Football · Wildcard Watch · All Classes
Nebraska high school football playoff brackets (Week 9 Final): All 8 classes from Saturday's official NSAA points
With all 139 Week 9 Nebraska high school football games final on NSAA, here are the complete 16-team Round 1 playoff brackets, seedings, tiebreakers, and bubble cut lines across Classes A, B, C1, C2, D1, D2, D3 and D6.
Official bracket update: NSAA seeds and point averages were checked Oct. 24. The reporting below retains its original source snapshot; use the current bracket for the latest field and points.
Current playoff bracket → · Playoff scores →
Round 1 game centers mentioned in this story (64)
- Class A: No. 1 Omaha Westside vs. No. 16 Columbus →
- Class A: No. 8 Papillion-La Vista vs. No. 9 Lincoln Northeast →
- Class A: No. 5 Elkhorn South vs. No. 12 Elkhorn North →
- Class A: No. 4 Bennington vs. No. 13 Lincoln Southwest →
- Class A: No. 3 Millard North vs. No. 14 Creighton Preparatory School →
- Class A: No. 6 Omaha North vs. No. 11 Kearney →
- Class A: No. 7 Papillion-La Vista South vs. No. 10 Millard West →
- Class A: No. 2 Millard South vs. No. 15 Lincoln Standing Bear →
- Class B: No. 1 Gretna vs. No. 16 Lincoln Pius X →
- Class B: No. 8 Northwest vs. No. 9 Norris →
- Class B: No. 5 Omaha Skutt Catholic vs. No. 12 Ralston →
- Class B: No. 4 Aurora vs. No. 13 York →
- Class B: No. 3 Scottsbluff vs. No. 14 Omaha Gross Catholic →
- Class B: No. 6 Blair vs. No. 11 McCook →
- Class B: No. 7 Waverly vs. No. 10 Elkhorn →
- Class B: No. 2 Gretna East vs. No. 15 Hastings →
- Class C1: No. 1 Sidney vs. No. 16 Central City →
- Class C1: No. 8 Wahoo vs. No. 9 Adams Central →
- Class C1: No. 5 Syracuse vs. No. 12 ONeill →
- Class C1: No. 4 Pierce vs. No. 13 Cozad →
- Class C1: No. 3 Chadron vs. No. 14 Auburn →
- Class C1: No. 6 Ashland-Greenwood vs. No. 11 Omaha Roncalli Catholic →
- Class C1: No. 7 Lincoln Christian vs. No. 10 Minden →
- Class C1: No. 2 Boys Town vs. No. 15 Alliance →
- Class C2: No. 1 Grand Island Central Catholic vs. No. 16 Hershey →
- Class C2: No. 8 Malcolm vs. No. 9 Bishop Neumann →
- Class C2: No. 5 Yutan vs. No. 12 Wilber-Clatonia →
- Class C2: No. 4 Ord vs. No. 13 Fillmore Central →
- Class C2: No. 3 Cedar Catholic vs. No. 14 Lincoln Lutheran →
- Class C2: No. 6 Boone Central vs. No. 11 Mitchell →
- Class C2: No. 7 Gothenburg vs. No. 10 Scotus Central Catholic →
- Class C2: No. 2 Bergan Catholic vs. No. 15 West Point-Beemer →
- Class D1: No. 1 Johnson-Brock vs. No. 16 Amherst →
- Class D1: No. 8 Exeter-Milligan-Friend vs. No. 9 Elmwood-Murdock →
- Class D1: No. 5 Crofton vs. No. 12 Cross County →
- Class D1: No. 4 Ravenna vs. No. 13 Elkhorn Valley →
- Class D1: No. 3 Stanton vs. No. 14 Alma →
- Class D1: No. 6 Hartington-Newcastle vs. No. 11 Centura →
- Class D1: No. 7 Sutton vs. No. 10 Wisner-Pilger →
- Class D1: No. 2 Sandy Creek vs. No. 15 Ponca →
- Class D2: No. 1 Shelby-Rising City vs. No. 16 Fullerton →
- Class D2: No. 8 Hemingford vs. No. 9 Aquinas Catholic →
- Class D2: No. 5 Lourdes Central Catholic vs. No. 12 Hitchcock County →
- Class D2: No. 4 Loomis vs. No. 13 Neligh-Oakdale →
- Class D2: No. 3 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge vs. No. 14 BDS →
- Class D2: No. 6 Creighton vs. No. 11 Wilcox-Hildreth →
- Class D2: No. 7 Howells-Dodge vs. No. 10 East Butler →
- Class D2: No. 2 North Platte St. Patrick's vs. No. 15 Bertrand →
- Class D3: No. 1 Lawrence-Nelson vs. No. 16 St. Mary's →
- Class D3: No. 8 Burwell vs. No. 9 Wynot →
- Class D3: No. 5 Wausa vs. No. 12 Anselmo-Merna →
- Class D3: No. 4 Pleasanton vs. No. 13 Guardian Angels Central Catholic →
- Class D3: No. 3 Archangels Catholic vs. No. 14 Cambridge →
- Class D3: No. 6 Dundy County Stratton vs. No. 11 Brady →
- Class D3: No. 7 Twin Loup vs. No. 10 Deshler →
- Class D3: No. 2 Central Valley vs. No. 15 Falls City Sacred Heart →
- Class D6: No. 1 Stuart vs. No. 16 Crawford →
- Class D6: No. 8 Riverside vs. No. 9 Leyton →
- Class D6: No. 5 Red Cloud vs. No. 12 Hay Springs →
- Class D6: No. 4 Diller-Odell vs. No. 13 Sterling →
- Class D6: No. 3 Garden County vs. No. 14 Meridian →
- Class D6: No. 6 Medicine Valley vs. No. 11 Lewiston →
- Class D6: No. 7 Arthur County vs. No. 10 Southwest →
- Class D6: No. 2 Wallace vs. No. 15 High Plains Community →
Week 9 Final Playoff Brackets Notice: All 139 Week 9 regular-season games across Nebraska's eight football classifications (29 Thursday + 110 Friday) are officially final in the NSAA schedule exports, with zero tip overlays remaining. These 16-team playoff brackets are locked from the final NSAA Wildcard Points snapshot (8:10 a.m. CT Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026), official NSAA District Leaders, the NSAA Football Manual tiebreaker steps, and the 2026–27 NSAA Classification Eligibility PDF. With 100% of regular-season games and NSAA wildcard points final, all eight 16-team Round 1 brackets are locked.
Postseason Eligibility Exclusions Applied (2627class.pdf & NSAA Manual): Class B — District B-4 (Emerging) non-champions Platteview (6-3, 38.8889) and Crete (4-5, 37.7778) are ineligible for wild-card berths per NSAA Football Manual p. 48. Class C1 — Nebraska City (0-9, 32.8889) is C1 (not eligible). Class C2 — Omaha Brownell Talbot (4-5, 38.4444, raw #16 on points) and Chase County (2-7, 35.7778) are C2 (not eligible). Class D1 — Conestoga, David City, Freeman, Johnson County Central, Falls City and Fairbury are D1 (not eligible). Class D3 — Southern is D3 (not eligible). Class D6 — McCool Junction (8-0, 43.6250, raw #5), Mead (5-3, 39.5000, raw #18), Paxton (2-6, 35.3750) and Humboldt-Table Rock-Steinauer (0-8, 31.5000) are D6 (not eligible). CEC schools (Alliance, Schuyler, Wakefield, Tekamah-Herman, Madison, Omaha Nation, Southern Valley, Morrill) remain postseason-eligible.
Every classification in Nebraska high school football — including eight-man Classes D1, D2 and D3 for the first time in 2026–27 — competes in a 16-team state playoff bracket. Classes D1, D2 and D3 kick off Round 1 on Thursday, Oct. 29, while Classes A, B, C1, C2 and D6 open on Friday, Oct. 30.
Statewide Cut Line Summary: #1 Seeds, #16 Last In & First Two Out
| Class (R1 Date) | #1 Seed | #16 Last Team In | #17 First Team Out | #18 Second Team Out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class A (Fri., Oct. 30) | #1 Omaha Westside (9-0, 46.3333) | #16 Columbus (5-4, 39.1111) | #17 Lincoln North Star (5-4, 38.7778) | #18 North Platte (5-4, 38.1111) |
| Class B (Fri., Oct. 30) | #1 Gretna (9-0, 45.0000) | #16 Lincoln Pius X (2-7, 35.1111) | #17 Seward (1-8, 34.5556) | #18 Gering (1-8, 34.2222) |
| Class C1 (Fri., Oct. 30) | #1 Sidney (9-0, 44.5556) | #16 Central City (4-5, 38.5556) | #17 Mount Michael Benedictine (4-5, 38.4444) | #18 Columbus Lakeview (4-5, 37.8889) |
| Class C2 (Fri., Oct. 30) | #1 Grand Island Central Catholic (9-0, 45.8889) | #16 Hershey (5-4, 38.3333) | #17 Plainview/Osmond (5-4, 38.1111) | #18 Norfolk Catholic (3-6, 37.8889) |
| Class D1 (Thu., Oct. 29) | #1 Johnson-Brock (9-0, 46.0000) | #16 Amherst (5-4, 39.7778) | #17 Pender (5-4, 39.7778) | #18 Nebraska Christian (6-3, 39.6667) |
| Class D2 (Thu., Oct. 29) | #1 Shelby-Rising City (9-0, 45.7778) | #16 Fullerton (5-4, 38.4444) | #17 Tri County Northeast (5-4, 38.3333) | #18 Bloomfield (3-6, 38.2222) |
| Class D3 (Thu., Oct. 29) | #1 Lawrence-Nelson (9-0, 46.4444) | #16 St. Mary's (5-4, 40.5556) | #17 Blue Hill (6-3, 40.2222) | #18 Leigh (6-3, 39.7778) |
| Class D6 (Fri., Oct. 30) | #1 Stuart (8-0, 44.7500) | #16 Crawford (5-3, 39.5000) | #17 Potter-Dix (4-4, 38.8750) | #18 Grand Island Lutheran (4-4, 38.5000) |
Class A 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Fri., Oct. 30)
With all 18 Week 9 games in Class A officially final in the NSAA schedule export, undefeated Omaha Westside (9-0, 46.3333 points) stands alone atop the projected 16-team bracket after pulling away from No. 2 Millard South (8-1, 45.4444) for a 41–17 victory at Buell Stadium on Friday night. Millard North (8-1, 45.1111) vaulted into the No. 3 seed by shutting out previously unbeaten Bennington (8-1, 44.7778) 35–0, keeping all four nine-win and eight-win contenders on the top line of their respective quarterfinal quadrants. A three-way tie at 40.6667 points between Kearney, Elkhorn North and Lincoln Southwest (all 6-3) required the NSAA Football Manual Point System Tiebreaker. Kearney claimed #11 at Step 4 with three wins over Division 1 and Division 2 opponents, and Elkhorn North took #12 over Lincoln Southwest at Step 5 by playing two Division 1 opponents to Southwest's one, sending #13 Lincoln Southwest to #4 Bennington. On the cut line, Columbus (5-4, 39.1111) punched the #16 ticket with a 35–16 road win at North Platte, finishing 0.3333 points ahead of #17 Lincoln North Star (5-4, 38.7778), whose 28–21 Thursday loss to Lincoln Southwest left the Navigators as the first team out. Read the full Class A bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 Columbus (5-4, 39.1111, Top 16 Points) | #1 Omaha Westside (9-0, 46.3333, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Lincoln Northeast (8-1, 41.7778, Top 16 Points) | #8 Papillion-La Vista (7-2, 41.8889, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 Elkhorn North (6-3, 40.6667, Top 16 Points) (Step 5 (Div 1 games played: 2)) | #5 Elkhorn South (6-3, 42.6667, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 Lincoln Southwest (6-3, 40.6667, Top 16 Points) | #4 Bennington (8-1, 44.7778, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 Creighton Prep (5-4, 40.4444, Top 16 Points) | #3 Millard North (8-1, 45.1111, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 Kearney (6-3, 40.6667, Top 16 Points) (Step 4 (Div 1+2 wins: 3)) | #6 Omaha North (8-1, 42.4444, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 Millard West (5-4, 41.1111, Top 16 Points) | #7 Papillion-La Vista South (6-3, 42.3333, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 Lincoln Standing Bear (5-4, 39.4444, Top 16 Points) | #2 Millard South (8-1, 45.4444, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
Class B 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Fri., Oct. 30)
Gretna (9-0, 45.0000) completed an undefeated regular season with a 42–29 road win at Norris on Friday night to claim the District B-2 title and the No. 1 overall seed in Class B. Cross-town rival Gretna East (8-1, 43.4444) locked up the District B-1 crown and the #2 seed by routing Ralston 56–19. In District B-3, Aurora (8-1, 42.4444) defeated McCook 34–7 and Scottsbluff (8-1, 42.4444) beat Hastings 42–7 to finish deadlocked at 42.4444 wildcard points; while Aurora won the B-3 district championship on the 3-way district tiebreaker, Scottsbluff takes the #3 overall playoff seed over #4 Aurora at Step 1 of the statewide seeding tiebreaker thanks to Scottsbluff's 28–25 head-to-head victory over the Huskies on Oct. 2. Class B's unique qualification rule plays a decisive role at the bottom of the bracket. Under the NSAA Football Manual (p. 48), the top three teams by points in Districts B-1, B-2 and B-3 (9 teams) plus the District B-4 Emerging champion (Blair) qualify automatically, while non-champions in District B-4 are ineligible for wild-card berths. That rule excludes B-4 runner-up Platteview (6-3, 38.8889, #10 on raw points) and third-place Crete (4-5, 37.7778, #12 on raw points) from the six wild-card spots. As a result, #13 York (4-5, 36.8889), #14 Omaha Gross Catholic (2-7, 35.7778), #15 Hastings (2-7, 35.4444) and #16 Lincoln Pius X (2-7, 35.1111) capture the final four wild-card berths, while Seward (1-8, 34.5556) and Gering (1-8, 34.2222) are the first two eligible teams out. Read the full Class B bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 Lincoln Pius X (2-7, 35.1111, Wild Card) | #1 Gretna (9-0, 45.0000, District B-2 #1) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Norris (4-5, 38.8889, District B-2 #3) | #8 Northwest (7-2, 41.5556, District B-3 #3) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 Ralston (4-5, 37.4444, Wild Card) | #5 Omaha Skutt Catholic (7-2, 42.2222, District B-1 #2) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 York (4-5, 36.8889, Wild Card) | #4 Aurora (8-1, 42.4444, District B-3 #1) (Step 1 H2H loss to Scottsbluff) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 Omaha Gross Catholic (2-7, 35.7778, Wild Card) | #3 Scottsbluff (8-1, 42.4444, District B-3 #2) (Step 1 H2H over Aurora) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 McCook (4-5, 37.5556, Wild Card) | #6 Blair (8-1, 42.1111, District B-4 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 Elkhorn (4-5, 38.2222, District B-1 #3) | #7 Waverly (7-2, 41.8889, District B-2 #2) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 Hastings (2-7, 35.4444, Wild Card) | #2 Gretna East (8-1, 43.4444, District B-1 #1) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
Class C1 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Fri., Oct. 30)
Three undefeated district champions and an 8-1 Panhandle wild card lead the Class C1 bracket after Friday night's Week 9 finales. Sidney (9-0, 44.5556, C1-6 Champ) locked up the No. 1 overall seed by holding off Chadron 16–8 in a showdown of unbeatens, while Boys Town (9-0, 44.3333, C1-1 Champ) blanked Louisville 64–0 to secure the #2 seed. Despite its lone loss at Sidney, Chadron (8-1, 43.7778) boasts the third-highest wildcard point average in Class C1 to claim the #3 overall seed ahead of unbeaten C1-4 champion Pierce (9-0, 43.3333), which outscored O'Neill 48–36 on Friday. The Class C1 bubble produced one of the tightest cuts in the state. Cozad (4-5, 39.2222) took #13 with a 48–13 win over Broken Bow, Auburn (5-4, 39.1111) landed at #14, and CEC-eligible Alliance (5-4, 39.0000) vaulted into #15 with a 27–13 road win at Mitchell. That left Central City (4-5, 38.5556) clinging to the #16 and final wild-card berth by just 0.1112 points (one division step on a single game) over #17 Mount Michael Benedictine (4-5, 38.4444). Columbus Lakeview's thrilling 33–29 win over Ashland-Greenwood lifted the Vikings to 4-5 and 37.8889 points, leaving them #18 (second out). Nebraska City (0-9, 32.8889) is C1 (not eligible) per the NSAA classification PDF. Read the full Class C1 bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 Central City (4-5, 38.5556, Wild Card) | #1 Sidney (9-0, 44.5556, District C1-6 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Adams Central (8-1, 42.1111, District C1-5 Champ) | #8 Wahoo (7-2, 42.1111, District C1-2 Champ) (Step 5 (Div 1 games played: 3)) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 O'Neill (6-3, 40.3333, Wild Card) | #5 Syracuse (7-2, 42.8889, District C1-3 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 Cozad (4-5, 39.2222, Wild Card) | #4 Pierce (9-0, 43.3333, District C1-4 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 Auburn (5-4, 39.1111, Wild Card) | #3 Chadron (8-1, 43.7778, Wild Card) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 Omaha Roncalli Catholic (7-2, 40.8889, Wild Card) | #6 Ashland-Greenwood (7-2, 42.5556, Wild Card) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 Minden (8-1, 42.0000, Wild Card) | #7 Lincoln Christian (7-2, 42.1111, Wild Card) (Step 4 (Div 1+2 wins: 2)) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 Alliance (5-4, 39.0000, Wild Card) | #2 Boys Town (9-0, 44.3333, District C1-1 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
Class C2 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Fri., Oct. 30)
Four undefeated district champions give Class C2 a loaded top half entering Friday's Round 1 openers. Grand Island Central Catholic (9-0, 45.8889, C2-5 Champ) edged Ord 17–14 on Friday night to finish unbeaten and claim the No. 1 overall seed by 0.2222 points over C2-1 champion Bergan Catholic (9-0, 45.6667), which defeated Yutan 28–6 in a battle of 8-0 powers. C2-4 champion Cedar Catholic (9-0, 44.0000) rolled past Norfolk Catholic 35–0 to lock up the #3 seed, while Ord (7-2, 43.6667, WC) and Yutan (8-1, 43.4444, WC) stayed ahead of 9-0 C2-3 champion Boone Central (9-0, 43.0000, #6 seed) on wildcard point averages. Eligibility filtering under the NSAA 2026–27 classification PDF directly shaped the bottom of the Class C2 bracket. Omaha Brownell Talbot (4-5, 38.4444) finished 16th on raw wildcard points after a 47–23 loss to Bishop Neumann, but because Brownell Talbot (with its Cornerstone Christian co-op) and Chase County (2-7, 35.7778) are both designated C2 (not eligible) after opting up, neither can take a postseason berth. That moves Lincoln Lutheran (5-4, 39.5556) to #14, West Point-Beemer (5-4, 39.4444) to #15, and elevates Hershey (5-4, 38.3333) — which beat Valentine 36–16 on Friday — into the #16 and final wild-card spot at #1 Grand Island Central Catholic. Plainview/Osmond (5-4, 38.1111) and Norfolk Catholic (3-6, 37.8889) finish as the first two eligible teams out. Read the full Class C2 bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 Hershey (5-4, 38.3333, Wild Card) | #1 Grand Island Central Catholic (9-0, 45.8889, District C2-5 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Bishop Neumann (7-2, 41.8889, Wild Card) | #8 Malcolm (7-2, 42.2222, District C2-2 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 Wilber-Clatonia (6-3, 40.1111, Wild Card) | #5 Yutan (8-1, 43.4444, Wild Card) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 Fillmore Central (6-3, 39.8889, Wild Card) | #4 Ord (7-2, 43.6667, Wild Card) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 Lincoln Lutheran (5-4, 39.5556, Wild Card) | #3 Cedar Catholic (9-0, 44.0000, District C2-4 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 Mitchell (6-3, 40.7778, District C2-6 Champ) | #6 Boone Central (9-0, 43.0000, District C2-3 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 Scotus Central Catholic (6-3, 41.5556, Wild Card) | #7 Gothenburg (7-2, 42.3333, Wild Card) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 West Point-Beemer (5-4, 39.4444, Wild Card) | #2 Bergan Catholic (9-0, 45.6667, District C2-1 Champ) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
Class D1 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Thu., Oct. 29)
Class D1's first season under the new 16-team statewide bracket format (Thursday, Oct. 29 Round 1 openers) delivered maximum drama at both the top and bottom of the seed list. Undefeated D1-1 champion Johnson-Brock (9-0, 46.0000) locked up the No. 1 overall seed after defeating Freeman 48–6, followed closely by D1-6 champion Sandy Creek (8-1, 45.7778) at #2 and unbeaten D1-4 champion Stanton (9-0, 45.0000) at #3. At 44.4444 points apiece, wild card Ravenna (8-1) edged D1-5 champion Crofton (8-1) for the #4 seed all the way at Step 6 of the NSAA tiebreaker on combined opponent winning percentage (.5556 to .5309). The wildest tiebreaker in Nebraska played out on the Class D1 cut line, where Ponca (5-4), Amherst (5-4) and Pender (5-4) all finished deadlocked at 39.7778 points for the last two wild-card spots (#15 and #16) after Pender beat Ponca 57–12 on Friday. Because all three teams did not play each other (Amherst did not face Ponca or Pender), NSAA Manual multi-team tiebreaker rules bypassed head-to-head (Step 1) and went to Step 3 (Division 1 wins): Ponca and Pender had zero Division 1 wins while Amherst had one, putting Amherst through as a qualifier. In the remaining tie between Ponca and Pender at zero Division 1 wins and one Division 1+2 win apiece, Step 5 (most Division 1 games played) awarded #15 to Ponca (four Division 1 games played) and #16 to Amherst, leaving Pender (two Division 1 games played) as #17 first out despite its Friday win over Ponca. Nebraska Christian (6-3, 39.6667) finished #18, just 0.1111 behind. Six D1 schools (Conestoga, David City, Freeman, Johnson County Central, Falls City, Fairbury) are D1 (not eligible) per the NSAA PDF. Read the full Class D1 bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 Amherst (5-4, 39.7778, Wild Card) ( [after Step 3 Div 1 wins=1]) | #1 Johnson-Brock (9-0, 46.0000, District D1-1 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Elmwood-Murdock (6-3, 41.6667, Wild Card) | #8 Exeter-Milligan-Friend (8-1, 43.1111, District D1-2 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 Elkhorn Valley (6-3, 41.0000, Wild Card) (Step 3 (Div 1 wins: 1)) | #5 Crofton (8-1, 44.4444, District D1-5 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 Cross County (6-3, 41.0000, District D1-3 Champ) | #4 Ravenna (8-1, 44.4444, Wild Card) (Step 6 (Opp win%: 0.555556)) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 Alma (6-3, 40.6667, District D1-7 Champ) | #3 Stanton (9-0, 45.0000, District D1-4 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 Centura (7-2, 41.2222, Wild Card) | #6 Hartington-Newcastle (8-1, 44.1111, Wild Card) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 Wisner-Pilger (7-2, 41.2222, Wild Card) (Step 4 (Div 1+2 wins: 2)) | #7 Sutton (7-2, 43.2222, Wild Card) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 Ponca (5-4, 39.7778, Wild Card) (Step 5 (Div 1 games played: 4)) | #2 Sandy Creek (8-1, 45.7778, District D1-6 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
Class D2 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Thu., Oct. 29)
Three 9-0 district champions headline the Class D2 16-team bracket heading into Thursday, Oct. 29 first-round play. D2-1 champion Shelby-Rising City (9-0, 45.7778) survived a 30–27 Friday night thriller at Aquinas Catholic to lock up the No. 1 overall seed. D2-6 champion North Platte St. Patrick's (9-0, 44.2222) blanked Sutherland 28–0 to claim the #2 seed, D2-2 champion Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (8-1, 44.0000) takes #3, and unbeaten D2-5 champion Loomis (9-0, 43.3333) holds #4 after its 82–30 Thursday victory over Arapahoe. On the Class D2 bubble line, Fullerton (5-4, 38.4444) held onto the #16 and final wild-card berth despite a 36–14 Friday loss to High Plains Community, finishing 0.1111 points ahead of #17 Tri County Northeast (5-4, 38.3333) and 0.2222 ahead of #18 Bloomfield (3-6, 38.2222). South Loup (4-5, 37.8889) and Arapahoe (4-5, 37.2222) round out the first four out. Read the full Class D2 bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 Fullerton (5-4, 38.4444, Wild Card) | #1 Shelby-Rising City (9-0, 45.7778, District D2-1 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Aquinas Catholic (6-3, 41.0000, Wild Card) | #8 Hemingford (7-2, 41.3333, Wild Card) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 Hitchcock County (6-3, 40.5556, Wild Card) (Step 4 (Div 1+2 wins: 2)) | #5 Lourdes Central Catholic (7-2, 43.0000, Wild Card) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 Neligh-Oakdale (7-2, 40.5556, Wild Card) | #4 Loomis (9-0, 43.3333, District D2-5 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 BDS (6-3, 40.1111, District D2-4 Champ) | #3 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (8-1, 44.0000, District D2-2 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 Wilcox-Hildreth (6-3, 40.6667, Wild Card) | #6 Creighton (7-2, 42.1111, District D2-3 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 East Butler (6-3, 40.8889, Wild Card) | #7 Howells-Dodge (7-2, 41.5556, Wild Card) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 Bertrand (6-3, 39.3333, Wild Card) | #2 North Platte St. Patrick's (9-0, 44.2222, District D2-6 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
Class D3 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Thu., Oct. 29)
Nebraska's newly created 8-man Class D3 debuts its 16-team postseason bracket on Thursday, Oct. 29 with undefeated D3-1 champion Lawrence-Nelson (9-0, 46.4444) holding the No. 1 overall seed after routing Osceola 60–6 on Friday night. D3-4 champion Central Valley (8-1, 45.4444) secured #2 and D3-2 champion Archangels Catholic (8-1, 45.1111) locked up #3 with a 52–6 win over Winside. At 44.0000 points apiece, D3-5 champion Pleasanton (8-1) claimed the #4 seed over D3-3 champion Wausa (8-1) at Step 3 of the NSAA tiebreaker (two Division 1 wins to one). In the lower quarter of the playoff field, Guardian Angels Central Catholic (7-2, 42.2222, WC) takes #13 at #4 Pleasanton, Cambridge (7-2, 41.5556, WC) grabs #14 at #3 Archangels Catholic after a 42–14 win at Axtell, and Falls City Sacred Heart (6-3, 41.4444, WC) lands at #15 at #2 Central Valley. St. Mary's (5-4, 40.5556) clinched the #16 and final wild-card berth by 0.3334 points over #17 Blue Hill (6-3, 40.2222), which beat Southern Valley 50–30 on Friday night but came up one rung short. Leigh (6-3, 39.7778) finished #18 after falling to Clarkson/Leigh district foes. Southern (0-9, 33.0000) is D3 (not eligible) per the NSAA classification PDF. Read the full Class D3 bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 St. Mary's (5-4, 40.5556, Wild Card) | #1 Lawrence-Nelson (9-0, 46.4444, District D3-1 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Wynot (7-2, 42.8889, Wild Card) | #8 Burwell (7-2, 43.2222, Wild Card) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 Anselmo-Merna (7-2, 42.5556, District D3-6 Champ) | #5 Wausa (8-1, 44.0000, District D3-3 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 Guardian Angels Central Catholic (7-2, 42.2222, Wild Card) | #4 Pleasanton (8-1, 44.0000, District D3-5 Champ) (Step 3 (Div 1 wins: 2)) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 Cambridge (7-2, 41.5556, Wild Card) | #3 Archangels Catholic (8-1, 45.1111, District D3-2 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 Brady (8-1, 42.7778, Wild Card) | #6 Dundy County Stratton (6-2, 43.5000, District D3-7 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 Deshler (7-2, 42.7778, Wild Card) (Step 4 (Div 1+2 wins: 3)) | #7 Twin Loup (8-1, 43.4444, Wild Card) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 Falls City Sacred Heart (6-3, 41.4444, Wild Card) | #2 Central Valley (8-1, 45.4444, District D3-4 Champ) | Thu., Oct. 29 |
Class D6 16-Team Playoff Bracket (Fri., Oct. 30)
All 40 teams in 6-man Class D6 have completed regular-season play on the NSAA schedule export, and undefeated Stuart (8-0, 44.7500) headlines the 16-team bracket as the No. 1 overall seed after rolling past Ansley-Litchfield 63–19 on Thursday. Wallace (7-1, 44.5000) takes the #2 seed after a 59–19 win at Paxton. At 43.7500 points apiece, Garden County (7-1) earned the #3 seed over Diller-Odell (7-1) at Step 3 of the NSAA tiebreaker with two Division 1 wins to Diller-Odell's one. In the final three playoff spots, Sterling (5-3, 40.2500) locks in #13 at #4 Diller-Odell after beating Meridian 44–33 on Friday, and Meridian (5-3, 39.8750) holds #14 at #3 Garden County. High Plains Community (5-3, 39.5000) and Crawford (5-3, 39.5000) claim the #15 and #16 berths (with High Plains taking #15 at Step 5 on two Division 1 games played to Crawford's one, and Mead's 39.5000 filtered as D6 (not eligible)). Potter-Dix (4-4, 38.8750) and Grand Island Lutheran (4-4, 38.5000) are the first two eligible teams out. Read the full Class D6 bracket & bubble breakdown →
| Bracket Slot | Away Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Home Team (Seed, Rec, Pts, Bid) | Round 1 Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| #16 at #1 | #16 Crawford (5-3, 39.5000, Top 16 Points) | #1 Stuart (8-0, 44.7500, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #9 at #8 | #9 Leyton (7-1, 41.8750, Top 16 Points) | #8 Riverside (7-1, 41.8750, Top 16 Points) (Step 6 (Opp win%: 0.375)) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #12 at #5 | #12 Hay Springs (5-3, 41.0000, Top 16 Points) | #5 Red Cloud (7-1, 43.0000, Top 16 Points) (Step 3 (Div 1 wins: 1)) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #13 at #4 | #13 Sterling (5-3, 40.2500, Top 16 Points) | #4 Diller-Odell (7-1, 43.7500, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #14 at #3 | #14 Meridian (5-3, 39.8750, Top 16 Points) | #3 Garden County (7-1, 43.7500, Top 16 Points) (Step 3 (Div 1 wins: 2)) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #11 at #6 | #11 Lewiston (6-2, 41.6250, Top 16 Points) | #6 Medicine Valley (7-1, 43.0000, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #10 at #7 | #10 Southwest (5-3, 41.7500, Top 16 Points) | #7 Arthur County (6-2, 42.3750, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
| #15 at #2 | #15 High Plains Community (5-3, 39.5000, Top 16 Points) (Step 5 (Div 1 games played: 2)) | #2 Wallace (7-1, 44.5000, Top 16 Points) | Fri., Oct. 30 |
Sources
Interactive 8-Class Playoff Bracket Tracker (/playoffs) → · Week 9 Final Scoreboard → · Earlier Wildcard Watch Archive →