Idaho football state championships are here. Picking the winner of every game
Months of grueling summer workouts, two-a-day practices and dramatic victories all led to this — state championship week for Idaho’s high school football.
The state’s six title bouts stretch to every corner of the state, starting Thursday and extending all the way to Monday thanks to a scheduling quirk with the state’s universities.
So only one question remains: Who will hang those championship banners?
We broke down all six matchups and made our predictions below.
6A: TIMBERLINE (10-1) VS. RIGBY (10-1)
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: ICCU Dome, Pocatello
Watch: NHFSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
No Hollywood scriptwriter would dare write a story this absurd.
Perennial underdog Timberline mounted the best season in school history, then star quarterback Jack Brant went down with a knee injury. But instead of ending the feel-good tale there, the Wolves inserted an athlete who hasn’t played quarterback since fourth grade and saw their defense force six turnovers to make an unbelievable run to their first state championship game in program history.
So what’s left for an encore?
Timberline enters with nothing to lose against a movie-worthy power in Rigby. The Trojans stand as the state’s premier 6A program, with four titles in the past six years. Two-time all-state running back Amani Morel shredded Rocky Mountain for 165 yards and five touchdowns last week. And Rigby plays a disciplined style, having just nine lost turnovers all season, limiting the ace up the sleeve of Timberline’s defense.
Last week’s victory earned Timberline more time to find a new offense with Hudson Lewis as the trigger man. Putting the ball in the hands of the state’s most explosive weapon 50 times a game remains a dangerous proposition for defenses. But Timberline’s magic has to run out at some point, right?
Pick: Rigby 30, Timberline 20
5A: BISHOP KELLY (12-0) VS. HILLCREST (11-1)
When: 7 p.m. Monday
Where: Albertsons Stadium, Boise
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
The 5A classification’s top two offenses battle on Boise State’s blue turf for the second time in three years. Bishop Kelly (43.1 ppg) edged Hillcrest (40.4 ppg) for the 2023 title. Now it must solve a similar equation.
Hillcrest quarterback Tyson Sweetwood rotated in and out of that game two years ago. Now, he’s a bona fide star and the reigning 5A All-Idaho Player of the Year. He remains the key to Hillcrest’s offense, racking up 3,170 total yards and 40 total TDs to lead the Knights from Idaho Falls to the championship game for a third straight season.
Bishop Kelly counters with its own explosive three-year starting quarterback in Ben Avella. He leads all 5A quarterbacks with 2,408 passing yards and 35 TDs and headlines the top 11-man offense in the state.
But championships always come down to defense. BK holds the edge with a unit that’s created a 5A-leading 24 takeaways and held Skyline to 177 total yards last week. Meanwhile, Hillcrest surrendered touchdowns of 72, 64 and 57 yards to Twin Falls’ big-play offense last week.
Pick: Bishop Kelly 30, Hillcrest 22
4A: HOMEDALE (10-1) VS. KIMBERLY (8-3)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: ICCU Dome, Pocatello
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Homedale finally captured its white whale last week in Sugar-Salem. Now the Trojans must avoid the hangover to bring home their first state championship since 1997.
Homedale beat Kimberly 28-21 back on Sept. 12. But that victory came on the Trojans’ home field, and Kimberly already avenged one early-season loss by ending heavily favored Fruitland’s season last week.
The Trojans’ defensive game plan starts with containing Kimberly quarterback MacRaye Bruning. He ran for all four of the Bulldogs’ scores in their upset of Fruitland, carrying Kimberly to its first state title game since 1981 — which, coincidentally, was also against Homedale.
Pick: Homedale 24, Kimberly 19
3A: NAMPA CHRISTIAN (8-2) VS. RIRIE (11-0)
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Middleton High
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Nampa Christian entered the playoffs with few outside expectations, finishing unranked in the state media poll 10 weeks in a row. But the Trojans knocked off two-time defending champ West Side 20-8 last week to make the finals for the first time since 1996, and they get another shot for an upset Saturday.
This may mark Ririe’s first state championship game appearance. But the Bulldogs’ double-wing attack (317 rushing yards per game) quickly allowed Ririe to make a name for itself, and Ririe enters Saturday with 3A’s top offense (36.5 ppg) and defense (10.8 ppg).
The up-and-coming program needed to squeak out two- and six-point wins, though, to make it to the championship round. So it doesn’t look invincible.
Pick: Nampa Christian 22, Ririe 15
2A: KENDRICK (11-0) VS. LOGOS (9-2)
When: 8 p.m. MT Thursday
Where: Kibbie Dome, Moscow
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Someday the Kendrick dynasty may fall. But don’t expect it to come anytime soon.
One more victory gives the Tigers five straight state championships, tying them with Snake River (1998-2002) for the state’s second-longest run of titles. And Kendrick just keeps getting better, outscoring opponents by an average of 76.3 to 6 this fall.
Logos was the only team to stay within 50 points of the Tigers all season, falling 48-24 on its home field in October.
Pick: Kendrick 52, Logos 20
1A: TRI-VALLEY (9-2) VS. CAREY (10-1)
When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Middleton High
Watch: NFHSNetwork.com. Listen: IdahoSports.com
Idaho’s smallest division provides a classic David vs. Goliath matchup. Tri-Valley’s last state title came in 1981 before the creation of the official 8-man state playoffs. Meanwhile, Carey enters as an 8-time title winner, the defending champ and the wire-to-wire No. 1-ranked team in the state media poll.
The 8-man battle also pits a pair of 2,000-yard rushers against each other. Tri-Valley quarterback Jace Waggoner (2,168 rushing yards, 33 TDs) presents a threat no matter where he lines up, including on defense, where he’s picked off eight passes. But Carey counters with its own touchdown machine in running back Stockton Sears (2,058 rushing yards, 29 TDs).
Pick: Carey 44, Tri-Valley 40
This story was originally published November 19, 2025 at 2:21 PM.
