Nebraska's Top 10 high school football games for October

Video: Moses Bryant's highlights vs. Beatrice

Nebraska's high school football schedule features plenty of highly competitive contests this October. But 10 of them stand out as the schedule inches closer to the Nebraska state football championships.

1. No. 5 Elkhorn South (5-0) at No. 1 Skutt Catholic (Omaha) (5-0) – Oct. 16
Omaha Skutt has won the last two Class B state football titles, but returns very little starting experience. Elkhorn South, on the other hand, is still looking for its first state championship and returns plenty of talent, including dynamic running back Moses

Bryant. A win at Skutt would automatically hand the Storm all the respect Guy Rosenberg's program seeks, and would label it as a 2015 state title favorite. Skutt, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to prepare for postseason play by knocking off one of its serious state championship challengers.

2. No. 4 Pierce (4-1) at No. 2 Norfolk Catholic (5-0) – Oct. 15
Not only is this a huge rivalry game between two of the great football programs in northeast Nebraska – high stakes are always associated with this battle. The top-ranked Knights have won seven of the last 12 meetings in this highly competitive rivalry. Norfolk Catholic hopes to extend its string of state playoff appearances to 20, while the Bluejays are hoping to make it for the 18th-straight time.

3. No. 14 Sutton (5-0) at No. 3 St. Cecilia (Hastings) (5-0) – Oct. 16
Regardless of which high school football poll you favor, this tussle is a legitimate battle of top-five squads playing for high stakes this season. St. Cecilia outscored the Mustangs 30-23 a year ago. Sutton loves to run the ball. Just ask Garrett Leach, who has 1,009 yards on 115 carries and has 14 scores in five games in 2015. St. Cecilia counters with Hunter Fischer, who has rushed for over 600 yards and 11 scores.

4. No. 4 Omaha Central (5-0) at No. 1 Bellevue West (5-0) – Oct. 23
Bellevue West is going for its 13th-straight trip to the Nebraska Class A state football playoffs. However, the Thunderbirds have not escaped the first round since 2008. Omaha Central is hoping to earn its ninth trip in 11 seasons and would love nothing more than to win its third state championship in school history, and the first since 2007. Both teams are undefeated and sit atop the District 3 standings. Need we say more about motivation for either the Thunderbirds or the Eagles?

5. No. 5 Omaha Westside (3-2) at No. 8 Omaha North (2-3) – Oct. 16
While Omaha North was winning its second-straight Nebraska big school state championship, Omaha Westside was standing on the sidelines watching following its 37-13 loss to Millard West in first-round playoff action. Both schools have struggled this season, magnifying the importance of a win in this tilt.

6. No. 3 Exeter-Milligan (Exeter) (4-0) at No. 5 Sacred Heart (Falls City) (3-1) – Oct. 9
Exeter-Milligan got the better of the Irish twice a year ago. The first confrontation ended in a 46-20 regular-season triumph. But the second battle was much closer, with the Timberwolves coming out on top 28-22 in the Class D2 semifinals before claiming the D2 state championship. It's not often that Doug Goltz gets beat by the same team twice in a season. The Irish are strategizing a little payback at home. But don't think for a minute that the defending champions aren't devising a scheme of their own.

7. No. 7 Amherst (4-0) at No. 5 Burwell (4-0) – Oct. 22
Amherst led Burwell 21-6 early in the second quarter a year ago only to see the Longhorns rally to tie the score 28-28 at halftime and then go on to ruin Amherst's unbeaten season, 52-48. Both clubs are 4-0 at this point in the season and a win here could springboard the winner into a huge season.

8. No. 2 St. Edward (3-1) at No. 5 Spalding Academy (2-2) – Oct. 23
While many football fans are at least familiar with 8-man football, many are foreign to the 6-man game. This battle features two teams that promise to entertain in a wide-open skirmish.

9. No. 8 Sandhills/Thedford (Dunning) (3-1) at No. 2 Anselmo-Merna (Merna) (4-0) – Oct. 2
Anselmo-Merna took both contests between these two 8-man giants a year ago, including a 44-8 triumph in the D2 state quarterfinals. However, Jacey Nutter is back to run the show for Josh Deines and it's doubtful that he and his Knight teammates have forgotten that outcome. Troy Gilligan's return for Anselmo-Merna makes this a must-see game, especially if you like quarterbacks.

10. No. 10 Kearney (3-2) at No. 11 Norfolk (5-0) – Oct. 23
Kearney upended Norfolk 37-24 during regular-season action a year ago, and ended the Panthers' season 14-10 in the first round of the Class A state football playoffs. This season, however, Norfolk has put together a perfect season and is dreaming big in 2015. Getting a little payback in this one could very well mean winning a district title. The Bearcats will be tuned in for this one and the possibility of a postseason berth could hinge on this very tussle.