Football · Preview · Class D1
Kimball at Elm Creek: playoff stakes for Elm Creek
Kimball (3-5) at Elm Creek (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.
Elm Creek goes into the final week of the regular season close to the playoff line, 20th in Class D1's NSAA point standings. Both play in District D1-7: Kimball is 0-3 in district games and Elm Creek is 2-1.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Elm Creek, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class D1, the seven district champions and the nine best remaining averages qualify.
Kimball is 26th in Class D1's NSAA point standings at 36.000. It is 0-3 in District D1-7 games.
Elm Creek is 20th in Class D1's NSAA point standings at 38.500. It is 2-1 in District D1-7 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Kimball (3-5) opened with a 52-24 win at Gordon-Rushville (2-6). Its losses: Hemingford (6-2), 44-14; Alma (5-3), 52-6; at Gibbon (3-5), 41-20; Amherst (5-3), 36-22; Centura (6-2), 54-16. Its best win by opponent record was a 50-0 win at Bayard (3-6). It comes in on a 4-game losing streak, most recently a 54-16 loss to Centura (6-2). The defense has two shutouts.
Elm Creek (4-4) opened with a 56-22 loss at Lawrence-Nelson (8-0). Its losses: at Lawrence-Nelson (8-0), 56-22; at Sutton (6-2), 54-6; Hastings St. Cecilia (2-6), 33-28; at Alma (5-3), 45-44. Its best win by opponent record was a 61-6 win at Amherst (5-3). Last week it had a 61-6 win at Amherst (5-3).
By the numbers
| Kimball | Elm Creek | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 3-5 | 4-4 |
| Class and NSAA rank | D1, 26th (36.000) | D1, 20th (38.500) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | Not ranked | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 29.5 | 35.8 |
| Points allowed per game | 31.4 | 33.0 |
| Average margin | -1.9 | +2.8 |
| Current streak | Lost 4 | Won 2 |
Shared opponents
These two have played three of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Kimball | Elm Creek |
|---|---|---|
| Alma | L 6-52 | L 44-45 |
| Amherst | L 22-36 | W 61-6 |
| Gibbon | L 20-41 | W 42-21 |
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
- Elm Creek's offense. It averages 35.8 points. Kimball allows 31.4.
- Kimball's offense. It averages 29.5; Elm Creek allows 33.0.
- Kimball's streak. 4 straight losses.
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