Elkhorn South at Lincoln Southwest preview: what's at stake in Week 8

No. 6 Elkhorn South (4-3) travels to Lincoln Southwest (5-2) on Thursday in a Week 8 Class A Nebraska high school football game with a ranked Elkhorn South team trying to protect its spot in the Hurrdat Sports coaches poll and wildcard points that both teams need to stay in the projected playoff field on the line. Records are from NSAA's wildcard standings, pulled Oct. 12 at 10:42 p.m. This one matters because Lincoln Southwest gets a shot at a ranked opponent.

Elkhorn South sits No. 6 in Class A in the latest Hurrdat Sports coaches poll (2026-10-11). Elkhorn South is 4-3 in NSAA results. In its last three games with a final in our synced scores, newest first, Elkhorn South beat Creighton Prep 28-21, lost to Millard North 14-13 and beat Fremont 45-7. Across its 7 games with verified finals, Elkhorn South averages 26.1 points and allows 20.4.

Lincoln Southwest is 5-2 in NSAA results. In its last three games with a final in our synced scores, newest first, Lincoln Southwest beat Lincoln East 27-7, beat Lincoln High 55-0 and lost to Millard North 42-2. Across its 7 games with verified finals, Lincoln Southwest averages 30.7 points and allows 17.7.

What's at stake

Elkhorn South carries a 40.5714 NSAA wildcard points average, 13th of 36 teams in Class A, which projects inside the top 16 that make the playoff field (projection, not official). Lincoln Southwest carries a 40.8571 NSAA wildcard points average, tied at No. 11 of 36 teams in Class A, also inside the projected top 16 that make the playoff field. Wildcard points decide who qualifies and how the field is seeded; see the Nebraska high school football wildcard standings and the playoff format.

Matchup to watch

The matchup to watch is Lincoln Southwest's defense, which has allowed 17.7 points per game, against an Elkhorn South offense that scores 26.1. Both have played Fremont: Elkhorn South beat Fremont 45-7, and Lincoln Southwest beat Fremont 43-0. Both have played Kearney: Elkhorn South beat Kearney 38-14, and Lincoln Southwest lost to Kearney 38-23. Both have played Millard North: Elkhorn South lost to Millard North 14-13, and Lincoln Southwest lost to Millard North 42-2.

Our pick

Our NEB Preps Power Index favors Lincoln Southwest, giving it a 63% chance to win (66.7 to 60 on the index, with a small home-field edge for Lincoln Southwest). This is NEB Preps' own computer pick from verified finals, not a poll or a betting line.