The Nebraska School Activities Association Board of Directors approved a sweeping change to Class A football scheduling and playoff qualification, a move that will reshape the postseason landscape and toughen the road for powerhouse programs like Westside.
The board voted 8-0 to eliminate districts beginning in the 2026 season. Under the new format, the top 16 teams in wildcard points will qualify for the playoffs, with no automatic bids. Westside Athletic Director Tom Kerkman said schedules will also shift into a tier system of 10 to 14 teams designed to prevent lopsided matchups.
“The gist of the proposal is that tier-one teams — Westside is a tier-one team, for example — would not play tier-four teams, which are programs that have struggled over the last few years,” Kerkman said. “The idea is to eliminate mismatches.”
For Westside, the new format represents a sharp departure. In recent years, the Warriors have benefited from softer district draws, often cruising through early postseason rounds. In the 2024 season, they opened the playoffs with a 47-0 win over Westview, followed by a 36-0 victory over Papillion-La Vista and a 47-14 win against Omaha North.
“Playing opponents of similar skill level is good,” Kerkman said. “It should even out the games, which is something that needs to happen.”
Still, Kerkman sees flaws in the system. The current wildcard formula does not reward teams for beating higher-tier opponents, something he believes must be addressed.
“Westside agrees that tier-one and tier-four teams shouldn’t play each other, but the power points should reflect that,” Kerkman said. “Tier-one teams should get more points for wins against other tier-one teams, rather than just the same points for beating lower-tier teams.”
The state will assign schedules in February 2026, ending serpentine scheduling. Top-tier teams will face each other more frequently.
“The top teams in the state like Millard South, Millard West, Bellevue West and Creighton Prep will play each other every week,” Kerkman said. “You won’t see many, if any, lower-tier teams on the schedule anymore.”
Kerkman warned that the change could create a postseason in which elite programs knock each other out while teams with weaker schedules advance.
“I think what could happen in the postseason is that a lot of good teams could be eliminated, while teams that have played easier schedules might advance,” Kerkman said. “As a result, you could have teams with records like 3-6 or 4-5 who are actually better than any tier-three or tier-four team.”
