Football · Playoff Travel Guide · All Classes

Longest Road Trips in Round 1 of the 2026 Nebraska High School Football Playoffs: Auburn-to-Chadron Tops 1,000 Miles Round Trip

From Auburn's 519-mile cross-state trek to Chadron in Class C1 to Omaha Gross's 446-mile haul to Scottsbluff in Class B, here are the Top 15 longest Round 1 playoff road trips, the longest haul in every class, and the full 64-game mileage table.

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NEBPrepsLive AI editorial illustration · Not a photograph of this game

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)

With all eight 16-team brackets seeded statewide across Nebraska's eight high school football classifications, the opening round on Friday, Oct. 30 produces some of the longest road trips in high school sports anywhere in the country. Across all 64 first-round games, the visiting teams will log a combined 10,476.0 miles one-way — or 20,952.8 miles round trip, averaging 163.7 miles one-way per game. Nine teams face road trips of more than 300 miles each way (600+ miles round trip), and 22 teams will travel at least 200 miles one-way.

The Top 5 Longest First-Round Road Trips in Nebraska

  1. Class C1: #14 Auburn (5-4) at #3 Chadron (8-1) — 519.0 miles one-way (1,038.1 miles round trip)
    Route: Auburn (Nemaha County, SE corner) to Chadron (Dawes County, NW Pine Ridge) · Est. Drive: ~8h 05m (or 492.0 miles / 984.1 RT via NE-2 Sandhills Scenic Byway through Grand Island, Broken Bow & Alliance) · Kickoff: Friday, Oct. 30 at 2:00 PM MT (3:00 PM CT).
    Literally corner-to-corner across Nebraska, Auburn's trek from the Missouri River valley to the Pine Ridge is the only 1,000-mile round trip of the opening round.
  2. Class B: #14 Omaha Gross Catholic (2-7) at #3 Scottsbluff (8-1) — 446.4 miles one-way (892.7 miles round trip)
    Route: Bellevue (Sarpy County) to Scottsbluff (Scotts Bluff County) via I-80 W & US-26 W · Est. Drive: ~7h 00m · Kickoff: Friday, Oct. 30 (7:00 PM MT / 8:00 PM CT).
    The Cougars head almost the full length of I-80 and up the North Platte River Valley to take on 8-1 Scottsbluff at Bearcat Stadium.
  3. Class C1: #15 Alliance (5-4) at #2 Boys Town (9-0) — 386.7 miles one-way (773.4 miles round trip)
    Route: Alliance (Box Butte County) to Boys Town (Omaha) via NE-2 E & I-80 E · Est. Drive: ~6h 05m · Kickoff: Friday, Oct. 30 at 6:00 PM CT.
    While Chadron hosts Auburn in the northwest corner, fellow Panhandle qualifier Alliance heads east through the Sandhills on Highway 2 to face undefeated #2 Boys Town in Omaha.
  4. Class D6: #12 Hay Springs (5-3) at #5 Red Cloud (7-1) — 367.6 miles one-way (735.2 miles round trip)
    Route: Hay Springs (Sheridan County) to Red Cloud (Webster County) · Est. Drive: ~5h 45m · Kickoff: Friday, Oct. 30 (2:30 PM CT).
    The longest 6-man trip in the bracket sends Hay Springs from the northern Panhandle near the South Dakota border all the way south to Red Cloud on the Kansas line.
  5. Class D2: #9 Aquinas Catholic (6-3) at #8 Hemingford (7-2) — 353.6 miles one-way (707.3 miles round trip)
    Route: David City (Butler County) to Hemingford (Box Butte County) via NE-92 W & NE-2 W · Est. Drive: ~5h 30m · Kickoff: Friday, Oct. 30 at 6:00 PM MT (7:00 PM CT).
    Even in an #8 vs. #9 matchup, statewide seeding sends David City's Monarchs more than 350 miles west through the Sandhills to Box Butte County for a Friday night clash under Mountain Time lights.

Top 15 Longest First-Round Road Trips Statewide

Rank Class Matchup (Away at Home) Town-to-Town One-Way Round-Trip Est. Drive Kickoff
#1C1#14 Auburn (5-4) at #3 Chadron (8-1)Auburn → Chadron519.0 mi1038.1 mi~8h 05mFri., Oct. 30 · 2:00 PM MT
#2B#14 Omaha Gross Catholic (2-7) at #3 Scottsbluff (8-1)Bellevue (Gross Catholic HS) → Scottsbluff446.4 mi892.7 mi~7hFri., Oct. 30 · 7:00 PM MT
#3C1#15 Alliance (5-4) at #2 Boys Town (9-0)Alliance → Boys Town (Omaha)386.7 mi773.4 mi~6h 05mFri., Oct. 30 · 6:00 PM CT
#4D6#12 Hay Springs (5-3) at #5 Red Cloud (7-1)Hay Springs → Red Cloud367.6 mi735.2 mi~5h 45mFri., Oct. 30 · 2:30 PM CT
#5D2#9 Aquinas Catholic (6-3) at #8 Hemingford (7-2)David City → Hemingford353.6 mi707.3 mi~5h 30mFri., Oct. 30 · 6:00 PM MT
#6C2#11 Mitchell (6-3) at #6 Boone Central (9-0)Mitchell → Albion338.5 mi677.0 mi~5h 15mFri., Oct. 30 · 6:00 PM CT
#7D6#14 Meridian (5-3) at #3 Garden County (7-1)Daykin (Meridian HS) → Oshkosh320.6 mi641.3 mi~5hFri., Oct. 30 · 2:30 PM MT
#8D2#12 Hitchcock County (6-3) at #5 Lourdes Central Catholic (7-2)Trenton → Nebraska City303.7 mi607.4 mi~4h 45mFri., Oct. 30 · 6:00 PM CT
#9D6#9 Leyton (7-1) at #8 Riverside (7-1)Dalton (Leyton HS) → Spalding (Riverside)301.6 mi603.1 mi~4h 45mFri., Oct. 30 · 3:00 PM CT @ Spalding
#10B#11 McCook (4-5) at #6 Blair (8-1)McCook → Blair297.8 mi595.7 mi~4h 40mFri., Oct. 30 · 7:00 PM CT
#11C1#16 Central City (4-5) at #1 Sidney (9-0)Central City → Sidney287.9 mi575.8 mi~4h 30mFri., Oct. 30 · 5:00 PM MT
#12D6#16 Crawford (5-3) at #1 Stuart (8-0)Crawford → Stuart244.2 mi488.4 mi~4h 05mFri., Oct. 30 · 6:00 PM CT
#13D6#11 Lewiston (6-2) at #6 Medicine Valley (7-1)Lewiston → Curtis240.5 mi481.1 mi~4hFri., Oct. 30 · 3:00 PM CT
#14D3#15 Falls City Sacred Heart (6-3) at #2 Central Valley (8-1)Falls City → Wolbach (Central Valley)234.5 mi468.9 mi~3h 55mFri., Oct. 30 · 5:00 PM CT @ Wolbach
#15D6#15 High Plains Community (5-3) at #2 Wallace (7-1)Polk → Wallace221.2 mi442.5 mi~3h 40mFri., Oct. 30 · 7:00 PM CT
Top 15 longest Round 1 road trips across all 8 NSAA football classes (one-way and round-trip highway miles via OSRM routing).

Longest Road Trip in Every Class (A through D6)

Class State Rank Longest Matchup in Class Towns Distance Class Avg (1-Way) Class Total RT
Class A#23#11 Kearney (6-3) at #6 Omaha North (8-1)Kearney → Omaha (North HS)189.3 mi (378.5 RT)56.6 mi904.6 mi
Class B#2#14 Omaha Gross Catholic (2-7) at #3 Scottsbluff (8-1)Bellevue (Gross Catholic HS) → Scottsbluff446.4 mi (892.7 RT)138.6 mi2,217.8 mi
Class C1#1#14 Auburn (5-4) at #3 Chadron (8-1)Auburn → Chadron519.0 mi (1038.1 RT)242.3 mi3,877.4 mi
Class C2#6#11 Mitchell (6-3) at #6 Boone Central (9-0)Mitchell → Albion338.5 mi (677.0 RT)137.9 mi2,206.3 mi
Class D1#18#14 Alma (6-3) at #3 Stanton (9-0)Alma → Stanton212.0 mi (424.1 RT)143.6 mi2,298.0 mi
Class D2#5#9 Aquinas Catholic (6-3) at #8 Hemingford (7-2)David City → Hemingford353.6 mi (707.3 RT)173.1 mi2,769.1 mi
Class D3#14#15 Falls City Sacred Heart (6-3) at #2 Central Valley (8-1)Falls City → Wolbach (Central Valley)234.5 mi (468.9 RT)179.3 mi2,869.1 mi
Class D6#4#12 Hay Springs (5-3) at #5 Red Cloud (7-1)Hay Springs → Red Cloud367.6 mi (735.2 RT)238.2 mi3,810.5 mi
Longest Round 1 trip, average one-way mileage, and combined round-trip mileage for each of the eight NSAA classes.

Complete 64-Game Round 1 Travel Mileage Table (Ranked #1 to #64)

# Class Away Team Home Team Route (Town → Venue) 1-Way Round-Trip Drive Kickoff (Oct. 30)
1C1#14 Auburn (5-4)#3 Chadron (8-1)Auburn → Chadron519.0 mi1038.1 mi~8h 05m2:00 PM mt
2B#14 Omaha Gross Catholic (2-7)#3 Scottsbluff (8-1)Bellevue (Gross Catholic HS) → Scottsbluff446.4 mi892.7 mi~7h7:00 PM MT
3C1#15 Alliance (5-4)#2 Boys Town (9-0)Alliance → Boys Town (Omaha)386.7 mi773.4 mi~6h 05m6:00 PM cst
4D6#12 Hay Springs (5-3)#5 Red Cloud (7-1)Hay Springs → Red Cloud367.6 mi735.2 mi~5h 45m2:30 PM CT
5D2#9 Aquinas Catholic (6-3)#8 Hemingford (7-2)David City → Hemingford353.6 mi707.3 mi~5h 30m6:00 PM mt
6C2#11 Mitchell (6-3)#6 Boone Central (9-0)Mitchell → Albion338.5 mi677.0 mi~5h 15m6:00 PM cst
7D6#14 Meridian (5-3)#3 Garden County (7-1)Daykin (Meridian HS) → Oshkosh320.6 mi641.3 mi~5h2:30 PM mt
8D2#12 Hitchcock County (6-3)#5 Lourdes Central Catholic (7-2)Trenton → Nebraska City303.7 mi607.4 mi~4h 45m6:00 PM CT
9D6#9 Leyton (7-1)#8 Riverside (7-1)Dalton (Leyton HS) → Spalding (Riverside)301.6 mi603.1 mi~4h 45m3:00 PM cst @ Spalding
10B#11 McCook (4-5)#6 Blair (8-1)McCook → Blair297.8 mi595.7 mi~4h 40m7:00 PM cst
11C1#16 Central City (4-5)#1 Sidney (9-0)Central City → Sidney287.9 mi575.8 mi~4h 30m5:00 PM mt
12D6#16 Crawford (5-3)#1 Stuart (8-0)Crawford → Stuart244.2 mi488.4 mi~4h 05m6:00 PM cst
13D6#11 Lewiston (6-2)#6 Medicine Valley (7-1)Lewiston → Curtis240.5 mi481.1 mi~4h3:00 PM cst
14D3#15 Falls City Sacred Heart (6-3)#2 Central Valley (8-1)Falls City → Wolbach (Central Valley)234.5 mi468.9 mi~3h 55m5:00 PM cst @ Wolbach
15D6#15 High Plains Community (5-3)#2 Wallace (7-1)Polk → Wallace221.2 mi442.5 mi~3h 40m7:00 PM cst
16C1#12 ONeill (6-3)#5 Syracuse (7-2)O'Neill → Syracuse220.3 mi440.7 mi~3h 40m6:00 PM cst
17C1#13 Cozad (4-5)#4 Pierce (9-0)Cozad → Pierce219.6 mi439.3 mi~3h 40m6:00 PM cst
18D1#14 Alma (6-3)#3 Stanton (9-0)Alma → Stanton212.0 mi424.1 mi~3h 30m6:00 PM cst
19D1#16 Amherst (5-4)#1 Johnson-Brock (9-0)Amherst → Johnson206.6 mi413.2 mi~3h 25m5:00 PM cst
20D3#14 Cambridge (7-2)#3 Archangels Catholic (8-1)Cambridge → Humphrey205.6 mi411.3 mi~3h 25m3:00 PM cst @ Humphrey
21D1#15 Ponca (5-4)#2 Sandy Creek (8-1)Ponca → Fairfield (Sandy Creek HS)204.7 mi409.3 mi~3h 25m6:00 PM cst
22D2#11 Wilcox-Hildreth (6-3)#6 Creighton (7-2)Wilcox → Creighton200.9 mi401.7 mi~3h 20m5:00 PM cst
23A#11 Kearney (6-3)#6 Omaha North (8-1)Kearney → Omaha (North HS)189.3 mi378.5 mi~3h 10m7:00 PM CT @ Kinnick Stadium
24D2#13 Neligh-Oakdale (7-2)#4 Loomis (9-0)Neligh → Loomis183.6 mi367.2 mi~3h 05m6:00 PM cst
25D3#12 Anselmo-Merna (7-2)#5 Wausa (8-1)Merna → Wausa182.7 mi365.4 mi~3h 05m6:00 PM cst @ Wausa Athletic Complex
26D3#16 St. Mary's (5-4)#1 Lawrence-Nelson (9-0)O'Neill (St. Mary's) → Nelson180.3 mi360.6 mi~3h6:00 PM cst
27D3#10 Deshler (7-2)#7 Twin Loup (8-1)Deshler → Sargent176.4 mi352.9 mi~2h 55m6:00 PM CT
28D2#14 BDS (6-3)#3 Laurel-Concord-Coleridge (8-1)Bruning → Laurel175.6 mi351.3 mi~2h 55m5:00 PM cst
29C2#10 Scotus Central Catholic (6-3)#7 Gothenburg (7-2)Columbus (Scotus Central Catholic) → Gothenburg175.5 mi351.1 mi~2h 55m6:30 PM cst
30D1#11 Centura (7-2)#6 Hartington-Newcastle (8-1)Cairo → Hartington167.9 mi335.8 mi~2h 50m3:00 PM CT
31D3#13 Guardian Angels Central Catholic (7-2)#4 Pleasanton (8-1)West Point (GACC) → Pleasanton167.5 mi334.9 mi~2h 50m6:00 PM cst
32D3#9 Wynot (7-2)#8 Burwell (7-2)Wynot → Burwell164.0 mi328.0 mi~2h 45m6:00 PM cst
33C2#16 Hershey (5-4)#1 Grand Island Central Catholic (9-0)Hershey → Grand Island (Central Catholic)158.4 mi316.8 mi~2h 40m6:00 PM cst
34D6#10 Southwest (5-3)#7 Arthur County (6-2)Bartley → Arthur155.9 mi311.8 mi~2h 35m2:00 PM mt
35C2#14 Lincoln Lutheran (5-4)#3 Cedar Catholic (9-0)Lincoln (Lutheran HS) → Hartington150.2 mi300.4 mi~2h 30m7:00 PM cst @ Hartington
36B#15 Hastings (2-7)#2 Gretna East (8-1)Hastings → Gretna (Gretna East HS)145.1 mi290.2 mi~2h 25m8:00 PM cst
37D1#10 Wisner-Pilger (7-2)#7 Sutton (7-2)Wisner → Sutton142.8 mi285.7 mi~2h 25m6:00 PM cst
38C1#10 Minden (8-1)#7 Lincoln Christian (7-2)Minden → Lincoln (Christian HS)140.6 mi281.3 mi~2h 20m7:00 PM cst
39C1#9 Adams Central (8-1)#8 Wahoo (7-2)Hastings (Adams Central HS) → Wahoo132.7 mi265.5 mi~2h 15m7:00 PM cst
40C2#13 Fillmore Central (6-3)#4 Ord (7-2)Geneva → Ord132.1 mi264.2 mi~2h 10m7:00 PM CT
41D3#11 Brady (8-1)#6 Dundy County Stratton (6-2)Brady → Benkelman123.6 mi247.1 mi~2h 05m6:00 PM mt
42B#9 Norris (4-5)#8 Northwest (7-2)Firth (Norris HS) → Grand Island (Northwest HS)119.5 mi239.1 mi~2h7:00 PM cst
43A#16 Columbus (5-4)#1 Omaha Westside (9-0)Columbus → Omaha (Westside HS)83.2 mi166.5 mi~1h 30m7:00 PM cst
44D2#15 Bertrand (6-3)#2 North Platte St. Patrick's (9-0)Bertrand → North Platte81.3 mi162.5 mi~1h 30m7:00 PM cst
45C2#12 Wilber-Clatonia (6-3)#5 Yutan (8-1)Wilber → Yutan79.7 mi159.5 mi~1h 25m7:00 PM cst
46D1#13 Cross County (6-3)#4 Ravenna (8-1)Stromsburg → Ravenna77.5 mi155.1 mi~1h 25m7:00 PM CT
47D1#9 Elmwood-Murdock (6-3)#8 Exeter-Milligan-Friend (8-1)Murdock → Friend73.6 mi147.1 mi~1h 20m7:00 PM cst
48A#13 Lincoln Southwest (6-3)#4 Bennington (8-1)Lincoln (Southwest HS) → Bennington64.9 mi129.7 mi~1h 10m7:00 PM CT
49D1#12 Elkhorn Valley (6-3)#5 Crofton (8-1)Tilden → Crofton63.8 mi127.7 mi~1h 10m7:00 PM cst
50D6#13 Sterling (5-3)#4 Diller-Odell (7-1)Sterling → Diller (Diller-Odell)53.6 mi107.1 mi~1h7:00 PM cst @ Diller
51A#15 Lincoln Standing Bear (5-4)#2 Millard South (8-1)Lincoln (Standing Bear HS) → Omaha (Buell Stadium / Millard South)48.4 mi96.9 mi~55m4:00 PM cst
52D2#10 East Butler (6-3)#7 Howells-Dodge (7-2)Brainard → Howells43.3 mi86.7 mi~45m7:00 PM cst
53D2#16 Fullerton (5-4)#1 Shelby-Rising City (9-0)Fullerton → Shelby42.5 mi85.0 mi~45m7:00 PM CT
54A#9 Lincoln Northeast (8-1)#8 Papillion-La Vista (7-2)Lincoln (Northeast HS) → Papillion (Foundation Field)41.4 mi82.7 mi~45m4:00 PM cst
55B#16 Lincoln Pius X (2-7)#1 Gretna (9-0)Lincoln (Pius X HS) → Gretna37.0 mi73.9 mi~40m4:00 PM cst
56C2#15 West Point-Beemer (5-4)#2 Bergan Catholic (9-0)West Point → Fremont (Heedum Field)34.5 mi69.0 mi~40m7:00 PM cst @ Heedum Field
57C2#9 Bishop Neumann (7-2)#8 Malcolm (7-2)Wahoo (Bishop Neumann) → Malcolm34.2 mi68.3 mi~35m7:00 PM cst
58B#10 Elkhorn (4-5)#7 Waverly (7-2)Elkhorn (Omaha) → Waverly32.1 mi64.1 mi~35m7:00 PM cst
59C1#11 Omaha Roncalli Catholic (7-2)#6 Ashland-Greenwood (7-2)Omaha (Roncalli Catholic HS) → Ashland31.6 mi63.3 mi~35m7:00 PM cst
60B#13 York (4-5)#4 Aurora (8-1)York → Aurora23.6 mi47.2 mi~30m7:00 PM cst
61A#14 Creighton Preparatory School (5-4)#3 Millard North (8-1)Omaha (Creighton Prep) → Omaha (Buell Stadium / Millard)10.7 mi21.4 mi~20m7:30 PM cst
62A#10 Millard West (5-4)#7 Papillion-La Vista South (6-3)Omaha (Millard West HS) → Papillion (Foundation Field)10.5 mi20.9 mi~20m8:00 PM CT
63B#12 Ralston (4-5)#5 Omaha Skutt Catholic (7-2)Ralston → Omaha (Skutt Catholic HS)7.4 mi14.9 mi~15m7:00 PM CT
64A#12 Elkhorn North (6-3)#5 Elkhorn South (6-3)Omaha (Elkhorn North HS) → Elkhorn (Elkhorn Stadium)4.0 mi8.0 mi~10m7:00 PM cst @ Elkhorn Stadium
All 64 NSAA Round 1 football playoff games ranked from longest road trip (#1 Auburn at Chadron, 519.0 miles) to shortest (#64 Elkhorn North vs. Elkhorn South at Elkhorn Stadium, 4.0 miles).

Interactive 8-Class Playoff Bracket Tracker (/playoffs) → · Full Round 1 Schedule & Kickoff Times →

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