TAIAO uses a unique system to match programs based upon team size (as opposed to the size of their schools / organization). While TAPPS and UIL both set districts every two years, TAIAO effectively aligns every year to ensure teams of relative equal size are in the same divisions.
TAIAO football does this based upon the number of players on each team’s roster. In 2023, teams with 19 or more players were in Division 1, teams with 13-18 players were in Division 2 and teams with 12 and under were in Division 3.
Furthermore, TAIAO has no districts as they are not needed for playoff seeding. This allows all teams to play local and still compete in our post season play. For example, teams in El Paso are therefore not asked to travel hundreds of miles to play district games at neutral sites.
We use the MaxPreps ranking system to seed teams at the end of the season. MaxPreps favors teams who play a more competitive schedule. Thus, a team who has played all top 100 opponents and gone 5-5 will rank higher than a 10-0 team that has played all sub 100 ranked opponents.
Our rules do dictate that you must play a certain number of TAIAO teams if they happen to be within proximity of another TAIAO team. These scheduling rules are adjudicated by the Football Committee.
We have either an 8, 10 or 12 game playoff for each division and this is predetermined by week 2 when rosters have been submitted and the divisions established.
We feel strongly that our system is the most equitable from year to year through the annual division alignment and third party ranking system. Furthermore, we believe our system gives programs of varying sizes the ability to compete for titles.
If you would like to learn more about the TAIAO Football, please read our Football Plan or contact our Football Committee