The Minnesota Top 20, the Star Tribune’s statewide, class-crossing football rankings: Postseason edition

It’s getting real now.

The regular season is over, and the games ahead are carrying a lot more weight.

It’s high school football playoff time — win or go home.

Kudos to the Minnesota State High School league (MSHSL), which conducts its postseason in a manner that ensures every team gets a shot in the playoffs.

In some states, standards must be met to qualify for postseason play. Not in Minnesota. In all sports, every team or individual qualifies for play after the regular season. The MSHSL has long prided itself in the fact that all competitors have life after the regular season. That, the league says, is the wish of its member schools.

Of course, not all postseason opportunities are the same. Competitors are seeded and ranked. Often, realistic chances for bottom seeds are slim, obviously, but upsets do happen.

The first round of playoffs, which took place Tuesday, are often found lacking as top teams either gain first-round byes or get awarded lopsided matchups.

This weekend’s games will be far more compelling, but next weekend — section finals weekend — is when the competition really heats up as team vie for state tournament berths.

(Teams are 6A unless noted)

1. Maple Grove (8-0)

Previous: 1. Proved to be the state’s best team all season.

2. Lakeville North (7-1)

Previous: 2. Panthers know how to close out games; four victories by 4 points or fewer.

3. Shakopee (7-1)

Previous: 6. The Sabers might be one-dimensional, but that dimension wins football games: Physicality.

4. Moorhead (5A, 8-0)

Previous: 4. QB Jett Feeney (2,576 yard passing, 41 TDs) is far and away the leading passer in the state

5. Minnetonka (6-2)

Previous: 3. Name to watch — WR Vinny May. A playmaker who adds a new dimension to the Skippers’ run-heavy attack.

6. Owatonna (5A, 8-0)

Previous: 7. If you haven’t heard of WR Nolan Ginske, it’s about time you found out. Slot receiver makes the Huskies go.

7. Robbinsdale Armstrong (5A, 8-0)

Previous: 8. RB Kevon Johnson is the most valuable running back in the state.

8. Elk River (5A, 7-1)

Previous: 10. The formula for beating the Elks is hoping they make mistakes.

9. Edina (6-2)

Previous: 13. While talk always leans to Meyer Swinney, Mason West and the offense, the Hornets defense is pretty dang good.

10. Becker (4A, 8-0)

Previous: 11 The Bulldogs are clearly the most complete team in Class 4A. They could hold their own in the bigger classes.

11. Eden Prairie (5-3)

Previous: 12. The team no one in Class 6A wants to see in their bracket.

12. Mounds View (6-2)

Previous: 16. The Mustangs quietly picked up one of the top seeds in the Class 6A playoffs.

13. Forest Lake (6-2)

Previous: 14. The rough-and-ready Rangers remind me of Centennial a year ago: Physical, no-nonsense and won’t back down.

14. Totino-Grace (4A, 8-0)

Previous: 15. The Eagles’ athletic defense appears to be the greatest challenge to Becker’s dominance in 4A.

15. Two Rivers (5A, 8-0)

Previous: 17. The Warriors crushed a soft schedule. Now comes the real test.

16. Stewartville (3A, 9-0)

Previous: unranked. The Tigers have given up just 25 points – four total touchdowns. Class 3A, perhaps, but they likely belong higher.

17. Alexandria (5A, 6-2)

Previous: 5. A two-game skid against the best 5A has to offer should toughen the Cards for the postseason.

18. Robbinsdale Cooper (5A, 7-1)

Previous: 20. Go see the Hawks to watch future Gophers standout defender Emmanuel Karmo.

19. Andover (5A, 6-2)

Previous: 9. Save for a two-touchdown collapse in the final 1:10 of Game 1 and a one-point loss in 2OTs, could be undefeated.

20. Lakeville South (5-3)

Previous: unranked. On a four-game win streak, the Cougars could do some serious damage in the playoffs.

Also deserving consideration: Princeton (4A), Eagan (6A), Anoka (6A), Bemidji (5A).