A non-expert’s predictions for the 2025 NSAA State Football Playoffs…

Class A (Playoff Bracket)

What to Know: Millard South, unless you have been under a rock since the spring, is the clear-cut favorite. The defending champion Patriots have outscored in-state opponents by the combined score of 489-10 this season. The most interesting part of the Class A playoffs is how the brackets worked out. It is probably harsh for Omaha Westside and Elkhorn South to be denied for a shot and making a run to the final being on the same side of the bracket as Millard South. Niether Omaha Westside or Elkhorn South is going to back down from the Patriots as two of the most successful Class A programs in recent memory. Millard South will get its best shot from each program. For the Millard South naysayers on social media (and there are a lot of them), Class A will be a lot more wide open in 2026. So relax.

First Round: Omaha Westside over Bellevue West, Kearney over Columbus, Elkhorn South over Millard West, Millard South over Omaha Westview, Papio South over Lincoln North Star, Omaha North over Millard North, Omaha Central over Lincoln East, Creighton Prep over Lincoln Southeast

Quarterfinals: Omaha Westside over Kearney, Millard South over Elkhorn South, Papio South over Omaha North, Creighton Prep over Omaha Central

Semifinals: Millard South over Omaha Westside, Papio South over Creighton Prep

Final: Millard South over Papio South
Darkhorse: Elkhorn South

Class B (Playoff Bracket)

What to Know: This thing is wide open. Six teams have a shot at winning the state championship in 2025. Not a lot is separating No. 1 Waverly, No. 2 Norris, No. 3 Gretna East, No. 4 Skutt Catholic, No. 5 Gretna East, and No. 6 Bennington. From seven and beyond, there is a small gap but it’s not like the Seward’s, Scottsbluff’s, and McCook’s of the world are going to make it easy for the Omaha and Lincoln area teams.

First Round: Waverly over Northwest, Seward over McCook, Bennington over Plattsmouth, Elkhorn North over Lincoln Pius X, Scottsbluff over York, Norris over Gretna, Skutt Catholic over Gering, Gretna East over Lincoln Standing Bear

Quarterfinals: Waverly over Seward, Bennington over Elkhorn North, Norris over Scottsbluff, Skutt Catholic over Gretna East

Semifinals: Waverly over Bennington, Skutt Catholic over Norris

Final: Waverly over Skutt Catholic
Darkhorse: Elkhorn North

Class C-1 (Playoff Bracket)

What to Know: As it did in 2024, Wahoo is likely to run through the Class C-1 bracket without much trouble. It is meant as no disrespect to the 15 other schools in the C-1 playoffs — it displays how dominate Wahoo has been over its 22-game winning streak. This season, Wahoo has outscored its opponents 445-66. Running back Kip Brigham is pushing for 2,000 rushing yards for the second straight campaign is likely the best overall player in C-1. Last season’s runner-up Central City lost to Aurora in Week 9. The first round rematch between to two is definitely a headliner. Central City remains very dangerous. O’Neill is better than many think, while Syracuse is dead serious about its running game and is capable of springing a surprise.

First Round: Wahoo over Milford, O’Neill over Mount Michael, Syracuse over Omaha Gross, Ashland-Greenwood over Chadron, Sidney over Pierce, Gothenburg over Fort Calhoun, Aurora over Central City, Columbus Lakeview over Boys Town

Quarterfinals: Wahoo over O’Neill, Ashland-Greenwood over Syracuse, Sidney over Gothenburg, Columbus Lakeview over Aurora

Semifinals: Wahoo over Ashland-Greenwood, Columbus Lakeview over Sidney

Final: Wahoo over Columbus Lakeview
Darkhorse: Central City

Class C-2 (Playoff Bracket)

What to Know: This may be the most wide open classes of them all. Cedar Catholic and Kearney Catholic enter with a 9-0 record. Cedar Catholic’s best win is 21-20 on the road at No. 2 Archbishop Bergan in Week 3. When three-time defending state champion Norfolk Catholic is lurking, anything is possible. Jeff Bellar is still coaching Norfolk Catholic, which makes them a contender despite its 7-2 regular season mark. There are also teams that are not favored this week who could spring a surprise. It is really that tight in Class C-2.

First Round: Cedar Catholic over Hershey, Ord over Doniphan-Trumbull, Archbishop Bergan over Wood River, Grand Island CC over West Point-Beemer, Boone Central over Kearney Catholic, Malcolm over Lincoln Lutheran, Norfolk Catholic over Yutan, Bishop Neumann over Arlington

Quarterfinals: Cedar Catholic over Ord, Archbishop Bergan over Grand Island CC, Boone Central over Malcolm, Norfolk Catholic over Bishop Neumann

Semifinals; Archbishop Bergan over Cedar Cathoilc, Norfolk Catholic over Boone Central

Final: Norfolk Catholic over Archbishop Bergan
Darkhorse: West Point-Beemer

Class D-1  (Playoff Bracket)

What to Know: Following Class D-1 this season has been rewarding. With Eight-Man being the most difficult to predict in the preseason, learning is always fun. There are a handful of teams who could make a serious run at the state championship. Shelby-Rising City may be considered the favorite by many based off its impressive win over defending state champion Sandy Creek in the regular season. As for Sandy Creek, sophomore quarterback Kam Sealey is a huge problem for opposing coaches. And Dundy County-Stratton has Ethan Latta, who may be the most productive career player in the D-1 bracket. This could go many ways. Class D-1 has perhaps been the most competitive class of them all in 2025.

Second Round: Shelby-Rising City over Bloomfield, Pender over Lourdes Central Catholic, Crofton over Johnson-Brock, Hemingford over Stanton, Sandy Creek over Wisner-Pilger, Wausa-Osmond over Bridgeport, Plainview over Thayer Central, Dundy County-Stratton over McCool Junction

Quarterfinals: Shelby-Rising City over Pender, Crofton over Hemingford, Sandy Creek over Wausa-Osmond, Dundy County-Stratton over Plainview

Semifinals: Shelby-Rising City over Crofton, Sandy Creek over Dundy County-Stratton

Final: Sandy Creek over Shelby-Rising City
Darkhorse: Bridgeport

Class D-2 (Playoff Bracket)

What to Know: Class D-2 is also very wide open. Up to seven teams, depending on the bracket, could make an honest run at Memorial Stadium. Lawrence-Nelson could have been a darkhorse, but gets a rematch with top-ranked Howells-Dodge in the quarterfinals if the results go as expected. Twin Loup could perhaps make things interesting. When it’s time to pick a winner, usually going with the best player in Class D-2 and ride your luck. Gage Hedstrom of St. Mary’s is the best player in the class, which makes the Cardinals a favorite heading into the playoffs.

Second Round: Howells-Dodge over Overton, Lawrence-Nelson over Elmwood-Murdock, Sanhdhills/Thedford over Anselmo-Merna, St. Mary’s over Burwell, Hitchcock County over Twin Loup, Wynot over Mullen, Archangels Catholic over Loomis, Central Valley over Deshler

Quarterfinals: Howells-Dodge over Lawrence-Nelson, St. Mary’s over Sandhills/Thedford, Wynot over Hitchcock County, Central Valley over Archangels Catholic

Semifinals: St. Mary’s over Howells-Dodge, Central Valley over Wynot

Final: St. Mary’s over Central Valley
Darkhorse: Twin Loup

Class D-6  (Playoff Bracket)

What to Know: Friday afternoons are great for Hudl Fan watching in Six-Man. Garden County has been the best team throughout the regular season with impressive wins over Stuart and Leyton. Garden County beat Stuart, 28-14. Stuart is 7-1 heading into the postseason while three unbeatens survived the regular season, including Garden County, Red Cloud, and Southwest. Upsets may be on the cards, which makes Six-Man football in Nebraska so exciting.

First Round: Garden County over Crawford, Silver Lake over Arthur County, Leyton over Pawnee City, Stuart over Meridian, Southwest over Lewiston, S-E-M over Potter-Dix, Hampton over Wallace, Red Cloud over Wauneta-Palisade

Quarterfinals: Garden County over Silver Lake, Stuart over Leyton, Southwest over S-E-M, Red Cloud over Hampton

Semifinals: Stuart over Garden County, Southwest over Red Cloud

Final: Southwest over Stuart
Darkhorse: S-E-M