Both teams in last year's title game are in different classifications now leaving a wide open chase for this year's state title. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 5A Playoffs.

Enrollment changes lead to the 4A draw looking a bit different than it has in the past few years. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 4A Playoffs.

Class 3A's North Bracket is chock full of impressive programs setting up some very early titanic matchups. Steve Soucie breaks down the opening round of the 2025 IHSA Class 3A Playoffs.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they preview Week 1 in the Illinois high school football playoffs for the western suburbs

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 9 of the 2025 high school football season

Montini made history with a win over St. Laurence, Joliet Catholic stunned Providence to make the playoffs and St. Patrick defeated St. Viator in a matchup of former NFL players turned head coaches. Marian Catholic, Brother Rice and Carmel each added wins in Week 9.

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they review Week 9 in IHSA football and look ahead to Round 1 of the playoffs.

There are over a dozen CCL/ESCC teams participating in the IHSA football playoffs this season. Among the playoff qualifiers are defending state champions Mount Carmel, Loyola, Nazareth and Montini. Here are all of the first-round matchups for CCL/ESCC teams.

The race to filling the field of 256 teams took some surprising twists and turns. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 9.

Each week, we’ll have 22 players – 11 on offense, 11 on defense – to make the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week. Vote for your favorite players for Week 9!

Here are first-round playoff breakdowns for teams from the Suburban Life coverage area.

Here are the first round pairings for the IHSA playoffs.

Check here for live updates and changes to Steve Soucie's IHSA football playoff projection for all eight classes.

Donato Gatses rushed for 264 yards and five touchdowns, as Glenbard North scored TDs on its first four second-half possessions to rally past Wheaton North 39-20.

Behind Nebraska commit Trae Taylor, Carmel scores the final 28 points to rally from a two-touchdown deficit and beat Fenwick 38-24.

Junior running back EJ Kuhlman's historic performance powered Lyons past rival York on Friday, as his 246 rushing yards set a new program record.

Glenbard East junior kicker Moises Velazquez nailed a 48-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Rams a thrilling 45-43 victory over Riverside-Brookfield and their second consecutive Upstate Eight East title.

Jackson Failla threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, while four Nazareth players rushed for scores during the team's 42-16 win against St. Francis to clinch the CCL/ESCC Green Division title. Nazareth generated six sacks and three turnovers on defense.

Led by a three-touchdown night from Brett Berggren and a stout defense, Batavia cruised past Wheaton Warrenville South with a 45-12 victory to clinch its sixth DuKane Conference championship in seven years.

Addison Trail dominated Willowbrook 35-0 on its way to the West Suburban Gold Division title Friday night.

Final scores in Illinois high school football for Week 9 of the 2025 season. This will be updated as more scores come in

Playoff spots and divisional championships are on the line as all 24 of the CCL/ESCC football teams prepare to take the field this evening. Here are all of tonight's CCL/ESCC Week 9 matchups.

155 teams are already assured of hearing their names called on IHSA pairings night. Steve Soucie walks through how the other 101 teams will secure their places on the bracket board.

Here are the Associated Press IHSA Week 9 football polls released Wednesday for all eight classes.

Although no matchups between undefeated teams will occur in the last week of the regular season, there are plenty of critical matchups that will shape the playoff field. Steve Soucie looks at the top games of Week 9.

Get ready for Week 9 with previews and picks for all the games from around the Suburban Life coveragea area.

Join hosts Steve Soucie and Josh Welge as they preview Week 9 in Illinois high school football and look ahead to the games that will matter the most for playoff pairings

A Roxana High School proposal that would expand the playoffs and provide a regional schedule model has released regional mockups for smaller schools programs (Class 1A and 2A). See the proposed regions here.

Some bubble teams took the opportunity to seize their own fate with surprise wins in Week 8 and altered the field in multiple ways. Steve Soucie's latest playoff projection can be found here.

St. Francis sophomore defensive back Javonte Williams, who had two interceptions, two pass breakups and four tackles in a win over DePaul Prep, is the Week 8 Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP. Here is his Q&A with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

Montini is 8-0 and eyeing historic achievements, while Joliet Catholic finds itself in unfamiliar territory with an Orange Division title game against Providence looming. Niles Notre Dame defeated Leo and snapped a five-game losing streak, setting up a pivotal clash with Marist.

Join hosts Josh Welge and Joel Boenitz as they preview Week 9 in the western suburbs in Illinois high school football.

Glenbard East senior Sam Walton got a late start to football, but the two-way starter has grown into a disruptive force on the defensive line as the Rams prepare for a Week 9 showdown with Riverside-Brookfield for the Upstate Eight East title. That and more in Bob Narang's notes.

Congratulations to these 22 Illinois high school football players who were voted onto Friday Night Drive's Team of the Week for Week 8 of the 2025 high school football season

Nine CCL/ESCC football teams including Mount Carmel, Montini, Nazareth and Brother Rice have won six or more games and secured automatic bids to the IHSA playoffs. Several teams including St. Rita, Loyola and St. Patrick are still in the mix with a week left.

Two top five teams stumbled in Week 8 leading to a significant scramble of the Friday Night Drive Power Rankings. Check out the shuffled rankings here:

Join hosts Matt Rodewald and Steve Soucie as they review what they saw in Week 8 of Illinois high school football and go over the two latest IHSA playoff proposals

There is only one week left to earn a spot in the postseason, and plenty of Suburban Life area teams still are battling for a spot. Here are where teams stand heading into Week 9.

After a few relative stable weeks, chaos hit in a big way to premier programs around the state. Steve Soucie takes a look at what we learned in Week 8.

Each week, we’ll have 22 players – 11 on offense, 11 on defense – to make the Friday Night Drive Team of the Week. Vote for your favorite players for Week 8!

The Willowbrook flag football team bounced back from a tough semifinal loss to beat Perspectives 30-0 in the state third-place game Saturday.

A 99-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter held Fremd earn a 23-13 victory over Palatine on Friday for the Vikings' first win in the series since 2019.

Maine South used a strong defensive effort to beat Glenbrook South 38-7 on Friday.

Nazareth started Friday night’s game against Benet in an inauspicious fashion as Jackson Fallia tossed an interception, but the Roadrunners got rolling and they went on to a 42-14 win over the Redwings, all but ending their playoff hopes.

Wheaton North came back from 14 points down and won 21-20 against Geneva, ending not only its four-game skid but also likely the Vikings’ four-year playoff streak.

EJ Kuhlman found pay dirt with 15 seconds left to help Lyons get past Downers Grove North 24-20 for the Lions' seventh straight win in the rivalry.

Mckenzie Edison made a fingertip grab of a 29-yard touchdown pass from Marli Smrz with 10 seconds left, sending Willowbrook to the flag football state semifinals with a thrilling 20-14 win over Kenwood.

Being tired was not going to enter into the mind of Glenbard East running back Kedrick Dennis. No way. He wanted the ball in his hands, and he wanted it over and over. He finished with two touchdowns in a victory over Glenbard South.

On a potential game-winning two-point conversion from Wheaton Academy with 1:06 remaining in the game, Aurora Christian's Dom Klimpke knocked down a pass headed for the end zone to help the Eagles hold on for a 28-27 victory.

Henry Duda rushed for 136 yards and a go-ahead 56-yard TD early in the fourth quarter, Hunter Stepanich blocked the potential tying extra point and York – a week after losing its starting quarterback in a loss – knocked off previously unbeaten Glenbard West 21-20.