The Bennington Badgers will challenge the Plattsmouth Blue Devils at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Bennington's defense has only allowed 12.4 points per game this season, so Plattsmouth's offense will have their work cut out for them.
Bennington is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nebraska's top teams: Elkhorn North, who was ranked ninth at the time (Bennington was ranked sixth). The Badgers fell just short of the Wolves by a score of 29-27 on Thursday. The Badgers' defeat signaled the end of their seven-game winning streak.
Jake Russell
| 08/29/25 @ Waverly | 3 |
| 10/23/25 @ Elkhorn North | 2 |
| 09/05/25 vs Gretna East | 2 |
| 09/26/25 @ Gretna | 1 |
| 09/12/25 @ Hastings | 1 |
Despite the loss, Bennington got top-tier performance from Ty Bouaphakeo, who threw for 294 yards and three TDs while picking up 12.3 yards per attempt, and also rushed for 77 yards. Jake Russell was in the mix as well, providing the Badgers with two scores.
Meanwhile, Plattsmouth won against Platteview two weeks ago with 49 points and they decided to stick to that point total again on Friday. The Blue Devils walked away with a 49-36 victory over Ralston. The Blue Devils haven't had any issues with the Rams recently, as the game was their ninth consecutive win against them.
Bennington better keep an eye on Levi Walker. He was instrumental in Plattsmouth's win, rushing for 356 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 9.1 yards per carry. Those 356 rushing yards gave Walker a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Bradin Vanwinkle, who rushed for 84 yards and one TD on only ten carries.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Plattsmouth was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 455 rushing yards. They are a perfect 4-0 when they've run for more than 200 yards.
Plattsmouth didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Traceson Skalberg, Nathan Frederick, and Chance Jackson, who each picked up one interception apiece.
Bennington's defeat was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 7-2. As for Plattsmouth, they now have a winning record of 5-4.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Bennington has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 221.9 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Plattsmouth struggles in that department as they've been averaging 236 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Bennington beat Plattsmouth 28-20 in their previous meeting back in September of 2023. Will the Badgers repeat their success, or do the Blue Devils have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
