None entirely and most all some

 

This!

All above can apply. If teams improve over the weeks and get better as the season goes then I can see teams moving up. I also like to go by if a team does lose then how bad did they lose. Was they competitive the whole game.

I also like to go by how you play away from home. Fairview is 2-2 with 2 home wins and 2 road losses. Hazard had 3 home wins and 1 road loss.

Hazard needs to prove then can win away from home just like Fairview does.

I know college and high school are different in some ways, but a great example would be that "Undefeated" Notre Dame team that got embarrassed in the championship against Alabama because of strength of schedule, and we see this happen a lot in the earlier parts of HS playoffs too. Teams with great records play against teams with a tough regular season and get beat because they are taken aback by the caliber of their opponent and don't know how to combat it.

I would believe it would have to be a combination of things. I also believe that there are teams that have much better "match ups" with teams that are ranked higher and could definitely beat them.

I think all of those go into the equation, none being any bigger than the other. I think I would also throw in the "eye test". Some teams play a brutal schedule, and have a losing record right now but you know when they get into districts they will be fine because you see how good the team is against level competition.

I know college and high school are different in some ways, but a great example would be that "Undefeated" Notre Dame team that got embarrassed in the championship against Alabama because of strength of schedule, and we see this happen a lot in the earlier parts of HS playoffs too. Teams with great records play against teams with a tough regular season and get beat because they are taken aback by the caliber of their opponent and don't know how to combat it.

 

A High School example would be last year's Dixie Heights team vs Trinity. The first was 9-1 in regular season compared to the second's 5-5.