as a unit when determining records against. [Example: If A/B/C are tied for first and next highest common opponents, D & E are tied, combined records against D & E will be used.]
- If the teams are still tied, then the PFL “Strength of Victory” (combined record of PFL teams defeated) shall be used to break the tie and declare the AQ;
- If the teams are still tied, then the PFL “Strength of Schedule” (combined record of PFL teams played) shall be used to break the tie and declare the AQ;
- If the teams are still tied, a coin toss shall be used as the final tiebreaker.
When three or more teams are tied:
NOTE: If at any point a tie is broken using the multiple-team tiebreaker procedures and only two teams remain tied, the remaining teams shall revert to the two-team tiebreaker procedures.
- If the tied teams all played one another, the team with the best cumulative record involving games with the tied teams shall be declared the AQ. For example, if a team is 2-0 against two other tied teams, that team shall be declared champion.
- If the tied teams did not play each other, but one team played and defeated all the other teams involved in the tie, that team is the AQ.
- If the tied teams all played one another and have identical records against the other tied teams, then each team’s record against all common opponents in the league shall be used to determine the AQ. If teams are still tied, then each team’s record against the next highest common opponent in the league standings shall be used to determine the AQ.
- If the tied teams did not play each other, then each team’s record against all common league opponents shall be used to determine the champion. If teams are still tied and did not play each other, then each team’s record against the next highest common opponent in the league standings shall be used to determine the AQ.
- If the teams are still tied, then the PFL “Strength of Victory” (combined record of PFL teams defeated) shall be used to break the tie and declare the AQ;
- If the teams are still tied, then the PFL “Strength of Schedule” (combined record of PFL teams played) shall be used to break the tie and declare the AQ;
- If the teams are still tied, the AQ shall be drawn by lot as the final tiebreaker.
