No Week 0 games in 2024 means a little later start than usual for high school football in the state. From the highest-ranked recruits in the national spotlight to the small-school stars building legends of their own, it all gets started Thursday night. Let’s settle in and enjoy the ride.

Here’s what to know for Week 1:

Class A: No. 3 Omaha North (0-0) at No. 2 Omaha Westside (0-0), Thursday, 7 p.m. — Millard South (at Basha, Ariz.), Creighton Prep (at DeSmet, Mo.) get the marquee out-of-state opponents, but North at Westside is a big in-state clash. This will be a matchup between two of the top recruiting prospects in the state — Westside’s Christian Jones is ranked as the state’s top player in the class of 2025, with Terry, a Nebraska commit, ranked third. 

Prediction: Omaha Westside 28, Omaha North 21.

Class B: No. 2 Waverly (0-0) at No. 1 Bennington (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — Bennington, the standard in Class B the past three seasons, hosts a Waverly team that has been oh-so-close to breaking through to the state finals multiple times in recent years. The Badgers’ 39-game winning streak, which nearly ended in last year’s season opener, gets put to a serious test right away.

Prediction: Bennington 14, Waverly 10.

Class C-1: No. 3 Pierce (0-0) at No. 2 Aurora (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — Perennial powers square off as both try to climb back to the top of Class C-1. This rematch of the 2022 state title game, won by Pierce, is one of three games this week matching preseason top 10 teams in C-1. The other two are No. 6 Douglas County West at No. 4 Ashland-Greenwood, and No. 9 Cozad at No. 10 Sidney.

Prediction: Aurora 31, Pierce 27.

Class C-2: No. 1 Norfolk Catholic at No. 2 Bishop Neumann (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — A huge measuring stick for Husker commit Conor Booth and Neumann after last season’s disappointing finish. Norfolk Catholic is breaking in a new quarterback, but we all know how difficult it is to beat the team with a 24-game winning streak and 35 wins in its last 36 games. 

Prediction: Norfolk Catholic 34, Bishop Neumann 31.

Eight-man: D-2 No. 5 Wynot (0-0) at D-1 No. 3 Crofton (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — The D-2 runner-up from last season takes on a 2023  D-1 semifinalist. Both teams finished last season with one loss. Wyatt Tramp gives Crofton one of the best backs in eight-man while tradition-rich Wynot looks to reload a bit after last season’s run to the championship game.

Prediction: Crofton 44, Wynot 29.

Six-man: No. 4 Stuart (0-0) at No. 6 Cody-Kilgore (0-0), Friday, 2 p.m. — Stuart finished well last season, winning its final six regular-season games and one more in the postseason before falling in the state quarterfinals. Cody-Kilgore, the 2021 champs, looks to return to the postseason after missing out in 2023.

Prediction: Stuart 53, Cody-Kilgore 46.

Class A No. 4 Elkhorn South (0-0) at No. 9 Lincoln East (0-0), Thursday, 7 p.m., Seacrest — Elkhorn South ended Lincoln East’s 2023 season in the Class A quarterfinals in a game that came down to the final drive. The Storm will have a ton of new faces in 2024, with just three returning starters, but this is still a massive test for East and a chance for the Spartans to make an early statement.

Class A No. 10 Lincoln Southeast (0-0) at Grand Island (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — Southeast hits the road for the first of two road trips in the first three weeks. The Knights have a stout first five weeks, so a good start is important. Grand Island begins a new era under first-year head coach Creighton Reed, who takes over for long-time head man Jeff Tomlin.

Lincoln North Star vs. Lincoln Southwest, Friday, 7 p.m., Seacrest — A juicy city matchup to begin the year. The hype for this game started over the summer and should reach a fever pitch by Friday in what could end up being a huge game for each team’s eventual playoff hopes. Both squads with plenty of firepower here.

Omaha Northwest (0-0) at Lincoln Northeast (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m., Beechner — Omaha Northwest enters with a 26-game losing streak, while Northeast has lost 24 in a row. The last win for either team came in September of 2021, with Northeast beating Omaha Northwest 48-7. The Rockets surely wouldn’t mind a repeat of that night.

Lincoln High (0-0) at Omaha Bryan (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — Omaha Bryan saw the benefits of a manageable early schedule last season, starting 3-1. Lincoln High, with good numbers but unproven talent, has a similar slate this season and has the chance for a solid start of its own.

Lincoln Pius X (0-0) at Class B No. 4 Elkhorn North (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — Another unforgiving schedule for Pius X, which opens with three straight teams that made the 2023 playoffs. Kolbe Volkmer and Joe Andreasen lead a crew that could use some good luck after an injury-plagued 2023.

Lincoln Northwest (0-0) at Ralston (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — Lincoln Northwest nearly beat Ralston in Week 2 last season, coming up six points short of its first-ever win. Now the rebuilt Falcons will try again before five straight games against 2023 playoff teams.

Lincoln Standing Bear (0-0) at Blair (0-0), Friday, 7 p.m. — History at Blair Friday as Standing Bear plays its first-ever varsity game. How much does last season’s junior-varsity experience translate for the Grizzlies, who have maybe the most challenging schedule in Class B?

Lincoln Christian (0-0) vs. Lincoln Lutheran, Friday, 7 p.m., Aldrich — The Battle for the Spirit Sword is always fun, and should be another good one this season with two teams trending in positive directions. Lutheran brings back 20 starters from a team that beat Christian 7-0 to open last season and grab some early confidence.

Playing for more: Friday’s rivalry game between Lincoln Lutheran and Lincoln Christian will be full of emotion, even more so than normal. The teams have dedicated the game to Da’Nelle Earl, wife of Christian coach Kurt Earl, as she battles brain cancer. Both sides have been selling T-shirts to raise money for the Earl family, and at a practice last week, Lincoln Christian’s players surprised the Earls with the news that they would play the game in Da’Nelle’s honor. It is the best of what high school football can be, and no doubt will bring out the best in both sides.