Football · Preview · Class C1
No. 4 Pierce (9-0) opens its playoff run against No. 13 Cozad
No. 4 Pierce (9-0) hosts No. 13 Cozad (4-5) in the Class C1 first round Fri., Oct. 30. Stats, charts, players to watch, history and keys to the game.
Publication check, Oct. 28: Current NSAA seeds, records and point averages checked; kickoff and host details synchronized with the verified site schedule. Season statistics and chart reporting remain the dated Week9 draft snapshot, not a new full-season audit.
Seeds, records and point averages: NSAA's official bracket, Oct. 24, 2026. Scores: NSAA finals. Player stats: MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Coaches poll: Hurrdat Sports, Oct. 18.
Pierce is 9-0 and outscored its regular-season opponents 336-158. Cozad (4-5) gets the first shot at it in the Class C1 playoffs.
The game is Friday, Oct. 30, at 6:00 PM CT. Host: Pierce. Current Game Center and source links →
The matchup at a glance
Pierce finished 4.1111 points ahead of Cozad in NSAA's point averages. Pierce scored 37.3 and allowed 17.6 points a game; Cozad scored 22.7 and allowed 16.9. Pierce's opponents went a combined 28-53, and Cozad's went 47-34.
| Pierce | Cozad | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 4 | No. 13 |
| Record (NSAA) | 9-0 | 4-5 |
| NSAA point average | 43.3333 | 39.2222 |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 3 | Not ranked |
| Points scored / game | 37.3 | 22.7 |
| Points allowed / game | 17.6 | 16.9 |
| Average margin | +19.8 | +5.8 |
| vs. playoff teams | 2-0 | 1-5 |
| vs. winning teams | 1-0 | 1-5 |
| One-score games | 2-0 | 0-2 |
| Opponents' combined record | 28-53 | 47-34 |
| Last 3 games | W 14-7, W 47-26, W 35-0 | L 0-25, W 42-8, L 19-35 |
| Streak | Won 9 | Lost 1 |
How Pierce got here
Pierce went through the regular season 9-0 and outscored opponents 336-158. Its closest game was a 36-35 win over Columbus Lakeview (4-5). Its best win by opponent was a 14-7 win over O'Neill (6-3), a playoff team. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 2-0. It comes in on a 9-game winning streak, capped by a 35-0 win at Central City (4-5) in Week 9.
How Cozad got here
Cozad finished the regular season 4-5, scoring 204 points and allowing 152. All five losses came against teams with winning records: at Gothenburg (7-2), 14-7; at Minden (8-1), 14-9; at Roncalli Catholic (7-2), 49-27; at Chadron (8-1), 25-0; at Sidney (9-0), 35-19. Its best win by opponent was a 20-0 win over Alliance (5-4), a playoff team. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 1-5. In Week 9 it had a 35-19 loss at Sidney (9-0). The defense posted two shutouts.
By the numbers
Players to watch
Season totals from MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Not every game has a report, so treat these as minimums.
Pierce
- B. Scholting (QB): 987 passing yards, 64 of 107, 9 TD, 4 INT; also 404 rushing yards
- K. Jones: 916 rushing yards (8.3 per carry), 12 TD
- E. Nordby: 20 catches, 317 yards, 4 TD
- C. Deboer: 65 tackles, 5 for loss
- L. Prince: 4 sacks
- G. Lubischer: 4 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 8 of its 9 games.
Cozad
- E. Atchison (QB): 1,097 passing yards, 92 of 167, 14 TD, 5 INT; also 702 rushing yards
- A. Osborn: 600 rushing yards (4.8 per carry), 3 TD
- O. Ramirez: 29 catches, 411 yards, 4 TD
- B. Barber: 55 tackles, 9 for loss
MaxPreps game reports cover 9 of its 9 games.
Historical program and playoff-series claims are withheld pending school-identity verification. Current-season reporting above is unaffected.
Keys to the game
- Can Cozad slow Pierce's offense? Pierce averaged 37.3 points; Cozad allowed 16.9. Pierce scored 30 or more in 7 of 9 games.
- Cozad's answer. It scored 22.7 a game, and Pierce's defense allowed 17.6. In its losses, though, Cozad averaged 12.4.
- Tested against playoff teams. Pierce went 2-0 against this year's playoff field; Cozad went 1-5.
- If it's close late. In one-score games (8 points or fewer), Pierce was 2-0 and Cozad was 0-2.
- B. Scholting and the ball. Pierce's quarterback threw 4 interceptions in 107 reported attempts.
- Stopping K. Jones. Pierce's top rusher has 916 reported yards and 12 touchdowns. Cozad allowed 16.9 points a game.
What's next
The winner plays the winner of No. 5 Syracuse vs. No. 12 O'Neill in the quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 6. Higher seeds host through the semifinals. The Class C1 state final is Tue., Nov. 24, 2:45 p.m., Memorial Stadium, Lincoln.
Game center: kickoff, live score and bracket path → · Full Class C1 bracket →
Verified state finals schedule → · Class bracket →
Pierce team center → · Cozad 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.