Week 9 is sure to alter the projected playoff field against the one announced on Saturday evening.

But there are things that we already know.

155 teams have reached six wins already and have effectively clinched spots in the playoffs.

Two six-win teams, Kennedy and CICS-Longwood, are participating in essentially a pre-playoff game as whoever wins the game becomes playoff eligible while the loser of the contest will not be playoff eligible regardless of the team’s record.

Another one of those CPL pre-playoff games will be held between Chicago Marshall and Chicago UIC-Prep on Friday evening. This is also a winner in, loser out situation. Chicago Marshall can only get to the five-win group by winning this game, while UIC-Prep (5-3) wouldn’t be playoff eligible despite its win total by rule of the Chicago Public League.

There are currently 224 teams that have won at least five games. However, all of them are not eligible. Some cannot get eligibility regardless of what happens in Week 9, and those two-pre-playoff games will account for two teams in and two teams out of that list.

But two other schools, Collins and Noble-Comer, already have five victories but cannot obtain playoff eligibility as their conferences require their teams to either win their division title or win a runner-up crossover division playoff game. Neither of those teams finished either first or second in their divisions.

This also shapes the fate of both Orr and Schurz, both currently 4-4. If they win to get to the five-win group they still don’t qualify for a playoff spot as they didn’t finish first or second in their division.

After considering that the Longwood/Kennedy winner plus the Marshall/UIC Prep winners will each be winner in, loser out scenarios that will leave 221 teams in the five-win playoff eligible group.

Then there is one 4-4 game pairing East Peoria and Pekin, the winner joins the 5-win group to make it 222 teams in that group.

Finally, East Moline United will be awarded a forfeit victory over Alleman in Week 9, leaving 223 teams guaranteed to be in the 5-win group, with 33 more five win teams needed to be added to the field to reach a field entirely of 5-win or better qualifying.

There are 57 playoff eligible teams entering Week 9 with four victories. (Orr and Schurz have four wins but are not playoff eligible regardless of outcome in Week 9).

Of those 57 teams, 2 are playing each other (East Peoria/Pekin), 25 of those teams are playing teams with above .500 records and 32 of them are playing teams with records below the .500 mark.

Follow along as this weekend’s results shape and then reshape the field of 256 teams that qualify for the IHSA playoffs.

Thursday night games of impact

• 4-4 Rockford Jefferson is playing 1-7 Rockford Auburn, a win for Jefferson would move them to the 5-win group and assure Jefferson’s first playoff bid since 1993.

• Noble-Bulls Prep (4-4) can reach the five-win group with a win over Brooks (2-6).

• Dyett (4-4) is the first team with the opportunity to pull off an upset against a team with a better record, Corliss (6-2), a loss by Dyett would eliminate them from playoff consideration.

• Lincoln-Way East (7-1) and Sandburg (6-2) are both in the Class 8A playoff field, but a Sandburg win would shuffle seeds in the middle of the 8A draw.