8-Man Week 9 Rankings and Selections

8-Man Rankings

Week 9, 2026

RK.-PV. TEAM (Record; Week 8 result)

1. ↔ 1. Magazine (7-0; beat JC Westside 46-0)
2.  ↑  3. Cedar Ridge (7-0; beat Marvell 34-8)
3.  ↓  2. Corning (7-0; did not play)
4. ↔ 4. Strong (3-1; beat Dermott 78-8) 
5. ↔ 5. Izard County (7-1; beat Guy-Perkins 68-0)
6. ↔ 6. Lafayette Co (7-1; beat Woodlawn 32-6)
7. ↔ 7. SS Bee B (6-2; beat Arkansas Christian 50-16)
8.  ↑ 9. Brinkley (4-3; beat Midland 46-28)
9.  ↓  8. Rose Bud (3-5; lost to Cave City 34-26)
10. ↔ 10. Rector (2-3; did not play)

NOT RANKED

WEST: Guy-Perkins (1-6), JC Westside (2-6)

EAST: Marvell (1-4), Midland (2-5)

SOUTH: Blevins (0-8), Dermott (1-5), Friendship Aspire (1-8), Hermitage (4-4), Woodlawn (3-4)

UNSANCTIONED: Cave City (5-3)

HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK

No. 5 IZARD COUNTY (7-1, 4-0) at No. 7 SS Bee Branch (6-2, 4-1): Bee Branch cannot win an outright conference championship, barring an unlikely Magazine loss to Guy-Perkins, but it can still fight for a 2 seed in the playoffs and possibly a share of the conference title. Izard County can win an outright conference championship if it beats Bee Branch and Magazine in its next 2 home games. This year’s playoff rotation gives 2 West teams a bye week. If Izard County wins, Bee Branch locks up the 3 seed; Magazine and Izard County both get a bye week for the first round, and next week’s game will decide the conference title. If Bee Branch wins, it will need Magazine to win next week for it to get the 2 seed. If Bee Branch wins and Magazine loses to Izard next week, the conference will be a 3-way tie for first. The 3-seed will play the Hermitage-Woodlawn loser, unless Woodlawn loses to Blevins this week. Teams can only control what they can do. Izard County exits a 68-0 beatdown of Guy-Perkins last week. Sophomore Kane Johnson (4-5-133 passing, 3 TDs; 5-55 rushing, TD) added to an already impressive resume. Senior Brogan Pospisil (3-124 receiving, 3 TDs) had a productive game at receiver. Coach Carr Hill says, “Southside Bee Branch is a really good football team and a legitimate contender to win a state championship. They’ve got some really good athletes. For us, the key to winning this game will be stopping the run. We have to be physical up front, win the line of scrimmage, and make it hard for them to establish any running game. They also have some really good receivers who can hurt you over the top, so we have to limit those explosive plays through the air. But ultimately, it starts with stopping the run, being physical, and making them earn every yard they get.” South Side Bee Branch beat Arkansas Christian 50-16 last week. Senior Caden Mahan (5-5-177 passing, 3 TDs; 2-20 rushing, TD) added to his impressive senior campaign. Junior Jacob Riddle (3-155-2 receiving) had one of his best games yet as he now leads 8-Man in receiving yards. Coach Langrell says, “I think they have a good football team. They throw the ball well and have 2 great receivers with a QB to go with them. We will be trying to go 1-0 this week. That has been our motto since the loss to Magazine. We are going to just try to keep getting better, and hopefully we can make a playoff run.” This game has the earmarks of a high-scoring affair, with 2 of the best 8-man offenses on display, along with the 2 leading passers and 3 leading receivers in 8-man. If Izard County’s defense holds up against Bee Branch’s offense, the Cougars will carry the momentum into next week at home against Magazine. 

WEST

No. 5 IZARD COUNTY (4-0, 7-1) at No. 7 South Side Bee Branch (4-1, 6-2)

(SEE HOOTENS.COM GAME OF THE WEEK)

Guy-Perkins (0-4, 1-6) at No. 1 MAGAZINE (5-0, 7-0): Magazine beat JC Westside for the second time this season, including 46-0 last week. Senior Daniel Green (4-9-95 passing, TD; 16-135 rushing, 3 TDs) keeps building what could be a Player of the Year campaign. Guy-Perkins lost 68-0 to Izard County last week. Magazine’s formidable defense and ground-and-pound offense will get the win this Friday. 

JC Westside (2-6, 1-4) at No. 9 ROSE BUD (3-5, 1-3): Three potential playoff teams could be impacted by this game. If Rose Bud wins, it locks in the 4th seed and eliminates JC Westside and Arkansas Christian. If JC Westside wins, then next week’s game against Arkansas Christian could determine the 4th seed. JC Westside lost to No. 1 Magazine 46-0 last week. Rose Bud fell to Cave City, 34-26, in overtime. Senior Eli Wortham (12-99-1 rushing) played one of his best games. Rose Bud will get the win, as it has been an underrated performance in 8-man competition this season. 

CAVE CITY (5-3) at Arkansas Christian (1-4, 3-5): Cave City beat Rose Bud 34-26 in overtime. Senior Dawson Johnson (10-14-114 passing, TD; 25-109 rushing, 2 TDs) is 58 total yards away from surpassing the 2,000-yard mark this season. Arkansas Christian’s playoff hopes are still alive after a 50-16 loss to Bee Branch, with senior Sawyer Van Es (100 total yards) leading the way. Arkansas Christian’s playoff hopes are out of its hands this week, but Cave City wants to end its season on a high note. 

EAST

No. 2 CEDAR RIDGE (3-0, 7-0) at Midland (1-3, 2-5): Corning and Cedar Ridge will play for the East title next week no matter what. Both teams have locked up the top 2 seeds in the division, and the winner gets a bye while the loser plays the winner of Lafayette County and Strong in the first round of the playoffs. Cedar Ridge beat Marvell 34-8 last Friday, with Junior Bradley Pankey (11-15-173 passing, 4 TDs; 3-37-1 rushing) leading the way. Midlands has a long shot at making the playoffs this year after a 46-28 loss to Brinkley last Friday. Senior Broden Bonzell (110 rushing, TD; 6 tackles) and Senior Ethan Deal (128 yards, TD, KR TD) led the team. Midland needs the win this week to stay alive, but I don’t think it will get it as Cedar Ridge heads into a huge battle with Corning next week. 

Marvell (1-5, 0-3) at No. 3 CORNING (7-0, 3-0): Marvell is eliminated from playoff consideration after a 34-8 loss to Cedar Ridge. Corning, playing its first game in 2 weeks, will play Cedar Ridge for the East title next week. Corning’s numbers and size will beat almost any 8-man team. 

No. 10 RECTOR (1-2, 2-3) at No. 8 Brinkley (2-2, 3-3): The winner of this game, originally scheduled for Oct. 9, will most likely hold the No. 3 seed in the playoffs. Rector was on a bye last week; Brinkley beat Midland 46-28. Rector’s ground game will wear down the Tigers as the Cougars finish their season on a high note. 

SOUTH

Friendship Aspire (1-5, 1-8) at No. 4 STRONG (4-0, 4-1): Friendship Aspire is out of playoff contention, but its season shouldn’t go unnoticed, as it competed every week without a home game. Friendship Aspire lost to Hermitage 76-6 last week. Strong continued its streak last week with a 78-8 win over Dermott that ended at halftime. Senior Devon Boone scored 3 defensive TDs: 2 pick-6s and one scoop-and-score. Strong dominates with its power running game and defense. 

No. 6 LAFAYETTE COUNTY (4-0, 7-1) at Dermott (1-3, 1-7): Lafayette County’s game against Woodlawn was called at halftime, with Lafayette County awarded a 32-6 win after Woodlawn suffered too many injuries. Senior Zakarian Lawson (155 yards, TD) led the Cougars. Dermott’s game was also called at halftime after trailing Strong 78-8 after 2 quarters. Lafayette County gets a good win this week as it prepares for a big conference title matchup against Strong next week. 

Blevins (0-4, 0-8) at WOODLAWN (2-2, 3-4): Woodlawn forfeited the second half of its game against Lafayette County after suffering too many injuries. Blevins lost to Abundant Life 61-12 last Friday. Woodlawn needs a tune-up game like this to rest and prepare for a matchup with Hermitage next week that could decide Woodlawn’s playoff fate. 

OPEN: Hermitage (4-4)