Football · Preview · Class C1
Wayne at O'Neill: playoff stakes for O'Neill
Wayne (1-7) at O'Neill (5-3), 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.
O'Neill goes into the final week of the regular season close to the playoff line, 12th in Class C1's NSAA point standings. Both play in District C1-4: Wayne is 0-3 in district games and O'Neill is 2-1.
Friday, Oct. 23, at O'Neill, 7 p.m.
The playoff picture
In Class C1, the six district champions and the 10 best remaining averages qualify.
Wayne is 26th in Class C1's NSAA point standings at 32.500. It is 0-3 in District C1-4 games.
O'Neill is 12th in Class C1's NSAA point standings at 39.875. 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
Wayne is 1-7. Its season began with a 43-7 loss to Boys Town (8-0). Its losses: Boys Town (8-0), 43-7; at Lincoln Christian (6-2), 45-21; at Concordia Omaha (2-6), 47-20; Arlington (2-6), 21-15; at Central City (4-4), 48-27; Columbus Lakeview (3-5), 42-7; Pierce (8-0), 47-26. Its best win by opponent record was a 31-14 win over Raymond Central (0-8). It comes in on a 5-game losing streak, most recently a 47-26 loss to Pierce (8-0).
O'Neill is 5-3. Its season began with a 16-0 loss at Chadron (7-1). All three of its losses came against teams with winning records: at Chadron (7-1), 16-0; Ord (7-1), 34-24; at Pierce (8-0), 14-7. Its best win by opponent record was a 20-19 win over Central City (4-4). Last week it had a 42-0 win over Broken Bow (2-6). The defense has two shutouts.
By the numbers
| Wayne | O'Neill | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 1-7 | 5-3 |
| Class and NSAA rank | C1, 26th (32.500) | C1, 12th (39.875) |
| Coaches poll (Oct. 18) | Not ranked | Not ranked |
| Points scored per game | 19.2 | 20.8 |
| Points allowed per game | 38.4 | 12.2 |
| Average margin | -19.1 | +8.5 |
| Current streak | Lost 5 | Won 1 |
Shared opponents
These two have played three of the same teams. It's a rough guide, since the games came in different weeks and places.
| Opponent | Wayne | O'Neill |
|---|---|---|
| Central City | L 27-48 | W 20-19 |
| Columbus Lakeview | L 7-42 | W 35-7 |
| Pierce | L 26-47 | L 7-14 |
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
- O'Neill's offense. It averages 20.8 points. Wayne allows 38.4.
- O'Neill's defense. It allows 12.2 points a game.
- Wayne's streak. 5 straight losses.
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