The Indiana High School Athletic Association football tournament was born in 1973, with four schools in each of three classes qualifying for post-season play based on regular-season records. The tournament format was expanded several times in the first 10 years, with a fourth class added in 1983 and a fifth class in 1985. It allows for every member school to enter the tournament regardless of its regular-season record, just as in all other IHSAA sports. In 2013, a sixth class was added with the largest 32 schools in 6A, the next 32 largest in 5A, and the remaining schools divided evenly among the other four classes.