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Class B bubble watch: Blair-Crete is win or go home, and the last wild card could go to a 1-7 team
The Class B teams on the wild-card line, the B-4 title game and the results that open a spot.
Class B's bubble isn't about who's good. It's about who's left. Sixteen teams make it: the top three in B-1, B-2 and B-3, the B-4 champion and six wild cards. Five teams that would otherwise be chasing wild cards have already clinched one way or another, so at least one spot is going to a 2-6 or 1-7 team.
That last spot sits at 34.375 points, a three-way tie among Gering, Hastings and Plattsmouth. Lincoln Pius X (2-6, 34.625) is barely above them.
Data as of 7:59 a.m. CT Wednesday, Oct. 21, from NSAA's wildcard page. Points haven't changed since the Oct. 19 update. Ranges below run every Week 9 result through NSAA's point formula. They're NEB Preps projections, not official.
Class B bubble board
NSAA points · 7:59 a.m. CT Wednesday, Oct. 21 (NSAA wildcard page; points unchanged since the Oct. 19 9:04 a.m. update). Projection—not official seeds.
Current last at-large average: 34.375 · Hastings. Dashed marks compare current averages, not guaranteed qualification. District berths and tiebreakers still apply.
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Open a school for its remaining game and reviewed scenario. Each what-if fixes only one game; all other results can vary. Ranges are not rankings or clinch probabilities. Ties remain ties.
Blair7-1 · Bubble41.875 ptsClinches with a win over Crete. Out with a loss to Crete.
2026-10-23 · vs. Crete (4-4). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 42.111–42.444. With a loss: 40.889–41.222.
Ralston4-4 · In38.750 ptsBerth already clinched; Week 9 decides seeding.
2026-10-22 · at Omaha Gross Catholic (1-7). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 39.000–39.667. With a loss: 37.444–38.111.
Qualification evidence: wildcard math: lowest possible final average 37.4444; only 4 other wildcard-eligible teams can reach that (Aurora, Norris, York, McCook) and there are 6 wildcard spots
Norris3-5 · In37.875 ptsBerth already clinched; Week 9 decides seeding.
2026-10-23 · at York (4-4). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 38.556–39.222. With a loss: 37.333–38.000.
Qualification evidence: wildcard math: lowest possible final average 37.3333; only 5 other wildcard-eligible teams can reach that (Aurora, Ralston, York, McCook, Lincoln Pius X) and there are 6 wildcard spots
Crete4-4 · Bubble37.250 ptsClinches with a win over Blair. Out with a loss to Blair.
2026-10-23 · at Blair (7-1). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 38.667–40.333. With a loss: 37.111–38.778.
McCook4-4 · In37.000 ptsBerth already clinched; Week 9 decides seeding.
2026-10-23 · at Aurora (7-1). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 38.444–39.778. With a loss: 36.889–38.222.
Qualification evidence: wildcard math: lowest possible final average 36.8889; only 5 other wildcard-eligible teams can reach that (Aurora, Ralston, Norris, York, Lincoln Pius X) and there are 6 wildcard spots
Lincoln Pius X2-6 · Bubble34.625 ptsClinches with a win if Aurora beats McCook or York beats Norris.
2026-10-23 · at Gretna (8-0). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 36.333–37.333. With a loss: 34.778–35.778.
Gering1-7 · Bubble34.375 ptsA win alone doesn't lock up a spot; it would finish at 35.1111-36.4444 with a win.
2026-10-23 · vs. Hastings (1-7). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 35.111–36.444. With a loss: 33.556–34.889.
Hastings1-7 · Bubble34.375 ptsA win alone doesn't lock up a spot; it would finish at 35.1111-36.1111 with a win.
2026-10-23 · at Gering (1-7). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 35.111–36.111. With a loss: 33.556–34.556.
Plattsmouth1-7 · Bubble34.375 ptsA win alone doesn't lock up a spot; it would finish at 35.4444-35.7778 with a win.
2026-10-23 · vs. Elkhorn (3-5). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 35.444–35.778. With a loss: 33.889–34.222.
Omaha Gross Catholic1-7 · Bubble34.000 ptsA win alone doesn't lock up a spot; it would finish at 35.1111-36.1111 with a win.
2026-10-22 · vs. Ralston (4-4). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 35.111–36.111. With a loss: 33.889–34.889.
Seward1-7 · Bubble34.000 ptsA win alone doesn't lock up a spot; it would finish at 35.4444-36.7778 with a win.
2026-10-23 · at Waverly (6-2). Kickoff not confirmed in this snapshot.
Final-average range with a win: 35.444–36.778. With a loss: 34.222–35.556.
View the three-column points table
| Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Blair | 7-1 | 41.875 |
| Ralston | 4-4 | 38.750 |
| Norris | 3-5 | 37.875 |
| Crete | 4-4 | 37.250 |
| McCook | 4-4 | 37.000 |
| Lincoln Pius X | 2-6 | 34.625 |
| Gering | 1-7 | 34.375 |
| Hastings | 1-7 | 34.375 |
| Plattsmouth | 1-7 | 34.375 |
| Omaha Gross Catholic | 1-7 | 34.000 |
| Seward | 1-7 | 34.000 |
B-4: winner in, loser out
Crete (4-4, 37.250) at Blair (7-1, 41.875) on Friday is the simplest game in Class B. Both teams are 3-0 in B-4. The winner takes the title and the only playoff spot B-4 gets, and the loser is out. B-4 teams can't take wild cards (NSAA manual, p. 48), so Blair's 41.875 doesn't help it if it loses.
The last wild card
Lincoln Pius X (2-6, 34.625) has the clearest path, and it's a tough one: win at unbeaten Gretna (45.125). A win would finish Pius X at 36.333 to 37.333. It clinches with that win if Aurora beats McCook or York beats Norris.
Here's why those games matter. If Aurora beats McCook, Aurora locks up a top-three spot in B-3. If York beats Norris, York locks up a top-three spot in B-2. Either way, a team leaves the wild-card pool, and that opens a seat.
Gering vs. Hastings on Friday is a straight bubble game. Both are 1-7 with 34.375 points. The winner finishes at 35.111 to 36.444 (Gering) or 35.111 to 36.111 (Hastings), and the loser drops to about 33.6 to 34.9.
Plattsmouth (1-7, 34.375) hosts Elkhorn and can get to 35.444 to 35.778 with a win. Omaha Gross Catholic (1-7, 34.000) hosts Ralston on Thursday, and a win gets it to 35.111 to 36.111. Seward (1-7, 34.000) visits Waverly and could reach 35.444 to 36.778, the top of anyone in this group. None of these teams can clinch with a win alone.
Already safe
Ralston (38.750), Norris (37.875), York (37.375) and McCook (37.000) have all clinched, whatever happens in Week 9. Norris-York decides which one finishes in the B-2 top three, and Aurora-McCook does the same in B-3.
How the math works
A win is worth 50, 47, 44 or 41 points depending on the opponent's division, and a loss is worth 36, 33, 30 or 27. Take Ralston: 38.750 over eight games is 310 points. Beat Gross Catholic and Gross Catholic is 1-8, still Division 4, so the win is worth 41, and 351 divided by 9 is 39.000. A loss would also be against a Division 4 team, worth 27, and 337 divided by 9 is 37.444. Ralston's range runs higher because of its earlier opponents' Week 9 results.
District races and the projected bracket are in the Class B playoff outlook.
Sources
Blair team center → · Ralston team center → · Norris team center → · Crete team center → · McCook team center → · Lincoln Pius X team center → · Gering team center → · Hastings team center → · Plattsmouth team center → · Omaha Gross Catholic team center → · Seward team center →
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