Football, Halloween, harvest fill fall calendar

Football, harvest and Halloween add up to a colorful cornucopia of activity this week as fall serves up a full plate of things to see and do.
On the football front, our beloved Big Reds are both on a roll, and the stakes keep getting higher each time out. After a 2024 season that ended without a playoff bid — snapping a 19-year streak — the Huskies are back in the Class C1 postseason conversation. Riding a wave of six straight wins, they’ve found their stride at just the right time. Husky Nation saw a team on a mission in Friday’s upset win over Central City, playing a physical brand of football that bodes well for meaningful October and November games.
Ironically, fans won’t have to wait long to see those same two teams meet again. The Huskies and Bison will square off in a playoff rematch Friday night, this time 17 miles north on Highway 14. It’s a matchup of contrasting styles, with Aurora’s run-first mentality going head-to-head against Central City’s pass-happy attack. Expect a full-on chess match as both squads leave it all on the field under the Halloween lights.
Speaking of Halloween, A-Town will be crawling with costumed characters of all ages this week. Between Scare the Square on Thursday, traditional trick-or-treating Friday night, and the weekend’s festivities at the fairgrounds, there’s no shortage of chances to celebrate, collect candy, and test your fright limits, if that’s your thing.
On the college front, the Huskers are already bowl eligible, but the question now is whether Matt Rhule and Co. can bring their A-game consistently through November. The stage is set for a classic in Lincoln, with USC coming to town for a prime-time Blackout game. Here’s hoping the Trojans get spooked and Memorial Stadium is just as loud after the game as it is before kickoff.
And finally, as the lights shine on gridirons across the state, there’s another kind of spotlight across the Nebraska countryside. Harvest season is in full swing, and there’s something uniquely Nebraskan about watching it unfold — even for a city kid. The scope is massive, the pace relentless, and the purpose clear.
It’s all business for the men and women who work the land, and I tip my hat to the effort it takes to bring in the bounty. As a small-town business owner, I feel the ripple effects of agriculture flowing through the local economy. There’s something especially grounding about taking a drive through the country this time of year, watching those golden fields disappear row by row and knowing another season’s work is coming to fruition.
KURT JOHNSON can be reached at kjohnson@ hamilton.net