NEBHSFB.com Playoff Predictions (by Scott Hansen)

Was one-hundred percent looking forward to this being my last year covering high school football, but have since reconsidered and will again think about it again over the holidays. The last two seasons in Nebraska after relocating from Texas have been amazing. Truly did not expect to see the state in such good shape when it comes to producing college level talent. This meant a lot more here than it did in Oklahoma or Texas.

Very much appreciate the mostly positive words this week after a rough few weeks.

With no viable measuring tool after missing 26 seasons of Nebraska high school football (1996-2021), it would be hard to convince me that Omaha Westside is not the best team ever from the Cornhusker State. Defending champion Westside is loaded and has the depth to run the table for its third state championship in five seasons.

Bennington has won 35 straight games, three short of tying the Class B record of 38 set by McCook (2002-04). The Badgers are loaded with undersized superheroes all over the roster. A scary thought for others in the Class B field, Bennington has steadily improved as the season has gone along.

In Class C-1, Boone Central has a chance to roll to the state title in emphatic fashion. Wahoo and Ashland-Greenwood will have something to say about that in the playoffs, but if you look at Boone Central’s roster it is difficult to argue. The Cardinals have a little bit of everything.

Meanwhile, Norfolk Catholic is considered a favorite to win its state record 12th state championship (playoffs began in 1975) and its second in a row.

Class D-1 has seven unbeaten teams, while Class D-2 is wide open. In Six Man, four unbeaten teams remain.

It all should make for an exciting culmination to the 2023 high school football season in Nebraska with six state championship games schedule for Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on November 20 and 21. The Six Man state title game will take place on November 17 at the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Cope Stadium.

State Playoff Picks (Pairings)

Class A

  • No reason to make any bold predictions here. Omaha Westside is by far the cream of the Nebraska high school football crop, with five shutouts in nine games this season allowing just 4.4 points per game while scoring 49.2 points per game. Bellevue West could not have asked for a worse draw in the first round. Papillion-La Vista is really good. Regular season rematches include Westside and Prep (57-7, Westside), Kearney and Grand Island (Kearney, 10-7), Millard West and Millard North (Millard West, 28-21), Elkhorn South and Papillion-La Vista South (Elkhorn South, 52-14) and Lincoln East and Lincoln Southeast (Lincoln East, 31-28 in double OT),

First Round: Omaha Westside over Omaha Creighton Prep; Bellevue West over Papillion-La Vista; Kearney over Grand Island; Millard West over Millard North; Millard South over Lincoln North Star; Gretna over Omaha North; Elkhorn South over Papio South; Lincoln Southeast over Lincoln East

Quarterfinals: Omaha Westside over Bellevue West; Kearney over Millard West; Millard South over Gretna; Elkhorn South over Lincoln Southeast

Semifinals: Omaha Westside over Kearney; Millard South over Elkhorn South

Final: Omaha Westside over Millard South

Class B

  • Winners of 35 straight games, two-time defending Class B state champions Bennington are trying to pull off the first three-peat in Class B history. Skutt has perhaps one of the best chances to stop the Badgers, but also expect Waverly and Elkhorn North to make a serious run. Rematches from the regular season are York and Scottsbluff (York, 14-10), Elkhorn North and Elkhorn (Elkhorn North, 35-17), Seward and Hastings (Seward, 26-14), Omaha Skutt and Omaha Gross (Skutt, 35-21), and Plattsmouth and Blair (Plattsmouth, 30-27 in overtime).

First Round: Bennington over Crete; Norris over Grand Island Northwest; York over Scottsbluff; Elkhorn North over Elkhorn; Waverly over Ralston; Seward over Hastings; Omaha Skutt over Omaha Gross; Plattsmouth over Blair

Quarterfinals: Bennington over Norris; Elkhorn North over York; Waverly over Seward; Omaha Skutt over Plattsmouth

Semifinals: Bennington over Elkhorn North; Omaha Skutt over Waverly

Final: Omaha Skutt over Bennington

Class C-1

  • Despite Wahoo running the table for an unbeaten regular season, it could be Boone Central by a mile. Boone Central, searching for its first state title since 2001, has size and a little bit of everything including running back Parker Borer and offensive lineman Trent Patzel (6’7/285). Wahoo’s time will come sooner rather than later. Rematches from the regular season include Wahoo and Columbus Scotus (Wahoo, 32-0), Pierce and Omaha Roncalli (Pierce, 37-28), Boone Central and Columbus Lakeview (Boone Central, 35-0), and Adams Central and Aurora (Adams Central, 21-19).

First Round: Wahoo over Columbus Scotus; Douglas County West over Broken Bow; Sidney over Gothenburg; Omaha Roncalli over Pierce; Boone Central over Columbus Lakeview; Auburn over Ogallala; Ashland-Greenwood over Chadron; Aurora over Adams Central

Quarterfinals: Wahoo over Douglas County West; Omaha Roncalli over Sidney; Boone Central over Auburn; Ashland-Greenwood over Aurora

Semifinals: Wahoo over Omaha Roncalli; Boone Central over Ashland-Greenwood

Final: Boone Central over Wahoo

Class C-2

  • Norfolk Catholic will look to extend its state record for state football championships in Nebraska to 12 while also attempting to win its second straight title. The Knights handed Battle Creek and Oakland-Craig their lone loss of the regular season. Fillmore Central and Wilber-Clatonia (Fillmore Central, 35-13) is the only rematch from the regular season in the Class C-2 field. Wahoo Neumann’s forfeit to David City in Week 8 had a huge impact on seeding, causing the Cavaliers to travel 436 miles for its playoff game with Mitchell.

First Round: Norfolk Catholic over David City Aquinas; Battle Creek over Kearney Catholic; Fillmore Central over WIlber-Clatonia; Malcolm over Chase County; Oakland-Craig over Amherst; Yutan over Hastings St. Cecilia; Ord over Cedar Catholic; Wahoo Neumann over Mitchell

Quarterfinals: Norfolk Catholic over Battle Creek; Malcolm over Fillmore Central; Oakland-Craig over Yutan; Ord over Wahoo Neumann

Semifinals: Norfolk Catholic over Malcolm; Ord over Oakland-Creig

Final: Norfolk Catholic over Ord

Class D-1

Second Round: Stanton over Summerland; Arapahoe over Ravenna; Cross County over Perkins County; Weeping Water over Sandy Creek; North Platte St. Patrick’s over Clarkson/Leigh; Exeter-Milligan/Friend over Shelby-Rising City; Crofton over Bridgeport; Elkhorn Valley over Plainview

Quarterfinals: Stanton over Arapahoe; Cross County over Weeping Water; North Platte St. Patrick’s over Exeter-Milligan/Friend; Crofton over Elkhorn Valley

Semifinals: Stanton over Cross County; North Platte St. Patrick’s over Crofton

Final: Stanton over North Platte St. Patrick’s

First Round Picks: 6-2 (Missed Summerland and Perkins County)

Class D-2

Second Round: Johnson-Brock over Anselmo-Merna; Lourdes Central Catholic over Sandhills/Thedford; South Loup over Lawrence-Nelson; Central Valley over BDS; Wynot over Mullen; Humphrey St. Francis over Axtell; Dundy County-Stratton over Twin Loup; Ainsworth over Howells-Dodge

Quarterfinals: Johnson-Brock over Lourdes Central Catholic; South Loup over Central Valley; Humphrey St. Francis over Wynot; Dundy County-Stratton over Ainsworth

Semifinals: Johnson-Brock over South Loup; Dundy County-Stratton over Humphrey St. Francis

Final: Dundy County-Stratton over Johnson-Brock

First Round Picks: 7-1 (Missed Weeping Water)

Class D-6

First Round: S-E-M over Paxton; Stuart over Southwest; Pawnee City over Sioux County; Wilcox-Hildreth over Garden County; Arthur County over Shelton; Hampton over Hay Springs; Potter-Dix over Red Cloud; Parkview Christian over Cody-Kilgore

Quarterfinals: S-E-M over Stuart; Pawnee City over Wilcox-Hildreth; Arthur County over Hampton; Potter-Dix over Parkview Christian

Semifinals: Pawnee City over S-E-M; Arthur County over Potter-Dix

Final: Pawnee City over Arthur County