Football · Preview · Class C1
Cozad at Sidney: playoff stakes for Cozad
Cozad (4-4) at Sidney (8-0), Friday, Oct. 23. Playoff picture, season stats, charts and history before the Week 9 game.
Game-day information: Kickoff not independently confirmed for this publication. Check the Game Center for current start-time information. 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.
For Cozad, Week 9 is about the playoff line. It sits 13th in Class C1's NSAA point standings, and this is its last chance to move. Both play in District C1-6: Cozad is 2-1 in district games and Sidney is 3-0.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Sidney. Kickoff time has not been posted on our schedule yet.
The playoff picture
In Class C1, the six district champions and the 10 best remaining averages qualify.
Cozad is 13th in Class C1's NSAA point standings at 38.875. It is 2-1 in District C1-6 games.
Sidney is 1st in Class C1's NSAA point standings at 43.875. It is 3-0 in District C1-6 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Cozad (4-4) opened with a 14-7 loss at Gothenburg (7-1). All four of its losses came against teams with winning records: at Gothenburg (7-1), 14-7; at Minden (7-1), 14-9; at Omaha Roncalli Catholic (7-1), 49-27; at Chadron (7-1), 25-0. Its best win by opponent record was a 20-0 win over Alliance (4-4). Last week it had a 42-8 win over Ogallala (0-8). The defense has two shutouts.
Sidney (8-0) opened with a 29-6 win at Broken Bow (2-6). It hasn't lost. Its closest game was a 7-6 win at Chadron (7-1). It comes in on an 8-game winning streak, most recently a 20-8 win at Alliance (4-4). The defense has four shutouts.
By the numbers
| Cozad | Sidney | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-4 | 8-0 |
| Class and NSAA rank | C1, 13th (38.875) | C1, 1st (43.875) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | Not ranked | No. 2 |
| Points scored per game | 23.1 | 29.1 |
| Points allowed per game | 14.6 | 3.4 |
| Average margin | +8.5 | +25.8 |
| Current streak | Won 1 | Won 8 |
Shared opponents
These two have played five of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Cozad | Sidney |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance | W 20-0 | W 20-8 |
| Broken Bow | W 35-0 | W 29-6 |
| Chadron | L 0-25 | W 7-6 |
| Kearney Catholic | W 45-7 | W 42-0 |
| Ogallala | W 42-8 | W 24-0 |
Players to know
Among the leaders in MaxPreps game reports through Week 8: Sidney's Rhys Dorcey (1,114 rushing yards in 7 reported games). Reports aren't complete for every game, so treat these as minimums.
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
- Sidney's offense. It averages 29.1 points. Cozad allows 14.6.
- Cozad's offense. It averages 23.1; Sidney allows 3.4.
- Sidney's defense. It allows 3.4 points a game.
- Sidney's streak. 8 straight wins.
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