Nine high schools applied to play an independent schedule for the 2026 and 2027 football seasons but five schools were denied during the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s monthly board meeting.

Playing an independent schedule means a school won’t be eligible for the playoffs since it won’t be playing a district schedule.

All of the schools approved were winless in 2025.

Enid, which had been scheduled to remain in the largest class — 6AI, was approved for an independent schedule. The Plainsmen went 0-9 last year and were outscored 462-36 in seven district games. Their closest loss was 56-14 against Norman. Enid’s largest losses were 92-0 against Bixby and 74-6 against Jenks. Enid made the playoffs as recently as 2022 and ‘23. The Plainsmen have four state titles, the most recent was in 1983.

Others approved with their 2025 records were 6AII Capitol Hill (0-10), AI Caney Valley (0-9) and AII Cordell (0-10). Caney Valley, which was outscored 304-49 in 2025, last qualified for the playoffs in 2017 although it participated in 2020 when every team was eligible due to COVID-19’s effect on scheduling.

The five schools denied were 5A Guymon (5-5), 4A John Marshall (2-8), 6AII Northwest Classen (2-9), 5A Classen SAS (0-10) and 6AII U.S. Grant (3-7).