Football · Preview · Class B
No. 8 Northwest vs. No. 9 Norris: the closest seed matchup in Class B
No. 8 Northwest (7-2) hosts No. 9 Norris (4-5) in the Class B first round Fri., Oct. 30. Stats, charts, players to watch, history and keys to the game.
Publication check, Oct. 28: Current NSAA seeds, records and point averages checked; kickoff and host details synchronized with the verified site schedule. Season statistics and chart reporting remain the dated Week9 draft snapshot, not a new full-season audit.
Seeds, records and point averages: NSAA's official bracket, Oct. 24, 2026. Scores: NSAA finals. Player stats: MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Coaches poll: Hurrdat Sports, Oct. 18.
Only 2.6667 NSAA points separate No. 8 Northwest (7-2) and No. 9 Norris (4-5). The winner moves on to face the winner of No. 1 Gretna vs. No. 16 Lincoln Pius X.
The game is Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:00 PM CT. Host: Northwest. Current Game Center and source links →
The matchup at a glance
Northwest finished 2.6667 points ahead of Norris in NSAA's point averages. Northwest scored 26.3 and allowed 17.2 points a game; Norris scored 22.5 and allowed 24.0. Northwest's opponents went a combined 37-44, and Norris's went 51-30.
| Northwest | Norris | |
|---|---|---|
| Seed | No. 8 | No. 9 |
| Record (NSAA) | 7-2 | 4-5 |
| NSAA point average | 41.5556 | 38.8889 |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 8 | No. 9 |
| Points scored / game | 26.3 | 22.5 |
| Points allowed / game | 17.2 | 24.0 |
| Average margin | +9.1 | -1.5 |
| vs. playoff teams | 4-2 | 3-4 |
| vs. winning teams | 1-2 | 0-4 |
| One-score games | 1-1 | 1-2 |
| Opponents' combined record | 37-44 | 51-30 |
| Last 3 games | W 42-13, W 13-0, W 44-37 | L 12-48, L 7-47, W 20-6 |
| Streak | Won 4 | Won 1 |
How Northwest got here
Northwest finished the regular season 7-2, scoring 237 points and allowing 155. Both losses came against teams with winning records: Waverly (7-2), 42-7; at Aurora (8-1), 35-27. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 4-2. It comes in on a 4-game winning streak, capped by a 44-37 win at Scottsbluff (8-1) in Week 9. The defense posted two shutouts.
How Norris got here
Norris finished the regular season 4-5, scoring 180 points and allowing 192. All four losses came against teams with winning records: Gretna East (8-1), 27-20; Scottsbluff (8-1), 24-17; Waverly (7-2), 48-12; Gretna (9-0), 47-7. Against teams that made this year's playoff field, it went 3-4. In Week 9 it had a 20-6 win at York (4-5). NSAA lists Norris at 4-5. Our score data doesn't have its Sept. 19 at Aurora result yet, so the per-game numbers here cover 8 games.
By the numbers
Shared opponents
They played three of the same opponents. Northwest went 2-1 in those games and Norris went 1-2. Different weeks and sites, so it's a rough guide.
| Opponent | Northwest | Norris |
|---|---|---|
| Scottsbluff * | W 44-37 | L 17-24 |
| Seward | W 35-14 | W 24-6 |
| Waverly * | L 7-42 | L 12-48 |
Players to watch
Season totals from MaxPreps game reports through Week 9. Not every game has a report, so treat these as minimums.
Northwest
- B. Wissing (QB): 982 passing yards, 70 of 125, 8 TD, 6 INT
- Z. Harb: 384 rushing yards (4.6 per carry), 8 TD
- G. Burt: 15 catches, 430 yards, 5 TD
- Z. Harb: 90 tackles, 2 for loss
- G. Burt: 3 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 8 of its 9 games.
Norris
- B. Hausmann (QB): 435 passing yards, 36 of 71, 3 TD, 2 INT
- J. Kranau: 845 rushing yards (5.5 per carry), 9 TD
- R. Schoenbeck: 68 tackles, 3 for loss
- K. Gana: 2 interceptions
MaxPreps game reports cover 7 of its 8 games.
Historical program and playoff-series claims are withheld pending school-identity verification. Current-season reporting above is unaffected.
Keys to the game
- Can Norris slow Northwest's offense? Northwest averaged 26.3 points; Norris allowed 24.0. Northwest scored 30 or more in 4 of 9 games.
- Norris's answer. It scored 22.5 a game, and Northwest's defense allowed 17.2. In its losses, though, Norris averaged 14.0.
- Tested against playoff teams. Northwest went 4-2 against this year's playoff field; Norris went 3-4.
- If it's close late. In one-score games (8 points or fewer), Northwest was 1-1 and Norris was 1-2.
- B. Wissing and the ball. Northwest's quarterback threw 6 interceptions in 125 reported attempts; Norris's K. Gana has 2 picks.
- Stopping J. Kranau. Norris's top rusher has 845 reported yards and 9 touchdowns. Northwest allowed 17.2 points a game.
What's next
The winner plays the winner of No. 1 Gretna vs. No. 16 Lincoln Pius X in the quarterfinals Friday, Nov. 6. Higher seeds host through the semifinals. The Class B state final is Tue., Nov. 24, 7:15 p.m., Memorial Stadium, Lincoln.
Game center: kickoff, live score and bracket path → · Full Class B bracket →
Verified state finals schedule → · Class bracket →
Northwest team center → · Norris team center →
Nebraska football scores and schedules → · Football playoff tracker →