Football · Preview · Class D1
Exeter-Milligan-Friend at Centennial: what to know before the regular-season finale
Exeter-Milligan-Friend (7-1) at Centennial (4-4), 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 Exeter-Milligan-Friend (7-1) and Centennial (4-4). Both play in District D1-2: Exeter-Milligan-Friend is 4-0 in district games and Centennial is 2-2.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Centennial, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class D1, the seven district champions and the nine best remaining averages qualify.
Exeter-Milligan-Friend is 8th in Class D1's NSAA point standings at 42.625. It is 4-0 in District D1-2 games.
Centennial is 25th in Class D1's NSAA point standings at 37.000. It is 2-2 in District D1-2 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Exeter-Milligan-Friend (7-1) opened with a 62-0 win over Fairbury (0-8). Its only loss came against a team with a winning record: at Johnson-Brock (8-0), 32-28. Its best win by opponent record was a 20-12 win at Sutton (6-2). It comes in on a 5-game winning streak, most recently a 48-6 win over Freeman (3-5). The defense has two shutouts.
Centennial is 4-4. Its season began with a 40-36 loss at Tri County (6-2). Its losses: at Tri County (6-2), 40-36; Hastings St. Cecilia (2-6), 40-8; Elmwood-Murdock (5-3), 42-12. Its best win by opponent record was a 22-6 win over Conestoga (4-4). Its most recent scored game was a 28-22 win at Freeman (3-5). Note: NSAA lists Centennial at 4-4; at least one result NSAA posted this week isn't in our game data yet, so the game-by-game numbers below cover 7 games.
By the numbers
| Exeter-Milligan-Friend | Centennial | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 7-1 | 4-4 |
| Class and NSAA rank | D1, 8th (42.625) | D1, 25th (37.000) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 6 | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 48.0 | 29.7 |
| Points allowed per game | 12.6 | 27.0 |
| Average margin | +35.4 | +2.7 |
| Current streak | Won 5 | — |
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 | Exeter-Milligan-Friend | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Conestoga | W 42-22 | W 22-6 |
| Elmwood-Murdock | W 48-16 | L 12-42 |
| Fairbury | W 62-0 | W 50-20 |
| Freeman | W 48-6 | W 28-22 |
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
- Exeter-Milligan-Friend's offense. It averages 48.0 points. Centennial allows 27.0.
- Centennial's offense. It averages 29.7; Exeter-Milligan-Friend allows 12.6.
- Exeter-Milligan-Friend's defense. It allows 12.6 points a game.
- Exeter-Milligan-Friend's streak. 5 straight wins.
Game center: live score, matchup and both teams →
Game Center: Exeter-Milligan-Friend at Centennial →
Exeter-Milligan-Friend team center → · Centennial team center →
Nebraska football scores and schedules → · Football playoff tracker →