The air at Memorial Stadium on a late November Tuesday isn't just cold. It’s biting. But honestly, if you’re standing on that turf in Lincoln, you probably don't care about the wind chill. For the teams that survived the Nebraska high school football playoffs 2025, that wind was just another opponent to flatten.
Last season was weird. Usually, we have a clear hierarchy, but 2025 felt like a year where the "old guard" and the "new blood" had a serious collision. We saw a 45-year title drought end in Class B, a repeat powerhouse in Class A that might be the best team the state has ever seen, and some eight-man scores that looked more like basketball results.
If you weren't following the wild card points every Saturday morning, you probably missed how we actually got here.
The Class A Juggernaut and the Seeding Mess
Let’s talk about Millard South. They were the story of the year.
Basically, the Patriots were a buzzsaw. They finished the season 12-1, but that "1" was a forfeit loss, not an on-field defeat. If you look at the scoreboard, they were untouchable. They capped off the Nebraska high school football playoffs 2025 with a 49-0 thumping of Papillion-La Vista South in the Class A final.
People kept asking: "How was Millard South the #4 seed?"
It’s the NSAA wild card system. It doesn’t care about "eye tests" or how many points your Alabama-commit quarterback throws for in the first half. Jett Thomalla was out there breaking records—he tied the 11-man playoff record with seven touchdown passes in a single half during the postseason—but the points system rewarded consistency and strength of schedule differently.
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Top 16 Class A Standings (Post-Regular Season):
- Omaha Westside (#1)
- Creighton Prep (#2)
- Papillion-La Vista South (#3)
- Millard South (#4)
Westside was great, don't get me wrong. But Millard South was playing on another planet. By the time they hit the semifinals and dismantled Westside 62-21, everyone realized the bracket was upside down. The final against Papio South was almost a formality. The Patriots scored 27 points in the first quarter against a 20-mph wind. That’s just mean.
The 45-Year Wait in Class B
While Class A was a coronation, Class B was a relief.
Waverly hadn't touched a state trophy since 1980. Think about that. Jimmy Carter was in the White House the last time the Vikings won it all. They finally broke the curse by beating Gretna East 42-27.
Gretna East is the "new kid" on the block, only three years into their program's history. They play a physical, old-school brand of football, but Waverly’s Nathan Axmann was too much. He carried the ball 42 times in the semifinals alone. By the time the final rolled around, Waverly looked like a team possessed. They had been to the semifinals five times in the last eight years and kept hitting a wall. This time, they drove right through it.
Small Town Power: Wahoo and the C-1 Defensive Masterclass
If you like high-scoring shootouts, Class C-1 was not for you.
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Wahoo won their second straight title by beating Sidney 20-6. It was a slugfest. Sidney was a first-time finalist and had a defense that was giving up maybe 50 yards a game on the ground. Wahoo, led by Kip Brigham (the state’s all-time touchdown leader), had to earn every single inch.
It wasn't pretty.
It was cold.
It was a defensive gem.
Wahoo has now won 38 of their last 39 games. That is a run of dominance that small-town Nebraska rarely sees. Coach Chad Fox has built a machine out there. Sidney gave them everything, even driving to the 3-yard line on the opening possession, but Wahoo’s "bend but don't break" mentality held firm.
The Wild World of Eight-Man and Six-Man
You haven't lived until you've seen a 71-60 football score.
That happened in Class D-2. Wynot took down O'Neill St. Mary’s in the highest-scoring game in the history of the Class D-2 playoffs. Devin Brummer, the Wynot QB, threw seven touchdowns. On the other side, Gage Hedstrom finished his career as the national eight-man record holder for touchdowns.
It was basically a track meet with helmets on.
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In Class D-1, Sandy Creek proved they are the kings of the 8-man world right now. They beat Crofton 66-26. Kam Sealey is a name you’re going to hear for a long time—he accounted for nine touchdowns in that game. Nine.
Then you have Garden County in the Six-Man (D-6) ranks. They went 12-0 and won their first-ever state title by beating Southwest 41-22. Six-man football is a different beast; you have to be able to tackle in space, or you’re toast. Garden County’s second quarter was the turning point—they scored 33 points in ten minutes.
What Most Fans Miss About the NSAA System
Every year, fans complain about the brackets. "Why is my team traveling five hours for a first-round game?"
The NSAA moved away from traditional districts in Class A and B to try and balance things out. They use "tiers" or "buckets" now. They want the best 16 teams in the playoffs, regardless of where they live.
- Class A: No more automatic qualifiers from districts. It’s strictly top 16 in wild card points.
- Class B: They still use some geography (three districts), but the "emerging district" champion gets an automatic bid as the #16 seed.
This is why you saw Millard South as a #4 seed despite being the best team. The points are weighted by the wins and losses of your opponents. If your schedule is full of teams that struggle, your "points" stay low, even if you win by 50 every week. It’s a frustrating system for fans, but it’s designed to prevent "easy" paths to Lincoln.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you’re looking ahead to the next cycle, here’s what you need to keep an eye on to stay ahead of the curve:
- Watch the Reclassification: Every two years, schools move between classes based on enrollment. Keep an eye on the border-line schools in C-1 and B; a big school dropping down can wreck a whole division.
- Track the "Points per Victory" (PPV): If you want to know where your team will seed, don't just look at their record. Look at who they beat. A win over a 7-2 team is worth way more than a win over a 2-7 team.
- The Six-Man Surge: D-6 is the fastest-growing part of Nebraska football. More small schools are dropping from 8-man to 6-man, which is making that bracket much deeper and more competitive than it was five years ago.
- Follow the Commitments: Players like Jett Thomalla (Alabama) and Connor Sams (Air Force) changed the gravity of their respective classes. Knowing which teams have "Saturday talent" is usually the easiest way to pick a champion in August.
The Nebraska high school football playoffs 2025 proved that while the system might be complicated, the best teams usually find a way to the top. Whether it's a 45-year wait or a back-to-back repeat, the road to Memorial Stadium remains the hardest path in Nebraska sports.