We are officially past the midway point of the season and it is now officially time where teams can begin talking and thinking about where they might fit in the playoff landscape.

For all intents and purposes, 56 teams have already secured their spots in the IHSA playoffs by recording their fifth win. Technically those teams are now only “playoff eligible” but a five-win team hasn’t been denied entrance into the playoff field for four years and early trends are indicating there’s little chance of that happening this season either.

And now those teams at five wins can start looking at how high on the win ladder they might climb in regards to seeding.

But for all those teams out there not as fortunate, there are pivotal games all over the calendar, particularly in the 2-3 and 3-2 win groups. A win in those groups in Week 6 can put you on a clear run to a playoff berth. A loss, however, can be devastating to the cause.

Here’s a look at some of the top games in Week 6:

Brother Rice (5-0) at Mount Carmel (5-0), 7:30 Friday: CCL/ESCC Blue matchups always have a certain amount of intrigue. But based on the way Brother Rice is playing and the pedigree that Mount Carmel has shown at each and every turn, one could make the argument that this might be a game that’s pitting the two best teams in Illinois against one another.

Byron (5-0) at Durand-Pecatonica (5-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Two years ago when Rockford Christian dropped out of play in the Big Northern Conference, powerhouse Byron was left without an opponent in an odd week. Both times the Tigers have ended up not taking the forfeit win but instead scheduling an undefeated foe to take their place.

Batavia (3-2) at Geneva (3-2), 7 p.m. Friday: It seems strange to consider that the loser of this fierce rivalry game will find itself at the .500 mark, but that’s exactly the situation that has developed.

Fremd (5-0) at Hoffman Estates (5-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday: Two teams that have very quietly went about their respective business in the Mid-Suburban West conference so much so that not a lot of people are talking about either team. That could be a significant oversight.

York (4-1) at Hinsdale Central (4-1), 7:30 Friday: Yet another week of at least one high-octane matchup in the West Suburban Silver. The heat off of York has cooled off a loss to Glenbrook South to start the season, but the Dukes have won four games in a row since and now enter the rough part of their league slate which will carry through the rest of the year. For Hinsdale Central, its return to relevance could get another big boost with a win here.

Other games of note: St. Rita at Nazareth; IC Catholic at Wheaton St. Francis; Hope Academy at Wheaton Academy; Kaneland at Sycamore; Farmington at Macomb; Stark County at Annawan-Wethersfield; Bloomington at Normal Community; Nashville at Benton; Bradley-Bourbonnais at Lincoln-Way Central; Clifton Central at Westville; Brown County at Camp Point Central.