Multiple local schools will play 8-Man football in the 2026-27 cycle, according to school football declarations to the NSAA. Schools had until November 30th to declare whether they would participate in 11, 8, or 6-man football.
Overall, five teams are changing classifications in the CentralNebraskaToday.com coverage area, including a new co-op. Heartland and Hampton will have a co-op next year for football, continuing their H&H co-op that started this year on the gridiron. Hampton finished 7-2 in D6, falling to Wallace in the first round of the playoffs, while Heartland was 1-7 in D1. The H&H Bearcats started their co-op this year, competing in volleyball, basketball, track, and other sports this year before adding the football co-op next season.
Four local schools are joining the 8-Man ranks. Amherst, Gibbon, and Hastings St. Cecilia are dropping to 8-man, while Shelton is moving up from 6-man. Amherst was 3-6 while both Gibbon and Hastings St. Cecilia were 1-8 this past season, all in C2. Shelton was 3-5 in the D6 ranks. This upcoming year, there will be a new D3 classification for 8-Man.
McCool Junction and Giltner are both bumping down to the 6-Man football ranks. McCool Junction went 7-3, falling to Dundy County Stratton in the second round of the D1 playoffs. Giltner went 1-7 in D2.
With 117 schools declaring for the 8-Man football ranks, the 32 largest eligible schools (enrollment of 55 or below) will be assigned to D1, with the remaining schools being equally divided into D2 and D3 ranks, and the odd number of schools being assigned to D3.
Only two teams are moving up to 11-Man football for the upcoming cycle in Bridgeport and Summerland. Another co-op outside of H&H will also compete in 11-Man next year, as Wausa broke off from their co-op from Osmond, and Osmond is now in a co-op with Plainview.
Multiple schools across the state are dropping from 11-Man to 8-Man, including Conestoga, David City Aquinas, Fairbury, Gordon-Rushville, Oakland-Craig, and Tekamah-Herman. Additionally, the dissolution of the Clarkson-Leigh co-op means that both schools will compete separately for the first time in over a decade.
Shelton is joined by Wauneta-Palisade in bumping up to 8-Man, while Morill, Mead, Riverside/Spalding Academy, and Humblodt-Table Rock-Steinauer are all going to the 6-Man ranks.
Classifications and district assignments will be announced this month, and schools will send a priority list of non-district schools that they would like to play in the cycle. Schedules for the 2026 and 2027 seasons will be announced on February 11, 2026.
A full list of football declarations for the 2026 and 2027 school years can be found by clicking this link. A list of local schools can be found below.
11-MAN FOOTBALL (21)
Adams Central
Aurora
Broken Bow
Central City
Cozad
Doniphan-Trumbull
Gothenburg
Grand Island
Grand Island Central Catholic
Grand Island Northwest
H&H (New co-op of Heartland & Hampton)
Hastings
Holdrege
Kearney
Kearney Catholic
Lexington
Minden
Ord
St. Paul
Wood River
York
8-MAN FOOTBALL (24)
Amherst (Down from 11-Man)
Alma
Arcadia / Loup City
Axtell
Bertrand
Blue Hill
Centura (Down from 11-Man)
Deshler
Elm Creek
Franklin
Gibbon (Down from 11-Man)
Hastings St. Cecilia (Down from 11-Man)
Hi-Line (Elwood / Eustis-Farnam)
Kenesaw
Lawrence-Nelson
Loomis
Overton
Pleasanton
Ravenna
Sandy Creek
Shelton (Up from 6-Man)
Southern Valley
Superior
Wilcox-Hildreth
6-MAN FOOTBALL (8)
Ansley-Litchfield
Giltner (Down from 8-Man)
Grand Island Lutheran
Harvard
McCool Junction (Down from 8-Man)
Red Cloud
Silver Lake
Sumner-Eddyville-Miller
