Football · Preview · Class B
Northwest at Scottsbluff: a top-10 matchup to close the regular season
Northwest (6-2) at Scottsbluff (8-0), 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.
Both teams are in the latest Hurrdat Sports coaches poll: Northwest at No. 8 and Scottsbluff at No. 5 in Class B. They finish the regular season against each other Friday. Both play in District B-3: Northwest is 3-1 in district games and Scottsbluff is 4-0.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Scottsbluff. 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.
Northwest is 8th in Class B's NSAA point standings at 40.125. It is 3-1 in District B-3 games.
Scottsbluff is 2nd in Class B's NSAA point standings at 43.250. It is 4-0 in District B-3 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Northwest is 6-2. Its season began with a 42-7 loss to Waverly (6-2). All two of its losses came against teams with winning records: Waverly (6-2), 42-7; at Aurora (7-1), 35-27. Its best win by opponent record was a 35-0 win at McCook (4-4). It comes in on a 3-game winning streak, most recently a 13-0 win over Hastings (1-7). The defense has two shutouts.
Scottsbluff is 8-0. Its season began with a 21-6 win over Lincoln Pius X (2-6). It hasn't lost. Its closest game was a 24-21 win over Aurora (7-1). It comes in on an 8-game winning streak, most recently a 21-7 win at McCook (4-4).
By the numbers
| Northwest | Scottsbluff | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 6-2 | 8-0 |
| Class and NSAA rank | B, 8th (40.125) | B, 2nd (43.250) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 8 | No. 5 |
| Points scored per game | 24.1 | 36.8 |
| Points allowed per game | 14.8 | 10.5 |
| Average margin | +9.4 | +26.2 |
| Current streak | Won 3 | Won 8 |
Shared opponents
These two have played four of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Northwest | Scottsbluff |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora | L 27-35 | W 24-21 |
| Gering | W 42-13 | W 56-7 |
| Hastings | W 13-0 | W 59-13 |
| McCook | W 35-0 | W 21-7 |
Players to know
Among the leaders in MaxPreps game reports through Week 8: Scottsbluff's Mason Schmer (1,320 rushing yards in 8 reported games). Reports aren't complete for every game, so treat these as minimums.
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
- Scottsbluff's offense. It averages 36.8 points. Northwest allows 14.8.
- Northwest's offense. It averages 24.1; Scottsbluff allows 10.5.
- Scottsbluff's defense. It allows 10.5 points a game.
- Northwest's streak. 3 straight wins.
- Scottsbluff's streak. 8 straight wins.
Game center: live score, matchup and both teams →
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