Football · Preview · Class D2
Creighton at Niobrara-Verdigre: Week 9 preview
Creighton (6-2) at Niobrara-Verdigre (2-6), Friday, Oct. 23. 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.
The regular season ends Friday for Creighton (6-2) and Niobrara-Verdigre (2-6). Both play in District D2-3: Creighton is 4-0 in district games and Niobrara-Verdigre is 1-3.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Niobrara-Verdigre, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class D2, the six district champions and the 10 best remaining averages qualify.
Creighton is 9th in Class D2's NSAA point standings at 41.125. It is 4-0 in District D2-3 games.
Niobrara-Verdigre is 30th in Class D2's NSAA point standings at 34.250. It is 1-3 in District D2-3 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Creighton is 6-2. Its season began with a 36-24 loss at Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (7-1). All two of its losses came against teams with winning records: at Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (7-1), 36-24; Elkhorn Valley (5-3), 44-6. Its best win by opponent record was a 60-44 win at Neligh-Oakdale (6-2). It comes in on a 5-game winning streak, most recently a 58-6 win over Madison (0-8).
Niobrara-Verdigre is 2-6. Its season began with a 46-8 loss at St. Mary's (4-4). Its losses: at St. Mary's (4-4), 46-8; Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (7-1), 56-14; Boyd County (5-3), 46-6; at Ainsworth (2-6), 33-18; Neligh-Oakdale (6-2), 70-20; at Bloomfield (3-5), 28-8. Its best win by opponent record was a 42-30 win at Tri County Northeast (TCNE) (4-4). Last week it had a 28-8 loss at Bloomfield (3-5).
By the numbers
| Creighton | Niobrara-Verdigre | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 6-2 | 2-6 |
| Class and NSAA rank | D2, 9th (41.125) | D2, 30th (34.250) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 10 | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 42.2 | 21.8 |
| Points allowed per game | 19.4 | 41.1 |
| Average margin | +22.9 | -19.4 |
| Current streak | Won 5 | Lost 1 |
Shared opponents
These two have played six of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Creighton | Niobrara-Verdigre |
|---|---|---|
| Ainsworth | W 64-7 | L 18-33 |
| Bloomfield | W 20-6 | L 8-28 |
| Laurel-Concord-Coleridge | L 24-36 | L 14-56 |
| Madison | W 58-6 | W 58-20 |
| Neligh-Oakdale | W 60-44 | L 20-70 |
| Tri County Northeast (TCNE) | W 44-6 | W 42-30 |
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
- Creighton's offense. It averages 42.2 points. Niobrara-Verdigre allows 41.1.
- Niobrara-Verdigre's offense. It averages 21.8; Creighton allows 19.4.
- Creighton's streak. 5 straight wins.
Game center: live score, matchup and both teams →
Game Center: Creighton at Niobrara-Verdigre →
Creighton team center → · Niobrara-Verdigre team center →
Nebraska football scores and schedules → · Football playoff tracker →