State Title Game Competitiveness

[OldSchoolLion]

Over the past 40 years, what percentage of state title games have been decided by 10 points or less?

 

[Perspective]

I'll go with 25%. 

[HornetFan]

No idea, but I would guess a higher percentage of championship games played in the top few classes were decided by closer scores. I think it would be easier for a real good small school to dominate it's opponents.

[OldSchoolLion]

The answer is 39%.  Below is a breakdown of the same by decade.  It seems that the number of close title games has decreased over the past 10 years.   Over the past 40 years, there has always been at least one title game decided by 10 points or less each year.  

2015 was arguably one of the worst years ever in terms of competitiveness, with only one of 8 games decided by less than 19 points.  

2010's   33%

2000's   44%

1990's   43%

1980's   38%

One of the most competitive ever?  1997 was pretty good, with 4/5 games decided by 8 points or less.  I liked it when we had 5 or 6 classes.  8 just seems to spread things too thin.

 

 

[Perspective]

Well, I didn't know you were going back to the leather-helmet days.     (By the way, I still have mine).