Sixth-ranked Omaha Creighton Prep continues to play like a sleeper playoff team as their schedule lightens up heading into the season’s home stretch.  Prep put on a dominating performance last week against #10 North Platte, holding the Bulldogs’ vaunted rushing attack to just 159 total yards.  Meanwhile, Prep’s rushing attack had possibly its best game that I can remember.  Junior Jack Stessman, who is finally healthy, proved himself with a dominant performance: 39 carries for 247 yards and 2 scores.  Alex Bullock had another great performance (98 yards and a score) and Prep fans never really had to sweat in a 24-7 win.  

Prep’s final 3 opponents this year are a combined 5-13, and Prep starts off with the worst of the bunch, 0-6 Lincoln Northeast.  The Rockets have been outscored 250-63 this year (roughly 42-11 on average), including 3 different games where their opponents scored over 48 points.  Their closest game so far this year has been a 21-6 loss to Lincoln High, which totaled 308 rushing yards in that game.

Lincoln Northeast has a couple of solid players, specifically Xavier Gray (running back) and Mason Hoke (wide receiver).  Both players have over 250 total yards this season and a score, but they’ve been the only true bright spots.  The offense has struggled with turnovers (12 total), and the defense has given up 1620 rushing yards (an average of 270 per game) so far this year.  

Prep is starting to roll, and the offense is starting to look really dangerous.  Sam Meysenburg has shown a lot of great poise in the pocket, and that’s without having a dependable running game.  Now that Stessman has had his breakout game (and with Vinny Cacioppo back to full health), Prep will be able to hurt teams in the passing and running games.  Unfortunately for Lincoln Northeast’s defense, it is susceptible to both of those strategies.  

This is the first Prep game this season that I think is a guaranteed win.  The offense is only going up from here, the defense has allowed 7 points in the last 5 quarters, and special teams has kicker Pat Foley.  Whether it’s Meysenburg, Stessman, Bullock, or AJ Rollins (who is due for a breakout game) that shows up in the stat sheet, the Prep team will get the most important stat…another win.

My final prediction is 42-7 Creighton Prep.