Football · Preview · Class B
McCook at Aurora: playoff stakes for McCook
McCook (4-4) at Aurora (7-1), Friday, Oct. 23. Playoff picture, season stats, charts and history before the Week 9 game.
Game-day information: Kickoff not independently confirmed for this publication. Check the Game Center for current start-time information. 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.
For McCook, Week 9 is about the playoff line. It sits 15th in Class B's NSAA point standings, and this is its last chance to move. Both play in District B-3: McCook is 2-2 in district games and Aurora is 3-1.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Aurora. Kickoff time has not been posted on our schedule yet.
The playoff picture
In Class B, the top three in Districts B-1, B-2 and B-3, the B-4 champion and the six best remaining averages qualify.
McCook is 15th in Class B's NSAA point standings at 37.000. It is 2-2 in District B-3 games.
Aurora is 5th in Class B's NSAA point standings at 41.875. It is 3-1 in District B-3 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
McCook (4-4) opened with a 17-3 win over Crete (4-4). Its losses: at Waverly (6-2), 49-0; at Seward (1-7), 28-7; Northwest (6-2), 35-0; Scottsbluff (8-0), 21-7. Its best win by opponent record was a 17-3 win over Crete (4-4). Last week it had a 21-7 loss to Scottsbluff (8-0).
Aurora (7-1) opened with a 43-10 win over Seward (1-7). Its only loss came against a team with a winning record: at Scottsbluff (8-0), 24-21. Its best win by opponent record was a 35-27 win over Northwest (6-2). Its most recent scored game was a 50-6 win over Gering (1-7). Note: NSAA lists Aurora at 7-1; 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
| McCook | Aurora | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-4 | 7-1 |
| Class and NSAA rank | B, 15th (37.000) | B, 5th (41.875) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | Not ranked | No. 6 |
| Points scored per game | 16.9 | 32.3 |
| Points allowed per game | 20.9 | 14.3 |
| Average margin | -4.0 | +18.0 |
| Current streak | Lost 1 | — |
Shared opponents
These two have played five of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | McCook | Aurora |
|---|---|---|
| Gering | W 36-7 | W 50-6 |
| Hastings | W 35-14 | W 27-10 |
| Northwest | L 0-35 | W 35-27 |
| Scottsbluff | L 7-21 | L 21-24 |
| Seward | L 7-28 | W 43-10 |
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
- Aurora's offense. It averages 32.3 points. McCook allows 20.9.
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