It's likely too early to start looking on a map for Nyssa, Oregon.

(Hint: It's on the Idaho border.)

But it's never too early to speculate who the Siuslaw Vikings might meet in the OSAA 3A football playoffs.

The 3A bracket will have 16 teams (of 26 total in the classification), six from Special District 1, six from Special District 2, 2 from Special District 3 and 2 at-large.

The magic number is 17. As in No. 1 hosts No. 16 (1 + 16 = 17), No. 2 hosts No. 15 (2 + 15 = 17), No. 3 hosts No. 14 (3 + 14 = 17), etc.

Siuslaw currently is a solid No. 3, with a bullet. But the Vikings have no easy road to keep or improve on that ranking, with a game at No. 13 Santiam Christian on Friday and a regular-season-ending game Friday, Oct. 29, at No. 5 Junction City.

Sitting at No. 14 entering this week's action is Nyssa/Harper Charter, 2-4 overall and second place in Special District 3 at 2-2.

Siuslaw would be the home team if that happens.

No small blessing, since Google places Florence and Nyssa more than 350 miles and eight hours of driving time apart, one way.

These are the current top contenders for the 16 playoff berths (rankings freeze Saturday night, Oct. 30):

Special District 1 (6 teams)

• No. 2 Rainier
• No. 4 Warrenton
• No. 9 Dayton
• No. 10 Amity
• No. 11 Philomath
• No. 17 Yamhill-Carlton

Special District 2 (6 teams)

• No. 1 South Umpqua
• No. 3 Siuslaw
• No. 5 Junction City
• No. 6 Sutherlin
• No. 7 La Pine
• No. 12 Cascade Christian

Special District 3 (2 teams)

• No. 8 Vale
• No. 14 Nyssa/Harper Charter

At large (next 2 teams in rankings)

• No. 13 Santiam Christian
• No. 15 Blanchet Catholic

On the bubble:

• No. 16 Burns

Pairings based on current OSAA computer rankings:

(16 seed) Yamhill-Carlton at South Umpqua (1)
(15) Blanchet Catholic at Rainier (2)
(14) Nyssa/Harper Charter at Siuslaw (3)
(13) Santiam Christian at Warrenton (4)
(12) Cascade Christian at Junction City (5)
(11) Philomath at Sutherlin (6)
(10) Amity at La Pine (7)
(9) Dayton at Vale (8)

In the unlikely event Siuslaw loses its final two games, the Vikings are all but a lock to host a first-round game Nov. 5 or 6.

Should Siuslaw sweep its final two games, it also would be a lock to host a quarterfinal game Nov. 12 or 13, should the Vikings advance.

Sites for semifinals and finals have yet to be announced.

For now, we now have visions of Nyssa, rushing onto Hans Petersen Memorial Field in a little more than two weeks, looking at a long drive home to lick its wounds.