Football · Preview · Class C1
Pierce at Central City: playoff stakes for Central City
Pierce (8-0) at Central City (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.
Central City goes into the final week of the regular season close to the playoff line, 13th in Class C1's NSAA point standings. Both play in District C1-4: Pierce is 3-0 in district games and Central City is 2-1.
Friday, Oct. 23, at Central City, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class C1, the six district champions and the 10 best remaining averages qualify.
Pierce is 3rd in Class C1's NSAA point standings at 42.875. It is 3-0 in District C1-4 games.
Central City is 13th in Class C1's NSAA point standings at 38.875. It is 2-1 in District C1-4 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Pierce (8-0) opened with a 54-19 win at Douglas County West (3-5). It hasn't lost. Its closest game was a 36-35 win over Columbus Lakeview (3-5). It comes in on an 8-game winning streak, most recently a 47-26 win at Wayne (1-7).
Central City (4-4) opened with a 47-20 loss at Ord (7-1). All four of its losses came against teams with winning records: at Ord (7-1), 47-20; Adams Central (7-1), 37-14; at O'Neill (5-3), 20-19; Grand Island Central Catholic (8-0), 50-6. Its best win by opponent record was a 41-7 win over Douglas County West (3-5). Last week it had a 27-23 win at Columbus Lakeview (3-5).
By the numbers
| Pierce | Central City | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 8-0 | 4-4 |
| Class and NSAA rank | C1, 3rd (42.875) | C1, 13th (38.875) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | No. 3 | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 37.6 | 25.1 |
| Points allowed per game | 19.8 | 28.1 |
| Average margin | +17.9 | -3.0 |
| Current streak | Won 8 | Won 1 |
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 | Pierce | Central City |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus Lakeview | W 36-35 | W 27-23 |
| Douglas County West | W 54-19 | W 41-7 |
| O'Neill | W 14-7 | L 19-20 |
| Wayne | W 47-26 | W 48-27 |
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
- Pierce's offense. It averages 37.6 points. Central City allows 28.1.
- Central City's offense. It averages 25.1; Pierce allows 19.8.
- Pierce's streak. 8 straight wins.
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