Football · Preview · Class D3
Sandhills/Thedford at Mullen: what to know before the regular-season finale
Sandhills/Thedford (4-4) at Mullen (3-5), Thursday, Oct. 22. 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.
The regular season ends Thursday for Sandhills/Thedford (4-4) and Mullen (3-5). Both play in District D3-6: Sandhills/Thedford is 2-2 in district games and Mullen is 1-3.
Thursday, Oct. 22, at Mullen. Kickoff time has not been posted on our schedule yet.
The playoff picture
In Class D3, the seven district champions and the nine best remaining averages qualify.
Sandhills/Thedford is 23rd in Class D3's NSAA point standings at 38.000. It is 2-2 in District D3-6 games.
Mullen is 28th in Class D3's NSAA point standings at 36.375. It is 1-3 in District D3-6 games.
Projections are not official seeds. NSAA sets the field after Week 9.
How they got here
Sandhills/Thedford is 4-4. Its season began with a 54-32 win at Hyannis (3-5). Its losses: Burwell (7-1), 50-18; at CWC (2-6), 50-30; Anselmo-Merna (6-2), 46-0; Brady (7-1), 64-14. Its best win by opponent record was a 54-32 win at Hyannis (3-5). Last week it had a 48-33 win over Maxwell (3-5).
Mullen is 3-5. Its season began with a 54-12 win over Hyannis (3-5). Its losses: at Bayard (3-6), 22-14; at Twin Loup (7-1), 66-6; Brady (7-1), 54-30; at Anselmo-Merna (6-2), 76-28; at Maxwell (3-5), 28-25. Its best win by opponent record was a 54-12 win over Hyannis (3-5). Last week it had a 48-26 win over Sandhills Valley (0-8).
By the numbers
| Sandhills/Thedford | Mullen | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-4 | 3-5 |
| Class and NSAA rank | D3, 23rd (38.000) | D3, 28th (36.375) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | Not ranked | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 33.0 | 33.5 |
| Points allowed per game | 41.0 | 37.0 |
| Average margin | -8.0 | -3.5 |
| Current streak | Won 1 | Won 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 | Sandhills/Thedford | Mullen |
|---|---|---|
| Anselmo-Merna | L 0-46 | L 28-76 |
| Brady | L 14-64 | L 30-54 |
| Hyannis | W 54-32 | W 54-12 |
| Maxwell | W 48-33 | L 25-28 |
| Sandhills Valley | W 66-44 | W 48-26 |
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
- Mullen's offense. It averages 33.5 points. Sandhills/Thedford allows 41.0.
- Sandhills/Thedford's offense. It averages 33.0; Mullen allows 37.0.
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