Football · Preview · Class D3
Anselmo-Merna at Maxwell: playoff stakes for Anselmo-Merna
Anselmo-Merna (6-2) at Maxwell (3-5), Thursday, Oct. 22. Playoff picture, season stats, charts and history before the Week 9 game.
Game-day information: Kickoff reported by the Game Center: 7 p.m. Central. This article’s schedules and statistics are dated reporting, not live score updates.
Scores are NSAA finals. Points and ranks are NSAA wildcard standings, checked Oct. 21, 2026. Projections are not official seeds.
Anselmo-Merna goes into the final week of the regular season close to the playoff line, 11th in Class D3's NSAA point standings. Both play in District D3-6: Anselmo-Merna is 4-0 in district games and Maxwell is 2-2.
Thursday, Oct. 22, at Maxwell, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class D3, the seven district champions and the nine best remaining averages qualify.
Anselmo-Merna is 11th in Class D3's NSAA point standings at 42.000. It is 4-0 in District D3-6 games.
Maxwell is 28th in Class D3's NSAA point standings at 36.375. It is 2-2 in District D3-6 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Anselmo-Merna (6-2) opened with a 41-38 loss to Burwell (7-1). All two of its losses came against teams with winning records: Burwell (7-1), 41-38; Twin Loup (7-1), 45-12. Its best win by opponent record was a 70-26 win over Brady (7-1). Its most recent scored game was a 70-26 win over Brady (7-1). Its record also includes one game reported as 1-0 (forfeit or administrative result), which are left out of the scoring numbers here. The defense has two shutouts.
Maxwell is 3-5. Its season began with a 16-7 loss to Wauneta-Palisade (3-5). Its losses: Wauneta-Palisade (3-5), 16-7; at Cambridge (6-2), 39-15; at Southern Valley (5-3), 66-30; at Brady (7-1), 70-28; at Sandhills/Thedford (4-4), 48-33. Its best win by opponent record was a 62-28 win over Hyannis (3-5). Last week it had a 48-33 loss at Sandhills/Thedford (4-4).
By the numbers
| Anselmo-Merna | Maxwell | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 6-2 | 3-5 |
| Class and NSAA rank | D3, 11th (42.000) | D3, 28th (36.375) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 8 | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 50.9 | 31.6 |
| Points allowed per game | 21.7 | 39.5 |
| Average margin | +29.1 | -7.9 |
| Current streak | — | Lost 1 |
Shared opponents
These two have played four of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Anselmo-Merna | Maxwell |
|---|---|---|
| Brady | W 70-26 | L 28-70 |
| Hyannis | W 68-12 | W 62-28 |
| Mullen | W 76-28 | W 28-25 |
| Sandhills/Thedford | W 46-0 | L 33-48 |
Editorial update, Oct. 21: Program-history claims from the supplied school-history mapping are withheld pending school-identity verification. This does not change the current-season results, records or statistics above.
What to watch
- Anselmo-Merna's offense. It averages 50.9 points. Maxwell allows 39.5.
- Maxwell's offense. It averages 31.6; Anselmo-Merna allows 21.7.
- Anselmo-Merna's streak. 4 straight wins.
Game center: live score, matchup and both teams →
Game Center: Anselmo-Merna at Maxwell →
Anselmo-Merna team center → · Maxwell team center →
Nebraska football scores and schedules → · Football playoff tracker →
Result note: a 1–0 entry is shown as listed by NSAA. It is not treated as evidence of an on-field score or a confirmed forfeit.