Nebraska Prep Football Classification Changes for the 2024/2025 Cycle

In the past month, several high school football fans have asked me about some of the high school football classification changes for the next 2 year cycle and frankly they are so numerous I just could not recall many of those changes. So, let’s list those changes for you and it sure seems as though there are an extraordinarily large number of schools changing classes this time around. In addition, there are always those few “shockers” that grab your attention when the NSAA releases those numbers.

Falling into that “shocking" category (for me anyway) are.

*Omaha Brownell-Talbot rising from Class D-1, 8-Man to Class C-1, 11-Man football. That is a HUGE jump.

*David City High and Centennial dropping down from 11-Man to 8-Man football and Centennial’s boy enrollment number of 46 making them immediately eligible for the D-1 playoffs (Cutoff number is 47).

*Equally as shocking is the fact that David City Aquinas (boy enrollment of 46), Fremont Bergan (45) and Hastings St. Cecilia (38) would ALL have been eligible to play 8-Man football this next 2-year cycle. Oakland-Craig (48) was just one boy away, and perennial powerhouse Norfolk Catholic (54) seven boys above the 8-Man cutoff of 47.

Where has the time (or the boy numbers) gone?

Here are all the changes for the 2024/2025 NSAA Football cycle

*Classification Changes for Class A/11-Man Football

UP from Class B to Class A, Omaha Westview

*Classification Changes for Class B/11-Man Football

Drops from Class A to Class B, Gretna High

UP from C-1 to Class B, McCook

UP from C-1 to Class B, Platteview

*Classification Changes for C-1/11-Man Football

#Opted down from Class B to C-1, Alliance

#Opted down from Class B to C-1, Elkhorn Mt. Michael

#Opted down from Class B to C-1, Nebraska City

#Opted down from Class B to C-1, Schuyler

Drops from Class B to C-1, Omaha Gross

UP from C-2 to C-1, Wilber-Clatonia

UP from C-2 to C-1, Logan View

UP from C-2 to C-1, Chase County

UP from C-2 to C-1, Milford

UP from C-2 to C-1, Louisville

Up from 8-Man (D-1) to 11-Man (C-1), Omaha Brownell-Talbot

#11-Man teams ineligible for the playoffs this year (2024) and next (2025)

#Alliance

#Elkhorn Mt. Michael

#Nebraska City

#Schuyler

*Classification Changes for Class C-2/11-Man Football

Drops from C-1 to C-2, Arlington

Drops from C-1 to C-2, Raymond Central

Drops from C-1 to C-2, Boone Central

Drops from C-1 to C-2, West Point-Beemer

Drops from C-1 to C-2, St. Paul

Up from 8-Man to 11-Man (C-2), Cross County

Up from 8-Man to 11-Man (C-2), Superior

Up from 8-Man to 11-Man (C-2), Conestoga

Up from 8-Man to 11-Man (C-2), Palmyra

#These schools opted to remain in 8-Man football after boy enrollment numbers raised them to Class C-2/11-Man football for the first time and were thus granted a one-time 2-year exemption, making them ELIGIBLE for the Class D-1/8-Man playoffs in 2024/2025.

These schools were; Bridgeport, Summerland, Freeman, Madison, Pender, Omaha Christian/Omaha Street School, Tri-County Northeast (Emerson-Hubbard/Allen), Stanton, Elkhorn Valley, Perkins County, Shelby/Rising City, Hemingford, Laurel/Concord-Coleridge, Wisner-Pilger, Crofton, Kimball and Plainview.

*Classification Changes for Class D-1/8-Man Football

#Opted down from from C-2 (11-Man) to D-1 (8-Man), David City High

#Opted down from from C-2 (11-Man) to D-1 (8-Man), Johnson County Central

#Opted down from C-2 (11-Man) to D-1 (8-Man), Tri-County

#Opted down from from C-2 (11-Man) to D-1 (8-Man), Wakefield

#Opted down from from C-2 (11-Man) to D-1 (8-Man), Twin River

#Opted down from C-2 (11-Man) to D-1 (8-Man), Atkinson West Holt

#Opted down from C-2 (11-Man) to D-1 (8-Man), Alma

DROPS down from C-2 (11-Man FB) to D1 (8-Man FB), Centennial

Up from D-2 to D-1, Dundy County/Stratton

Up from D-2 to D-1, South Loup

Up from D-2 to D-1 East Butler

Up from D-2 to D-1, Bloomfield

Up from D-2 to D-1 Johnson-Brock

Up from D-2 to D-1, Boyd County

Up from D-2 to D-1, Niobrara/Verdigre

Up from D-2 to D-1, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family

*NEW School Consolidation FB team to Class D-1, Wausa/Osmond

*NEW School Consolidation FB team to Class D-1, Newman Grove/St. Edward

*8-Man teams ineligible for the playoffs this year (2024) and next (2025);

#David City High

#Johnson County Central

#Wakefield

#Twin River

#Atkinson West Holt

#Tri-County

#Alma

*Classification Changes for ClassD-2/8-Man Football

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Riverside

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Maxwell

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Nebraska Christian

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Bancroft-Rosalie

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Cedar Bluffs

DROPS from D-1 to D-2 North Central

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Weeping Water

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Cambridge

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Bayard

DROPS from D-1 to D-2 Elmwood-Murdock

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Anselmo-Merna

DROPS from D-1 to D-2, Neligh-Oakdale

UP from 6-Man to 8-Man, D-2, Franklin

UP from 6-Man to 8-Man, D-2, Wilcox-Hildreth

UP from 6-Man to 8-Man, D-2, Brady

DROPS from 8-Man, D-2 to 6-Man, Ansley-Litchfield

#Opting to remain in 6-Man football after boy enrollment numbers raised them to Class D-2/8-Man football were.

#Pawnee City

#South Platte

#Both are ineligible for the 6-Man playoffs in 2024 and 2025.

#Opting to remain in 6-Man football after boy enrollment numbers raised them to Class D-2/8-Man football but were granted 2-year exemptions, thus making them ELIGIBLE for the 6-Man playoffs in 2024/2025 were.

Paxton

Shelton

Wauneta-Palisade

Red Cloud

Meridian